Is burnout inevitable in the charity sector?

I was talking to a friend recently who was excitedly telling me about a new leadership role she was starting. She’s at the stage where there is fire in her belly again, and her eyes lit up whilst she talks about all the amazing things she’s going to do. But she whispered “I don’t want to burn out again”; despite her excitement for the role, she’s scared she’s going to fall back into a cycle of burnout. Is it any wonder when Mental Health UK found that 20% of workers have had to take time off work due to poor mental health as a result of pressure or stress, and we all have stories of colleagues crumbling when it’s all become too much.?

Twenty percent is high enough, but when we look for research in the charity sector, it may come as no surprise to you that Third Sector found that 50% of charities were facing significant threat from burnout in their staff, with 93% percent of staff reporting that they had felt stressed, overwhelmed or burnt out in the last year. Given an estimated 1 million people work within the charity sector, that’s 940,000 individuals who are reporting that work is having a significantly negative impact on them. ?

I’ll say that again, 940,000 charity workers have felt stressed, overwhelmed or burnt out in the last year.?

We know burnout (feeling depleted, detached from work and that you are not working efficiently) is the result of pressure (typically at work) resulting in unmanageable workplace stress (on top of any pressures you may be facing outside of work such as juggling family life, or care for others) which exceeds your perception of the resources you have available to manage that stress. Which is what Mental Health UK’s research found: stressors such as high workload, job insecurities, workplace bullying, poor sleep, the cost of living crisis and poor physical health were the greatest contributors to feelings of burnout. ?

These pressures (and therefore the ability to manage them) significantly impacted by the support available at work; in particular whether you feel able to talk to a manager about how you are feeling and whether the organisation is primed to notice signs of stress and burnout. And I think this is significant in its contribution to the experience of burnout in the charity sector. A sector where everyone is busy, stretched thin, so getting the support you need can be difficult, and even more so for leaders. In fact, research from 2019 found that 62% of charity leaders don’t get the support they feel they need, and 48% of charities didn’t have health & wellbeing policy which addresses stress in their organisation. Given these numbers, is it any wonder you feel like burnout is inevitable in the sector??

The individuals I work with have managed high pressure roles for years; but all of a sudden, it’s too much, and they can’t understand why it’s having an impact now. What I typically see is one of the following patterns:?

• People who have managed a succession of stressful roles, which have gradually eroded their resilience. Which has resulted in them putting themselves last, meaning they have got to a point where they are not prioritizing the things they know will help them take care of themselves?
• There has been a pinch point at work – a new project, typically with a tight deadline, and high stakes, which has resulted in an acute period of stress?
• There has been a change in their responsibilities outside of work, such as starting a family, new caring responsibilities or a new health need which means that they can’t work in the way they used to (i.e. all the hours!)?

Each of these scenarios means that the resources the individual had available to them previously isn’t the same in the face of the new situation, meaning that a level of pressure that they previously could manage is suddenly too much. They’ve finally found the straw that will break the camel’s back.?

So, what can be done??

It’s important to acknowledge that there are significant systemic factors which contribute to burnout in that charity sector, which will not be easily overcome, and are going to require change on a systemic level, however there are steps that organisations and individuals can take to ensure that staff at all levels don’t get trapped in cycles of burnout.?

Individuals?

1. Get clear on what triggers stress, and how you can practically manage this?
2. Build a supportive network of peers?
3. Ask for help?
4. Ensure that your workload is realistic?
5. Establish boundaries between work & home?
6. Plan breaks, both within your day, and annual leave?
7. Practice mindfulness?
8. Find meaning & purpose outside of work?
9. Spent time doing things which energise you?
10. Spend time with people who make you happy?

Organisations?

1. Make sure job roles and expectations are reasonable & realistic?
2. Provide training on stress, burnout, resilience & self-care?
3. Build a caring & supportive culture?
4. Develop a meaningful Wellbeing strategy?

Burnout in the charity sector doesn’t have to be inevitable (despite the systemic challenges the sector faces; there are steps that individual charities can take to build healthy working cultures, and that individuals can implement to better take care of themselves, prevent burnout and get on with the work they love. If you want to find out how I can help you or your organisation prevent burnout, get in touch.?