What is Employee Burnout Syndrome and How to Reduce It?

In this fast-paced business environment, organisations are forced to be constantly alert and urgent to improve and stay ahead of competitors. While healthy competition is crucial for producing high-quality products and services, when not properly managed, it can negatively impact employees and the organisational culture.

One result of an overly competitive and high-pressure work environment is employee burnout syndrome. One of the primary reasons modern-day employees look for organizational culture and flexibility over an attractive salary when joining a company is these emerging issues from workplace stress and burnout.

This preference in the job market was addressed by a Glassdoor survey, which found 77% of respondents consider a company's culture before applying for a job there, and 56% said company culture is more important than salary as it relates to job satisfaction.

In this article, organisations will be able to get a thorough idea of what is employee burnout syndrome, its causes, and effective ways to reduce it to ensure a happy workplace.

Debriefing Employee Burnout Syndrome

When we often hear the term 'Employee burnout', we tend to think it is related to absenteeism and leaves. In truth, burnout syndrome is much more than it meets the eye.

It is a state of physical, emotional, and mental fatigue or exhaustion at work. Primarily, it is a situation where employees feel overwhelmed, drained, and unable to meet the constant demands of the workplace.

Employees experiencing burnout syndrome are often anxious and stressed about their jobs. They may feel like they're not accomplishing anything or that they don't care about what they do.

Burnout is an Occupational Phenomenon

Organisations trying to understand what is employee burnout syndrome should acknowledge that it is not a disease or medical condition. According to the World Health Organisation, Burnout is included in the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as an 'Occupational Phenomenon'. It is not classified as a medical condition.

Burnout is described in the chapter 'Factors influencing health status or contact with health services'. This chapter lists reasons for which people contact health services, but that are not classed or grouped as illnesses or health conditions.

Burn-out is defined in ICD-11 as follows:

Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized because of chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is primarily characterized by three dimensions:

• Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion.

• Increased mental distance from one's job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job.

• Reduced professional efficacy.

It is also further emphasised that burnout syndrome is a condition only specific to the occupational context and should not be applied or used to describe experiences in other areas of life.

Cause of Burnout in the Workplace

The cause of burnout syndrome has many expert views. Some believe it can occur due to conditions such as depression. While depression can increase the risk of burnout, it is important to remember that burnout isn't a medical diagnosis.

This means that burnout and depression are two different phenomena which cannot be treated in the same way.

On the other hand, some professionals believe personal traits can have an influence on burnout syndrome.

While all these may have a direct or indirect influence on employee burnout, some of the primary causes are as follows:

• Feeling undervalued or unappreciated

• Over or under-working

• Lack of support from management or leaders

• No career progression

• Toxic work environment

• Workplace politics

• Unclear communication from superiors

• Lack of Control

• Conflicts with others

• Poor work-life balance

Signs and Symptoms of Burnout

As today's workplace becomes increasingly remote, it has become rather difficult to detect if an employee is experiencing burnout syndrome.

However, any organisation trying to understand what is employee burnout syndrome can look at some common signs and symptoms, which include:

• Decreased motivation

• Reduced productivity

• Increased stress levels

• Difficulty concentrating

• Increased irritability

• Poor decision-making

How To Reduce Employee Burnout

• Clear Communication

Half of the issues within organisations leading to employee burnout can be managed by implementing clear communication strategies. When employees understand their expectations for a job, it is easy to ensure both the organisation and employee are on the same page, reducing room for misunderstanding of inefficiencies.

• Flexible Work Environment and Recreational Spaces

Any organisation trying to understand what is employee burnout syndrome and how to reduce it should always be open to a flexible culture.

Whether it is having the option for remote work, offering flexible working hours, maternal and paternal holidays, or other initiatives allowing healthy work-life balance can go a long way in reducing employee burnout.

This should also focus on having recreational places where employees can destress in the workplace. This can include break rooms and lounges, game rooms, fitness centers, quiet rooms, and outdoor spaces.

• Appreciate Efforts

Another common reason why employees feel stressed and overwhelmed with their jobs is when their efforts go unnoticed or unappreciated. Have an effective performance evaluation system where employees are recognised instantly for their work, which benefits the team or organisation. Have a proper reward system, whether it is through monetary schemes or by recognitions.

• Ask your Employees

One of the best and most effective ways to reduce employee burnout in the workplace is by asking recommendations from the people concerned.

Surveys, open discussions, and meetings can help get opinions from employees on what causes burnout.

This can help organisations create a more personalised plan to reduce the impacts than a generalised program that doesn't address the pain points causing burnout among employees.

Take Charge of Your Workplace Today

Employee burnout syndrome is a rising concern in the corporate world that needs to be addressed at the onset.

Failing to do this can lead to stages that deteriorate productivity, accuracy, and overall workplace wellness. In the later stages of poor burnout management, employee turnover can increase and sometimes cause bad word-of-mouth, reducing the ability to attract potential employees.

From an ethical perspective, overlooking employee wellness, leading to burnout, can also have an impact on brand reputation.

By implementing proactive measures early, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of burnout and its associated negative consequences.