Every human has experienced stress to some extent – a natural response to challenges or troubles we encounter. The real problem occurs when the stress is constant, moreover, if we are continually exposed to the stress trigger. Chronic workplace stress is a persistent recurrence due to everyday exposure to fast-paced work environments. Further, if this stress is not properly addressed, it will emerge as employee burnout, engulfing individuals and organizations.
Employee Burnout – What We Need To Understand
International Classification of Diseases includes burnout as an occupational phenomenon. Therefore, burnout is defined only by occupational context, meaning stress in other areas of life is not relevant to describe. However, it is not classified as a medical condition. As The World Health Organization (WHO) actively works on developing guidelines for better employee well-being, what can we do?
1. Common Causes Of Employee Burnout
- Lack of control, as not having autonomy about the schedule or workload.
- Unclear expectations, as lacking a defined purpose in the organization.
- Excessive workload, as being so busy that you cannot keep up with the demands.
- Famished workload, as your job bores you or you have too much free time.
- Poor work-life balance, as spending all your energy on the job, leaving no time for your wishes.
- Toxic work environments, as having conflicts with others.
2. Signs & Symptoms Of Employee Burnout
- Emotional exhaustion:
- Have you been irritable with your co-workers, customers, or clients?
- Do you feel disconnected from work and the people you work with?
- Have I lost passion or interest in work that I used to enjoy?
- Decreased motivation and productivity:
- Do you have trouble starting job-related tasks?
- Do you lack the energy and focus to do your job well?
- Am I making more mistakes or producing lower-quality work than usual?
- Increased absenteeism or negative feelings:
- Do you frequently arrive late, leave early, or take extended breaks to avoid work?
- Have you started ignoring work emails, messages, or meetings because they feel overwhelming?
- Do you avoid responsibilities or delegate tasks more often than before?
What Impact Does The Employee Burnout Have?
1. Impact On Individuals
We first need to examine the starting point to understand the extension of consequences due to employee burnout. The starting point is on a smaller scale, usually beginning with an employee experiencing burnout. The impact on the individual includes actions, like:
- lower efficiency,
- reduced quality of work, and
- possible turnover.
2. Impact On Companies
The cycle may stop there but will still affect the company culture. For instance, lower efficiency and quality of work would lead to missed deadlines and frequent mistakes. Eventually, absenteeism and turnover would cause increased hiring, and with that, training costs. The impact of employee burnout can manifest in the form of:
- low morale, causing the spread of negativity and disengagement,
- workplace conflicts, leading to strained relationships due to frustrations, and
- weakened teamwork, making the collaborations less effective.
How Can We Prevent And Manage Employee Burnout?
The encouragement of healthy precautions towards employee burnout must come from the side of the individual as from the side of the workplace. A balanced work-life ethic can begin by assuring a reasonable workload while providing mental health support. Indeed, an overall positive work environment can be achieved by receiving and giving feedback and staying open-minded. It is a necessary development that every company should take for not only themselves but for a motivated workforce – after all, every clog in a system is important for it to work.
Reference List
- Employers Need To Focus On Workplace Burnout: Here’s Why
- Burn-out An “Occupational Phenomenon”: International Classification Of Diseases
- Stress – WHO
- Work-Related Stress
- Stress – Health Direct
- Job Burnout: How To Spot It And Take Action