05.07.2023
6 CAUSES OF WORKPLACE BURNOUT AND HOW TO CORRECT THEM
According to a number of studies, 49% of rank-and-file employees and almost 60% of managers in different countries of the world have noticed signs of burnout. And it often leads to emotional exhaustion, significantly reduces work efficiency, and also increases the likelihood from health problems, frequent sick leave and voluntary dismissal. People with a high degree of neuroticism, perfectionists and introverts are in a special risk group.
Despite the fact that many people understand the problem, not everyone knows how to solve it. The efforts of not only the employees themselves, but also the company's managers are important here. But first of all, it is necessary to determine what exactly leads to burnout.
Too many tasks or constant overload is one of the main causes of burnout. This can lead to problems not only with mental, but also with physical health. Research has confirmed that excessive work impairs sleep and increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
What to do if you're the boss
Select tasks for employees based on their strengths. Help them separate the priority and important tasks from those that can be put off for later. This will allow employees not to be overwhelmed with small and non-urgent tasks.
Provide your subordinates with simple and clear channels of communication, for example through the HR department. Employees need a convenient way to give feedback in case they are overwhelmed with extra work or something goes wrong.
What to do if you are a subordinate
Try splitting your workload. Use the MoSCoW method, "fugitive list" planning, or any other technique that makes a proper distribution of forces possible. And don't forget to take breaks as needed - it will be much easier to maintain your focus and stay productive.
Research shows that autonomy at work improves our well-being and has a positive effect on mental well-being. Micromanagement or constant control over all our actions, on the contrary, kills motivation.
What to do if you're the boss
Try not to follow every step of your subordinates, but to become a kind of mentor or coach for them. Of course, it is better to immediately hire people with the necessary skills. But it's also up to you to create a comfortable work environment so employees know they can ask any questions and be honest about their needs.
Also, try letting subordinates make their own schedules.
What to do if you are a subordinate
Speak carefully and politely to your boss. Explain that you understand the purpose of your work and know what steps to take. Try not only in words, but also in deeds to convince the management that you are trustworthy.
For example, if you want to work remotely a few days a week, get your boss to set up a trial period on your terms. When your boss is convinced that you are as productive at home as you are at the office, he will start to trust you and give you the freedom you want.
We may need both financial and moral encouragement to feel important. When we don't feel appreciated, our performance drops significantly and we want to do much less for the company.
What to do if you're the boss
Encouragement must be sincere - we all experience hypocrisy and fakeness. Do not forget to praise your subordinates and notice not only the results achieved, but also the efforts made.
Do not set employees as examples to each other. This will only develop unnecessary rivalry and spoil the general mood of the team. It is better, on the contrary, to promote warm relations between employees and motivate them to praise more often.
What to do if you are a subordinate
If it's not common in your team to enjoy the success of others, start doing it yourself. Compliment a colleague on a project well done. If you're working on a task together, notice how the other person's quality work helped you complete yours. Gradually, you will begin to receive the same feedback and the atmosphere will change for the better.
Constant quarrels, skirmishes and misunderstandings do not help in solving problems. We will hardly go to work with pleasure, where unpleasant people and new conflicts await us.
Back in 1999, Gallup conducted a study that revealed that employees who have good relationships with colleagues cope much better with stress. More recent research does not give completely definitive results on the matter, but it can also be confidently argued that friendly relations between colleagues help at work.
What to do if you're the boss
Organize regular corporate events, encourage employees to go out to lunch or events outside of work hours. Allocate a room in the office where subordinates can relax and talk. The more cohesive the team, the better the work will continue.
What to do if you are a subordinate
Look at your colleagues. Perhaps among them there is a person with whom you can really make friends. Participate more often in the social life of the team - this will help you feel like a part of the team.
Bias, favoritism, mistreatment by co-workers or a boss, unfair pay distribution, or strange company rules can lead to burnout.
Different attitudes can be related to gender, nationality, financial status - in any case, a job where we constantly deal with such problems is not very inspiring. A study shows that employees who face injustice are more likely to take sick days and burn out.
What to do if you're the boss
Make sure that all your subordinates have equal rights and opportunities and stop any even the beginnings of inequality. Create a system that allows employees to speak up about injustices when they experience them, preferably through HR departments. Do not forget to discuss and find a way out of such situations in a timely manner.
What to do if you are a subordinate
If you regularly experience discrimination and humiliation in the workplace, please consult with management. If the negativity comes from management itself, contact the HR manager. When the problem is not solved for weeks, months or even years, and the authorities do nothing, it makes sense to look for a new job.
When a person enters a company whose values conflict with their own, they can quickly begin to experience stress and burnout.
What to do if you're the boss
Be responsible when hiring. Do not forget to listen not only to their experience and achievements, but also to say about yourself: what is your mission, what are you striving for, what is your corporate culture. This will help weed out unsuitable candidates from the start.
What to do if you are a subordinate
Often the company's values that we are told at the interview remain lip service. If this is seriously bothering you and harming your mental health, you should contact management or look for another job.
What is the conclusion?
If you want to feel comfortable, listen to yourself. Determine what causes workplace burnout for you and try to eliminate that factor or reduce its impact. Choose what you love to do and avoid what drains your energy. For example, skip a Zoom meeting if you're uncomfortable with a video call and just call a colleague instead.
If you run a company, be considerate of your employees. Yes, each of us is responsible for our own happiness and mental well-being. But remember that happy subordinates are effective subordinates. As soon as you organize comfortable conditions for them, you will notice how quickly your team will start moving the company forward.
