What is burnout?
Burnout is a particular kind of work-related stress. Rather than a medical diagnosis, burnout is a common term for a kind of physical or emotional exhaustion that can affect your health. Burnout can occur when you have experienced long-term stress in your job, when you work in a particularly draining role or when you have gone a long time feeling like your contributions are undervalued.
Signs of Burnout include:
- General exhaustion or fatigue
- Lack of motivation
- Reduced sense of achievement
- Irritability
- Reduced ability to concentrate
- Feeling overwhelmed
Reporting from MentalHealth UK in 2020 found that only 23% of UK workers said their workplaces had a plan in place to spot the signs of chronic stress and prevent burnout in employees. While there are factors outside the workplace that can contribute to burnout, – such as money worries, relationships and families and general health – with UK workers working some of the longest hours in Europe, work plays an important part in all of our lives. Addressing your workplace culture can reduce burnout and help workers to feel engaged, motivated and secure.
What can you do as an employer or team leader to reduce burnout and excess stress?
- Be clear about expectations, responsibilities and schedules
- Address dysfunctional workplace dynamics
- Listen to employee needs
- Offer support for mental health concerns
- Improve communication and accessibility of existing policies
Interested in learning more about common mental health challenges? Try our Mental Wellbeing at Work E-Learning course >>> email elearning@iiduk.org or call 0800 288 4717 to find out more.
