Are you addressing workload not just work schedules to manage burnout in your workplace?

We have all seen the increasing trend of high profile leaders departing their jobs stating they need to “take a break”, “spend more time with their family” or encouragingly citing “burnout” as the reason. But every employer should know that “burnout” is not just a trend for leaders. It can affect anyone regardless of position, and is a psychosocial hazard that needs to be addressed in most workplaces.

Burnout is officially recognised as an occupational phenomenon by the World Health Organisation (WHO). WHO defines burnout “conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” Burnout is typically characterised by three dimensions: sustained feelings of exhaustion, professional inefficiency and not 'feeling yourself'.

Burnout not only causes loss of productivity, absenteeism, and high turnover but personally it also increases the risk of morbidity generally.

A recent study by Switzerland's University of Lausanne found that by preventing exhaustion, employers can reduce the risk of employee's developing the other Burnout symptoms such as cynicism or disengagement. Specifically, the study found that a consultative process involving management and individual workers managing the “load” was more likely to be effective than just objectively addressing the work “schedule” alone.

Our thoughts

Whilst the study probably just highlighted and reconfirmed the fact that ‘prevention is always better than cure’ it reinforces that employers need to proactively manage Burnout through a combination of strategies targeted and tailored for each particular workplace. Consultation with your workers continues to provide the most creative and effective strategies.

Action Points

• Acknowledge burnout is a legitimate psychosocial hazard.

• Use a combination of strategies to proactively deal with it at your workplace.

• Before looking to unilaterally changing work schedules engage your workers to analyse matters that materially impact on their actual work load and the available resources to deal with them such as: additional skills training, better use of technology and machinery and where applicable labour.

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