Workplace burnout affects millions of people in the United States, and it can have many negative consequences for workers and organizations. To maintain a healthy workforce and a healthy bottom line, it is vital for employers to understand where burnout comes from and how to address it.
What Is Burnout?
The term burnout was first used by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in the 1970s to describe the exhaustion and stress experienced by caregivers in helping professions like medicine. It has since been generalized and applied to people in the workplace overall.
For many years, employers addressed employee burnout by recommending self-care and stress management. But in 2019, the World Health Organization, in its 11th revision of its International Classification of Diseases, said that burnout is an occupational phenomenon — something that happens at work and because of work. According to WHO, burnout isn’t a medical condition itself, but it is a factor influencing people’s overall health and well-being, leading to an increasing need for health care services. And employers can play a direct role in preventing, mitigating, or reversing burnout.
According to the Mayo Clinic Health Systems, burnout is “a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.” It’s frequently characterized by lower performance and productivity; a sense of being detached, disengaged, or cynical; a lack of positive energy; and perpetual fatigue. Burnout can be a factor in various medical issues, such as sleep problems, high blood pressure, unexplained aches and pains, and substance abuse.
How Are Employers Affected?
Burnout affects some employees more than others, and it can be localized to departments, bosses, or roles. National survey results vary as to exactly how many workers are experiencing or have experienced burnout, but it is common to see reports ranging from 40% on the low end to 80% on the high end.
Burnout’s impact on organizations includes increased turnover, errors, absenteeism, workplace injuries, and health care costs, as well as lower productivity, innovation, and engagement. Each of those factors can cost employers money. Here are two examples:
While burnout is far from the only reason for lagging employee engagement or high turnover, it undoubtedly plays a significant role at many organizations.
What Leads to Burnout?
What can turn normal, productive workplace stress into burnout? Common causes include the following:
How Can Employers Help?
How can employers support employees who are experiencing or may be nearing burnout? Here are some suggestions:
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Regularly check in with staff, formally and informally. Consider pulse surveys combined with one-on-one meetings to dig into who may be experiencing the signs and symptoms. Managers should recognize that they have the power to interrupt some of what is leading to burnout by addressing workload, setting priorities, encouraging taking time off, and ensuring work-life balance.
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Look for opportunities for autonomy and flexibility. One way to think about burnout is as a treadmill where the speed is set high, the incline is steep, and employees cannot adjust it or get off. Think creatively about providing some control, perhaps with flexible work hours, choosing where and when they work, letting go of less important tasks, and partnering with team members they enjoy.
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Model, encourage, and require burnout-busting behavior. Log off at the end of the workday and don’t respond to messages after regular work hours. When employees continue to work long hours, gently set expectations that everyone stops on time. Remind staff members that time off for vacation or sick time means truly not working, and be sure not to reward employees who do work during approved or protected time off.