EXECUTIVE BURNOUT: the New Pandemic

At the Workplace Wellness Center of Excellence, we’ve focused extensive research, training, and consulting efforts on Executive Burnout over the past few years. It’s always been a major issue, the situation has worsened since the onset of the pandemic.

A study by FlexJobs and Mental Health America (MHA) revealed that 37% of executives now work longer hours than they did before the pandemic, and more than 75% also report job-related mental and physical health concerns. [1]

Remember, stress and burnout aren’t the same issues (although chronic stress certainly contributes to the latter.) According to the World Health Organization, burnout is a clinical condition, defined as a syndrome resulting from extreme, unchecked workplace stress. [2]

Burnout impacts executives’ physical and mental health, and it also hurts the entire organizational culture.

Through this article, we will explore early warning signs of executive burnout, symptoms that indicate intervention is warranted, and effective practices for not just managing but mastering stress. 

Contributors to Executive Stress and Burnout

Everyone is at risk for burnout these days. Executives however seem to be particularly vulnerable. Sadly, many of the factors that contribute to burnout have basically become part of the executive job description. These include:

• Repetitive or prolonged stress
• Tremendous responsibilities
• Standards that are nearly impossible to achieve
• The need to hide emotions such as fear, compassion, helplessness, or pity to maintain a strong fa?ade of leadership
• Expectations to solve conflicting, complicated situations even when the impact of doing so is minimal on the organization’s bottom line

In response to these stressors, the Harvard Business Review found that executives and managers were left feeling:

• Exploited
• Guilty and inadequate
• Alone in their sacrifice
• Concerned for their health [3]

Clearly, too many senior-level leaders are burning out or on the verge of such. Here are some early warning signs to watch for.

Characteristics of Executive Burnout – Early Warning Signs

Every individual is unique, however, according to the Mayo Clinic, common symptoms of burnout include:

• Feeling cynical and/or critical at work 
• Becoming irritable or impatient with customers, co-workers, or clients 
• Feeling attacked or overwhelmed
• Letting hair-trigger emotions take control
• Not having the energy for productivity
• Having trouble concentrating
• Losing satisfaction even in the face of job-related achievements
• Losing sleep
• Headaches, neck pain, stomach aches and other physical symptoms [4]

A pound of Prevention…the Best Cure

While burnout may not be completely avoidable, outlined below are some of the many preventative steps executives can take to protect themselves.

1. Time limits. Don’t let yourself—or your employees—work for hours on end, even in the face of looming deadlines or critical challenges.

2. Build a community support network. When executives deal with constant job pressure, getting away from routine job responsibilities with interventions such as an offsite team retreat can help relieve pressure and prevent burnout. This tactic is particularly effective if executives are joined by peers and given the chance to discuss ways to cope with the pressure as a team, while also enjoying stress-reducing activities like group exercise, healthy meals, and plenty of downtime for relaxation. 

3. Offer additional outlets. Every organization should provide ways for each employee—including managers and executives—to provide feedback about their stressors, challenges, and disappointments.

Questions Every Executive Should Ask Themselves

Executives are encouraged to check in with themselves often, especially in stressful and extra demanding periods to help prevent the onset of burnout. According to the Working Resources network, questions to consider include:

• What matters most to you?
• What do you like about your work?
• What part of your job are you good at?
• What are your biggest sources of stress and fatigue?
• Can you delegate or team up with coworkers to tackle the parts of your job that you dislike?
• What are your natural strengths and abilities, and are they applied to your current position?
• If not, can they be?
• What can you do to eliminate sources of energy drain in your job?
• What can you do to ensure your personal needs are met while you address organizational demands? [5]

Working through this list can help executives identify stressful elements of their work and begin critical conversations that can help identify strategies to help mitigate and master controllable stressors. 

Additional Remedial Strategies

Aside from self-introspection and the aforementioned strategies, additional work supports such as the following can go a long way in helping to mitigate or prevent executive burnout.

Rotate responsibilities. If certain job tasks are more stressful than others, track time spent on high-pressure assignments, and rotate executives out to oversee fewer exhausting projects.

Provide recognition. Whether it's glowing performance reviews, bonus days off, or certificates of excellence, letting executives know that their contributions matter and that they are appreciated can help mitigate intense work periods.

It's a new world ...offer guidance and professional development support. Since the pandemic’s onset, job descriptions have changed across the board. Executives have even experienced team members crossing over into their lanes during the pandemic due to forced job reassignments (which some are finding difficult to course-correct). As a result, coming out of this pandemic and the inherent challenges of such (i.e., leading in hybrid work environments), executives may no longer be emotionally or physically equipped to handle their current roles.

To help minimize overwhelm and burnout, reviewing and making adjustments to team roles, workloads and expectations, encouraging frequent vacations to reset, and providing professional development workshops, training and mentoring opportunities can help them feel more capable of managing new and emerging job demands.

How an “Executive Wellness Coach” Can Help!

Expecting executives to identify, prevent, or remedy their own work, stress, or wellness challenges in this current climate may only add to their already heavy burden. When executives fail to notice early warning signs of burnout (as often is the case), their situation may likely worsen (as noted in this article). In response to such risk factors, engaging the services of a Certified Executive Wellness Coach can be a most effective way to help prevent or address executive burnout and maintain a healthy, thriving workplace in the process.

When working with an Executive Wellness Coach, weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly sessions offer executives the opportunity to unload their stressors and discuss matters they may not feel comfortable expressing to their CEO or other team members. A trained and experienced coach can help executive members revisit and affirm his or her “WHY.” They can help an executive identify their needs and strengths and support them in better managing work and life stressors.

To learn how our 1:1 or group Executive Wellness Coaching Programs can support you or your executive team, click on this link to fill out our contact form, or reach out at [email protected].

Sources:

1. Reynolds, Brie Weiler. FlexJobs, Mental Health America Survey: Mental Health in the Workplace.

2. World Health Organization. ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics.

3. Levinson, Harry. When Executives Burn Out.

4. Mayo Clinic Staff. Job burnout: how to spot it and take action.

5. Working Resources Executive Coaching & Leadership Consulting. Talent Management Solutions to Select and Develop Emotionally Intelligent Leaders.