The COVID pandemic has led to many workplace distortions, including “great resignations,” “quiet quits,” “excessive employment,” labor shortages and much more. Another such term that existed even before the pandemic is employee burnout. But somehow, this issue of being burned out is linked to all of the above.
What is burnout?
The International Classification of Diseases describes burnout as “a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” As a diagnosable condition, burnout has three symptoms: physical exhaustion, disengagement with work and co-workers, and cynicism at one’s job and career.
Burned Employees Figures
In a survey conducted by Edelman Data & Intelligence, nearly 50 percent of employees and 53 percent of managers said they were burned out at work. The survey was conducted among 20,006 full-time employed or self-employed knowledge workers in 11 countries between July 7–August 2, 2022 across multiple industries and countries. Another research conducted by WorkHuman showed that 3 out of 10 Irish employees reported that they felt burnt out “very often” or “always”. It also showed that Ireland ranks among the worst in Europe for employee burnout, Silicon Republic has reported. More than 12,000 workers from 11 European countries and the US took part in the survey. Belgium and Ireland fared poorly in terms of workplace stress.
Who Are the Hardest Hitters of Employee Burnout
A study conducted by McKinsey & Company found that nearly one in three workers in Asia was experiencing symptoms of burnout. The report showed, “Women employees and frontline workers in the field report higher levels of burnout, depression symptoms and distress than their global counterparts (with higher levels of depression and distress symptoms than male employees). , is a common occurrence throughout the world).
As McKinsey reports about the survey, “With more than a quarter of employees reporting symptoms of depression and anxiety, it is clear that a real and pressing workplace challenge is facing the sector.”
The research was conducted from February to April 2022 by the McKinsey Health Institute. Respondents included 15,000 employees and 1,000 human resource decision makers in 15 countries. India, Japan, Australia and China. In all countries, toxic workplace behavior was the leading cause of employee burnout.
With work from home, employee-manager trust also goes for a toss. Recently, surveys found that 85 percent of managers worry they can’t tell employees are doing enough, while 87 percent of workers say that their productivity is fine. This was the finding of a survey on corporate attitudes by Microsoft Corp., the workplace software giant and owner of LinkedIn. Managers’ fears about idle workers are creating what Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella calls “productivity paranoia,” which has undesirable consequences – such as spying on employees. “Leaders think their employees are not productive, while employees think they are productive and in many cases even feel burned out,” he said in a Bloomberg television interview. This can also be a cause of burnout because proving yourself right becomes a priority for employees. According to Simon Fraser University, loneliness and lack of social support stand out as major contributors to burnout, perhaps as important – if not more so – than physical health and financial security.
how do you know if you are burned
As Forbes reports, negative thoughts are one of the reasons. According to Janice Litwin, author of the Benish Burnout Toolkit, told Forbes that rescue clues or outbursts on a loved one are also a sure sign of burnout.
“Avoidance clues are a sure sign of burnout. They include thoughts like, ‘I wish I could stay in bed by this afternoon.’ The most obvious clue is anger at a loved one. It’s a telltale sign that something else is bothering you,” Litwin told Forbes in an email.
Listing other symptoms such as trouble sleeping, a feeling of heartburn or digestive issues is also one of the signs of a burn.
According to MayoClinic, have difficulty concentrating, unexplained headaches, have become cynical or critical at work, are not satisfied with achievements, have changed sleeping habits, etc.
What to do about it
Indulge in some physical activities which will help in building confidence and also prepare you for the next day’s challenge. If you feel like you’re burned out, you can also indulge in some of your favorite hobbies like reading, learning something new, or maybe even listening to some of your favorite songs.
With these, develop conversations with your managers, ask for support from coworkers or friends.
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