What Is Job Burnout?
Job burnout is a state of emotional and mental exhaustion caused by specific circumstances related to one’s work life, causing individuals to feel overwhelmed with stress, emotionally drained and often resulting in physical symptoms, too.
Burnout: the Signs, Causes and Risks
Being able to spot the signs of burnout in the workplace as early as possible is vital, preventing burnout from taking over employees’ lives.
There are often different stages of burnout, whereby individuals start by only experiencing issues intermittently, with these becoming more frequent and intense as time goes by. These include:
Dreading going to work or performing your daily tasks
Feeling removed from your job or environment
Failing to feel a sense of satisfaction or accomplishment
Lacking patience and feeling irritable
Finding it hard to focus
Chronic fatigue or a lack of energy
Frequent illnesses due to a weakened immune system
Sleep disturbances
Physical discomfort such as headaches and muscle tension
The causes of burnout are varied, typically involving issues at work such as:
Excessive workload or hours or unrealistic deadlines
Issues with management or lack of autonomy
Inadequate recognition or compensation
Conflict with colleagues
Lack of support and work benefits
Lack of direction
Ethical conflicts
Career stagnation or monotony
If left unaddressed, burnout could have serious consequences on employees’ lives. From physical health risks to mental health risks and decreased quality of life, the risks are varied, including:
Chronic fatigue
Cardiovascular and gastrointestinal issues
Sleep disorders
Depression
Anxiety disorders
Emotional exhaustion
Strained relationships, both at work and in one’s personal life
Substance abuse
Career damage
Addressing Burnout in the Workplace
There are several ways individuals can seek help to both stop burnout in its tracks as well as prevent it from severely impacting their lives:
Consult a medical professional about your symptoms to address the emotional and psychological aspects of burnout
Consider looking for employment elsewhere
Discuss your options with your manager
Reduce exposure to specific stressors, if possible
Practice stress management techniques like mindfulness, meditation, and regular exercise to reduce stress
Ensuring work-life balance by establishing clear boundaries
However, it is businesses’ responsibility to ensure work environments are safe and healthy, reducing the likelihood of employees experiencing issues such as burnout. Organisational strategies include:
Implementing policies that promote a healthy work environment, such as reasonable workloads, fair compensation and recognition programmes
Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs)
Mental health training programmes
Therapy services
Mental health and stress management workshops/webinars
Introducing flexible work arrangements
Enhancing employee autonomy
Team-building activities
Protecting Employees’ Mental Health Should Not Be a Tick-Box Exercise.
If you or someone you know is struggling with burnout or a mental health condition, mental health services and urgent help are available through the NHS and local mental health charities and services: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/
Get In Touch today to find out how Red Umbrella can help support your mental wellbeing in your organisation.