Keys to avoid burnout in the workplace

Keys to avoid burnout in the workplace. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized burnout as a disease. It’s one of the most common problems for employees. But what is burnout syndrome?

If you feel exhaustion, lack of energy, bad mood, and mental fatigue, you might have burnout syndrome. This is common among the working population. It’s also called occupational burnout syndrome. 

People in situations of stress and anxiety suffer from it. In fact, people reach a point in which fatigue takes over their bodies. This causes physical and psychological problems.

Burnout is an emotional disorder caused mainly by work. It has many physical and psychological symptoms. Besides, it has bad effects on the company.

It might be caused by different things. For example, low-stress tolerance and frustration of the affected person. Also, the work environment, the leadership style of the superiors, and issues in the definition of the job. The stress of modern life also affects it.

Burnout has many effects. You might have problems sleeping. There’s also a lack of motivation. Besides, people who have it are always in a bad mood. That hurts many parts of their life.

Burnout can affect both personal and professional life. Besides, it can lead to depression and anxiety. In recent years, burnout has become one of the main causes of both absenteeism and bad productivity at work. 

What are the symptoms of burnout syndrome?

Burnout is a response to chronic stressors in the environment. You can identify it from its effects. Namely, exhaustion, cynicism, and professional ineffectiveness. Besides, burnout often occurs among employees who work with people (care, health, and education sectors).

The nature of burnout is clear. It affects the personal, social, and professional levels.

First, on a personal level, there is numbness and a lack of energy. Then, at the social level, you find bad attitudes, such as insensitivity and cynicism. Lastly, at the professional level, there is low self-esteem and the inability to withstand pressure or feel satisfied.

You can’t blame the individual for being burned out. In fact, it’s due to long and frequent exposure to bad working conditions. In fact, high demands can hurt you. Also, great emotional and cognitive tension, along with lack of recognition, means having this condition is a matter of time.

It’s normal to suffer stress at work. Maybe it’s even necessary. The reason is that work demands, also called stressors, should challenge the worker. Keys to avoid burnout in the workplace. They help motivation. Of course, we are talking about moderate levels of stress, which the worker can cope with.

The problem happens when the demands outgrow these coping strategies and go on for a long time. Sometimes you work every day and deal with problems that you can’t handle. Then, symptoms of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low fulfillment will appear.

Triggers of burnout

The triggers of burnout are in the organization’s context. This means organizational aspects and job design. Also, those relating to the emotional demands from interpersonal relationships during work.

Burnout is common in organizations with simple and repetitive work. These are too stiff, with few resources and a bad work climate. Burnout also happens in organizations where workers aren’t encouraged to join in. Because of this, conflict and role ambiguity are present. It’s also important to note the lack of support from colleagues or bosses.

The emotional demands that come with interpersonal relationships cause negative moments with patients or clients. It also correlates with negative work dynamics, conflicts between colleagues, and lack of collaboration.

Then, the growth and development of this syndrome depend mainly on social factors. For instance, poor communication with family and friends or loss of social prestige. Personal reasons affect too. A tendency to become extremely involved can happen. Also, problems with personal expectations and a certain addiction to work are common causes for the syndrome.

Are people who work in front of the public more vulnerable?

This syndrome happens most often in vocational professions that are very demanding. The most vulnerable people are those who work with others. For example, doctors, nurses, teachers, police, and the like. In other words, jobs that have high demands. 

These jobs involve certain emotional demands. For example, teachers and doctors. It’s more likely that many of the risk factors for this syndrome will converge. To illustrate, the lack of time to see patients, too much emotional burden, or the lack of reciprocity in social exchanges can affect people.

How can I prevent personal burnout?

Set limits.

Don’t work until you burn out. Know your limits. Don’t overdo it in your efforts to meet work deadlines.

Ask for help.

If you are feeling the symptoms of burnout, you must ask for help as soon as possible. Talk to a professional and tell your boss about what is happening.

Disconnect.

In order not to feel the work overload, you must know when to stop. Turn off your computer, cellphone, and do not check your email outside office hours if it’s not strictly necessary.

Take care of your health.

Eating a good diet and doing physical activities at least twice a week will help prevent stress from winning the battle.

Take care of your money.

Financial problems are a frequent cause of burnout. Make sure you have your expenses under control to make ends meet, and manage your money wisely.

Find the right job.

Burnout syndrome can also mean that you are in the wrong job. Keys to avoid burnout in the workplace. If you’re feeling tired and bored with your job, it may be time to find a new one. Remember that finding a vocation where you feel good will help you achieve happiness.

How to prevent burnout in a company

To handle this growing problem, companies have a responsibility for both prevention and treatment. This is especially true considering that employees are the driving force of the company.

The study of factors that cause burnout will allow the company to adopt defensive measures and help the employee. That way, they will be able to do their tasks properly, avoid overload, and cut stress.

Detecting risk factors allows us to prevent damage to the health of employees. Burnout can cause not only human costs but also economic costs at the organizational level.

The importance of the team and the team leader

What can companies do to cut burnout among their employees? Burnout relates to the worker’s exposure to bad working conditions. Keys to avoid burnout in the workplace. Because of this, creating coping strategies and support can help. This can be good to cut this syndrome’s growth.

Many studies have shown that people who work in friendly teams are better against burnout. Social ties, led by superiors who avoid conflict and role ambiguity, can help. Besides, they must boost both the participation and independence of the worker. This type of management strategy and style should be the goal from the beginning of the relationship, to help make a defense against this pathology.