Feel the Burn(out)
“In a 2021 survey of…U.S. workers, more than half said they were feeling burned out as a result of their job…”. Some experts believe these feelings of burnout – including exhaustion (and sometimes insomnia), a sense of helplessness or of futility, increased cynicism, and reduced efficacy – are a significant cause of The Great Resignation.
You may have felt symptoms of burnout yourself. And it’s no surprise: Dr. Lotte Dyrbye, a physician scientist at the Mayo Clinic, describes burnout as “a manifestation of chronic unmitigated stress”. And we’ve certainly had circumstances over the past few years that contribute to prolonged periods of stress!
So, now what? We know burnout is a problem. We know stress causes burnout. And we also know we can’t exactly get rid of all stress. I mean, global pandemics are kind of outside our control. Plus, we don’t know what other aspects of an employee’s life might also be negatively affecting them – financial woes, trouble at home, issues with a teenaged child or other family member, and so on.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help – whether for yourself or for someone on your team.
Show you care. Let your team know you are aware of their feelings. Provide an open door, if this is your style, for them to share their concerns. If this isn’t your style, that’s OK too. Still, let them know you know they have a lot going on and you sympathize with their plight and want to help them feel better. Consider asking how you can help (but only if you will follow through!).
Create social supports. Having a group of others, whether for moral support (think: talking and venting frustrations) or for actual logistical support (for example, trading off meal prep or babysitter duties) can be extremely beneficial. How might your organization incorporate informal groups like these or allow/encourage time for participation in such support networks away from the office or outside of work time?
Promote better working conditions. You may not be able to control viruses, warmongers, or most of the other “stuff of life” your people are dealing with, but there are many areas you can address at work. Ask your team (and/or yourself!) what might help to minimize stress at work – or at least to focus that stress in more useful ways – and then advocate for your team (and/or for yourself!) to bring those ideas to fruition.
For example:
providing quiet areas (both for breaks – think quick personal phone calls – and for working – when you need to not be interrupted);
formalizing “no meeting” days (to decrease disruptions to workflow);
offering snacks in the break room (whether it’s just coffee and cereal bars or something more substantial, this allows employees to step away and reenergize themselves without having to leave the office); and/or
empowering your team (feeling in control – freedom, autonomy, independence, having the boss’s trust – makes your people feel good (it reduces their stress…), and it can make your job easier (which is good for your stress levels!).)
“It’s the chronic job stressors that drive people really nuts after a while — they don’t have the right equipment, they don’t have the things they need, they don’t have enough people to do the work...” In what other ways could you address what’s bothering your workers?
Celebrate what you can. Research shows that celebrating when things go right (or even just when they are done!) can release pent-up feelings of stress. Remember to give your team a pat on the back and remind them it’s OK (necessary even!) to take a deep breath and enjoy the moment before they dive into the next thing. Plus, celebrating is fun and feels good (which is kind of the opposite of burnout…).
What else can you do to address burnout – for yourself and for your team? Please share your ideas for others to incorporate into their organizations. And, if you’d like to brainstorm with me, I’m here. :)
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/15/well/live/burnout-work-stress.html?referringSource=articleShare