Burnout in the Workplace

The addition, by the World Health Organization (WHO), of Burnout to the ICD-11, a reference document used to define and classify disease last May, did not go unnoticed in the news. Despite misleading media reports, this does not mean that burnout is a medical diagnosis. The WHO describes burnout as an 'occupational phenomenon' that does not relate to medical or health conditions but that impacts health as affected individuals do seek health services (WHO). In order to conclude that an individual is suffering from burnout, in other words that the workplace is negatively affecting their health, medical conditions such as anxiety, mood disorders and other stress-related disorders must be ruled out. It is important to underline that burnout is not brought on by some individual weakness or failure to deal with work stressors. On the contrary, the burnout points out to the workplace environment and culture and is therefore a leadership and organizational issue. Consequently, WHO defines burnout as "a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed" (WHO).

In 1974, Freudenberg explained burnout as a multidimensional construct representing a "wearing out" from the stress work." Moreover, the term "burnout" was explained through the following three dimensions: feelings of energy depletion or emotional exhaustion; increased mental distance from one's job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and reduced professional efficacy." Maslach and colleagues' (1976) research found that workers reported feelings of profound emotional exhaustion and a crisis in feelings of professional competence. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is the most common questionnaire to measure burnout that relates to occupational stress (Maslach, 1976). In 1982, the Professor Emerita of Psychology at the University of California at Berkley, Maslach wrote that "although personality does play some part in burnout, the bulk of evidence ... is consistent with the view that burnout is best understood (modified) in terms of situational sources of job-related, interpersonal stress" (p.9). Maslach and Leiter (2016) indicated that "burnout is a psychological syndrome emerging as a prolonged response to chronic interpersonal stressors on the job" p.1.  While there is no general agreement about burnout symptoms, the authors define three key symptoms of burnout (p.1): 

• Exhaustion: Feeling emotionally exhausted, down, tired, and do not have enough energy.
• Frustration: Becoming cynical about their work condition and colleagues; people may distance themselves emotionally. 
• Ineffectiveness: Low productivity at work, negative attitude about work related tasks, issues to concentrate on work task, and lack creativity. 

 While we recognize that the root causes of burnout are to be found in the organizational management of the workplace and should therefore be addressed by specific policies, there are strategies that workers and employees can apply in order to reduce their risk of burnout. The Mayo Clinic identifies the following work-related risk factors that affect burnout condition:

• Overtime work
• Heavy overload
• Work related stress
• Unbalanced personal and professional life

 We adapted strategies for reducing the burnout condition from Sood (2013), Mayo Clinic, McCormack & Cotter (2013).

Strategies to avoid burnout

Strategy #1 At the workplace

• Keep communication channels open with your colleagues, don't be afraid to ask for help.
• Discuss your work-related concerns and expectations with your supervisor.
• Improve your workflow through tasks prioritization and work organization.
• Create decision criteria (principles, requirements, and guidance). This will help to decision making process at workplace.
• Engage others and practice task delegation.
• Learn to say "no".

Strategy #2 Making time for enjoyable activities unrelated to work.

The following questions can help you assess your current situation in relation to burnout risk:

• How do I spend my time outside of work?
• What gives me   feeling of joy and inner peace?
• What helps me to feel recharged?
• How often do I spend time with my family and friends?
• How often do I attend cultural events?
• How often do I have quiet moments at home to relax and reflect?
• Do I get enough sleep?

Strategy #3 Prioritize your well-being: Scheduled "ME" time

• Practice mindfulness.
• Get physically active.
• Get more sleep hours.
• Plan relax time.

Resources

Freudenberg, H. J. (1974). Staff burn-out. Journal of Social Issues, 30, 159-165

Maslach, C. (1976). Burned out, Human Behavior, Vol. 9.

Maslach, C. (1982). Burnout. The cost of caring. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall

Maslach, C., Jackson, S. E., Leiter, M. P., Schaufeli, W. B., & Schwab, R. L. (1986). Maslach burnout inventory (Vol. 21, pp. 3463-3464). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting psychologists press.

McCormack, N., & Cotter, C. (2013). Managing burnout in the workplace: A guide for information professionals. Elsevier. Chandos Publishing, Oxford, UK

Sood, A. (2013) The Mayo Clinic. Guide to Stress-Free Living. Da Capo Press, Philadelphia, PA.

WHO. Burn-out an "occupational phenomenon": International Classification of Diseases. WHO. 2019.

Unknown Author (Internet resources). Job burnout: How to spot it and take action - Mayo Clinic [cited 2019 Oct 10].