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Mental health and the effects of burnout continue to be a concern for employers. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines burnout as a syndrome "resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed."

In a recent survey of U.S. employers, the consultancy WTW found that 86% said employee mental health, stress, and burnout are areas that must be addressed.

Tens of millions of Americans have quit their jobs amid the Great Resignation, with burnout being a motivating factor for many workers. At some companies, the employees who remain are dealing with heavier workloads, possibly leading to more cases of burnout.

The WHO lists the following characteristics of burnout on its website:

• Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;

• Increased mental distance from one's job or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and

• Reduced professional efficacy.

In a recent Employers Council Roundtable focused on self-care for HR professionals, an HR manager mentioned that she works long hours, constantly has many job openings because employees have quit, and she always feels stressed. Although the meeting was held on Zoom, I could see the stress on her face and in the sound of her voice. For her, burnout is real, and I witnessed it firsthand.

What can be done to manage workplace stress to reduce the possibility of experiencing burnout? Are there steps an individual can take to mitigate the effects of stress and burnout?

I would like to propose three practical ways to manage your workplace stress and avoid burnout.

Know Thyself

Much of work entails working and communicating with others effectively, so it's important to know how you prefer to communicate and work with others. We all have a preferred style or approach, and knowing this about ourselves is crucial. There are a number of tools available, such as Everything DiSC, Myers-Briggs, and other assessments, that can help you understand your communications preferences.

For example, if your boss wants an update on a project you are working on and has a bottom-line, just-the-facts style, would you make small talk, go into details of the project, or provide a high-level update with two or three important points? Knowing that your boss wants you to be brief should help you decide how to best answer their question according to their preferred style.

Even better would be to have your team or department take one of these assessments as a group. Everyone would understand their individual style and the styles of their coworkers. Do you think you would have a more cohesive workplace and less personal stress if everyone understood each other's preferred communication styles?

What Fills My Tank?

In a recent podcast, Patrick Lencioni, author of the book "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team," spoke of needing to do things that "fill me up." Does your work fill you up, bring you joy, or give you energy? Burnout is often viewed as having too much work. Perhaps the question we should be asking is, "does my work bring me joy?" Think about a time you were so energized by a work project that you lost track of time? Were you "filled up" after putting in all those hours?

For example, a coworker was asked to join a conference call at 6 a.m., as he was on the West Coast and the client was out East, three hours ahead. The coworker enthusiastically said yes, and participated for over an hour with energy and enthusiasm. When asked why he was so eager at such an early hour, he said, "I love talking to clients about what we do and could do it all day." For this coworker, he filled his tank and got energy and joy from talking to clients.

I recognize that some or much of your job may not fill you up. In reality, there will always be parts of a job that may drain us. The purpose of this article is not to suggest you look for another job. I do suggest that just like you need to know yourself, you need to understand what fills your tank. You are fortunate if you have a job that, to some degree, fills your tank.

Win the Morning

Stephen R. Covey, author of the book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," said that private victories precede public victories. His first three habits deal with oneself and the next four with others. In other words, to be effective in the workplace and minimize burnout, we need to take care of ourselves first.

Every weekday morning, I exercise, hydrate, read scriptures, meditate, and plan. Nothing has made me more effective for the rest of the day than "winning the morning" in this way. Of course, there are a variety of ways you can win the morning, and you must pick activities that work for you.

The effects of burnout and the numerous pressures of life are real and affect all of us. There are steps that, while not easy, are worthwhile practices to address these challenges. If you know yourself, understand what fills your tank, and win the morning, you will be well on your way to being more effective and fulfilled while feeling less stressed and avoiding burnout at work.

If you have any questions, please email the Employers Council Member Experience team.