In June 2016, world psychiatryThe official journal of the World Psychiatric Association has published an online article to help you understand the experience of burnout.
“Burnout is a psychological syndrome that manifests as a long-term response to chronic interpersonal stressors at work. Three major aspects of this response are overwhelming feelings of exhaustion, cynicism and disengagement from work, and and a sense of helplessness and lack of accomplishment.The importance of this three-dimensional model is that it clearly places an individual's experience of stress within a social context, involving both the person's concept of self and others. That’s it.”
Eight years later, various polls and statistics show that we are fanning the flames of “burnout” at an alarming rate. The number of employee reviews mentioning burnout on Glassdoor has reached an all-time high, increasing by 44% from 2019 to 2024. More reports from Gallup, the American Psychological Association, the Society for Human Resource Management, Deloitte, the World Health Organization, and numerous other organizations have raised the concept of burnout as a growing concern. No one knows this more than the workers and their families who experience this condition firsthand.
call to action
In business and in life, every crisis or challenge is an invitation and an opportunity to be part of the solution. Awareness is our first call to action. Research and statistics reveal the need to address burnout in the global market. Although this is an individual-level syndrome, it is important to note that both employers and employees need to actively work together to overcome and prevent burnout. Playing the blame card is not a productive path forward.
This issue needs to be addressed in a way that improves resolution in a way that is healthy for both companies and employees. It takes intentional care in how you approach your business from within.
intention and execution
Three intentional touchpoints prevent the contagion of burnout: culture, professional development, and operational excellence. These cover a range of human connections and operational efficiencies within a company's sphere of influence.
While the first two clearly represent human connection, the operational aspects are equally valuable in fostering an environment of care and dedication to each person's success.
1. Culture. Building a human-centered culture within your team is of great value to your organization. Running a team with a unified purpose, centered around your values and unifying pillars, fosters a sense of belonging and strengthens connections between people to create trust, strong, collaborative teams, and the contributions of skilled individuals. Build people. This establishes a sense of trust and responsibility, engages everyone, and increases appreciation for their roles.
The emotional lift that comes from the encouragement of closer relationships and connections allows employees to take a break from the interpersonal stress and fatigue they are experiencing on an alarming scale. Simply being in a space to communicate and “relieve” some of the individual burden, and working with a united base, creates a more positive and productive means of being the best in one's role. You can.
2. Professional Development. Employees value companies and management teams that invest in them. Since 2020, with the arrival of Gen Z, professional development has become a key attraction and retention factor, even surpassing financial rewards. The role of managers is increasingly influential in the growth and retention of a company's most valuable asset: its people.
Learning, upskilling, and receiving rewards and recognition at a fast pace promotes trust and bonding in relationships and reduces cynicism and interpersonal stressors. Building knowledge and skills creates confidence and value in the effectiveness of your contribution, and a real sense of accomplishment.
3. Operational excellence. Transforming a feeling of helplessness and lack of accomplishment into an experience of personal worth and contribution has a huge impact. Essentially, that transformation is about knowing and acting on your ability to work effectively as an individual contributor or team collaborator, and then recognizing the victory and walking away as a job well done. means. This creates a sense of security in the individual's role, potential for growth, and a strong sense of belonging, filling the void that leads to disengagement.
Incorporating clearly communicated expectations provides a familiar foundation and clarity for performance measurements that predict the means to success. Participating in a productive environment makes people feel like they are integrated into the fabric of society in a meaningful way, increasing their sense of belonging.
change trajectory
The road to burnout is a call to action for all leaders. While no job is completely free of interpersonal stressors, it is certainly possible to minimize and limit the long-term and widespread harm that appears to be prevalent in the marketplace. Burnout is not an isolated condition. Impacts and impacts in the workplace impact our entire business and the employee base we have a responsibility to protect and thrive.
Simple, focused efforts can spark enthusiasm and energy, trust and engagement, and skilled success among those we have the privilege of managing. Leaders can bring about positive change through focused effort and the awareness they put into those they are entrusted with caring for, nurturing, and encouraging towards success. It's time to stop fanning the flames of burnout and embrace opportunities to be part of the solution.
