This month, Google searches on “occupational burnout” reached their highest volume in 16 years.
This spike in searches for burnout, which was recognized as a diagnosable "occupational phenomenon" by the World Health Organization in 2019, supports what mental health experts have been warning about for months—that while we are beginning to put Covid-19 behind us, the psychological fallout from the pandemic is far from over.
When it comes to burnout, workers in every sector, and every industry, are at risk. And the risk isn’t limited to healthcare professionals, frontline workers, and teachers.
If you manage people—even those who have been, or are still, working from home—you need to be aware: burnout is a serious condition, and your employees may be suffering from it.
Against this backdrop, we’d like to recommend this article from our content team over at The Upside: Is Your Team Suffering from Burnout? Here’s How to Help, along with some practical advice on how to implement these ideas.
The article effectively builds the case for addressing burnout, clearly defining the symptoms and providing actionable steps that managers can take to drive meaningful, lasting change in their workplace culture.
Key takeaways:
- How is burnout different from other kinds of stress? Not all stress is unhealthy; sometimes it can actually help generate energy to get work done. Burnout, on the other hand, is deadly to productivity, killing that energy completely.
- How do you explain burnout in an impactful way to leadership? The most obvious and direct correlation is costs associated with missed work days and turnover. Employees who are burnt out are 63% more likely to take a sick day and 2.6 times as likely to be actively seeking a different job.
- How do you get out in front of workforce burnout? The article highlights some simple “analog/human” things you can do as a manager, like asking people how they’re doing. If you do, keep notes and check-in on progress. You can also encourage employees to take up activities outside of work, and even help them delegate tasks, as needed.
Resilience-building programs can also be an effective weapon against burnout. Resilience is what enables people to adapt to challenging circumstances and continue to function, physically and mentally, when they encounter setbacks. As this Harvard Business School blog points out, workplaces that invest in resilience training can save tremendous amounts—in one company’s case, $1,846 per person in terms of greater productivity.
If your organization is ready to make an investment in the mental health and wellbeing of your workforce, or if you just want to have a conversation about what that might look like, reach out to the Health Solutions team at Twill.
If you’re still in research mode and looking for quick suggestions on things you can do, this article is a worthwhile read.
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Is Your Team Suffering from Burnout? Here’s How to Help. |
Want more? Check out these additional resources:
- Clinical study: Improving Resilience in Distressed Employees
- Editorial: A Digital First vs. Digitally Enhanced Approach to Behavioral Health
- Downloadable guide: How (and Why) to Implement Digital First Behavioral Health Solutions
- See How Twill Can Help Your Business: Schedule a Demo
