Avoiding Burnout 

By Debra Gates and Sherri Fields

Burnout is one of those topics that we hear about but may not know what it is and what to do about it when it presents itself in the workplace or in our own lives. If you Google “what is burnout?’ you will find a plethora of articles and websites devoted to this topic. It does not matter what industry you work in; burnout is present. 

So, what is burnout, and how can we, as HR professionals, help others deal with it while we are experiencing it ourselves? Learning how to identify burnout in ourselves and others is key to preventing turnover and other issues related to burnout in the workplace. For the next few minutes, we will take you on a short journey where you will learn about burnout, how to identify it, how it impacts employees’ mental health, how it affects the company, and what we can do about it.

What does research say?

Barthauer et al. (Barthauer, L., Kaucher, P., & Kauffeld, S. (2020). Burnout and career (un)sustainability: Looking into the Blackbox of burnout triggered career turnover intentions. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 117, 10334) defined burnout as “a state of prolonged exhaustion, disengagement from work, and a lowered sense of effectiveness as a professional.” (p. 3). WebMD.com (WebMD Editorial Contributor. (2024, March 5). Burnout: Symptoms and Signs.) supported that definition and then went on to discuss that there are different types of burnout including being overloaded, not challenged, neglected, and persistent or chronic burnout that some find themselves experiencing.

SHRM has done extensive research on the topic and their findings are a bit scary. Individuals experiencing burnout are 45% more likely to look for another job and 40% are not inclined to go above and beyond the minimum requirements for their employer (Here’s how bad burnout has become at work.(2024, May 1). Welcome to SHRM| The Voice of All Things Work). Given these statistics, it is important for HR professionals to understand the impact that burnout can have on the employees and the organization. Finding ways to reduce burnout is key to success for all.

Burnout & Mental Health

Burnout was officially labeled as a global health issue in 2019 when the World Health Organization added it to the International Classification of Diseases. Burnout has been shown to have high correlations to other mental and physical health conditions. (How Burnout Impacts Your Mental Health. (2021, March 28) University of Utah).

Burnout can have a significant impact on the mental health of your employees. Research has shown that individuals with long term burnout have higher rates of other mental health issues. (Maddock, A. (2024). The Relationships between Stress, Burnout, Mental Health and Well-being in Social Workers. The British Journal of social Work, 54(2), 668-686). While anxiety and depression are the most commonly associated mental health challenges, other challenges may include a lack of motivation, increased pessimism, a decreased ability to focus, poor decision-making abilities, and suicidal ideation. (Nadon, L. D. (2022, March 17). Should Burnout Be Conceptualized as a Mental Disorder? Behavioral Sciences, 12(3)).

It is well established that mental health challenges can have an impact on physical health, interrupting sleep, causing gastrointestinal issues, fatigue, lower immune system performance, and headaches. The physical symptoms then impact mental health, and the employee finds themselves in a never-ending burnout cycle (How Burnout Impacts Your Mental Health. (2021, March 28). University of Utah). 

Fortunately, as a HR professional, you have an opportunity to positively impact the people in your organization to prevent burnout. Supportive interventions in the workplace have been shown to decrease burnout and the associated mental health challenges for employees who have utilized those resources. (Maddock, A. (2024). The Relationships between Stress, Burnout, Mental Health and Well-being in Social Workers. The British Journal of social Work, 54(2), 668-686.)

To reduce burnout, the organization must recognize that the condition exists and understand the impact that it can have on individual employees and organizational performance. HR professionals can work to develop cultural changes that support a mentally healthy working environment. Managers and thought leaders should be trained to communicate the importance of mental health in the organization. (Kinman, G. a. (2024, June 7). Burnout in Health Care: Risk Factors and Solutions. University of London). 

What can we do as HR professionals to limit or even mitigate burnout at work?

There are many ways to prevent burnout or relieve employees exhibiting burnout symptoms. The following list is not all-inclusive but will provide a good jumping-off point in your organization should you observe burnout as an issue.

• Managers should connect with HR professionals to explore solutions when burnout is impacting employees in their area. (Job burnout: How to spot it and take action. (2023, November 30) Mayo Clinic). 
• Audit the burnout temperature in your organization and work to find ways to mitigate it.
• Individuals should be aware of what their stressors are and try to minimize exposure to them.
• Set and keep healthy boundaries. Don’t be afraid to say no. (Banish burnout: How to move from stress to success.(2024, August 7). Welcome to SHRM | The Voice of All Things Work) 
• Encourage employees to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including exercise and healthy eating.
• Be social and spend time with friends, family and coworkers. 
• Seek professional help when needed and work to have a new mindset about work.

WebMD.com (Burnout: Symptoms and Signs.(2024, March 5) WebMD Editorial Contributor). 

Burnout is a condition that can be improved for many employees. (How Burnout Impacts Your Mental Health, . (2021, March 28) University of Utah).By reducing burnout, the organization will not only increase outcomes, but it will have positively impacted the mental health and overall lives of the individuals in their organization.