GLOBAL HR INSIGHTS - ￡255 BILLION ANNUAL COST OF WORKPLACE BURNOUT TO THE GLOBAL ECONOMY - ETHIKALCAREERS COE | EMPLOYABILITY CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE

WORKPLACE BURNOUT is specific?work-related chronic stress.?It ss emotional and physical exhaustion that leads to job dissatisfaction and loss of personal happiness. Workplace Burnout at any place of work usually creeps in subtly, over time, impacting workers in a way that they almost don’t notice. Signs and symptoms include chronic fatigue, insomnia,?physical symptoms?like headaches and stomachaches, anger, isolation, irritability, depression, and more.

Physical exhaustion at the end of the work day. Cynicism and detachment from coworkers and customers. Extreme dissatisfaction with your work, and uncertainty about how to improve and progress in your career. These are classic symptoms of?workplace burnout, and more people are impacted than you think.

There are three main dimensions of burnout according to the?Maslach Burnout Inventory, the most commonly used burnout scale: exhaustion, cynicism and a sense of personal accomplishment, with exhaustion being the most obviously displayed. Signs of burnout can vary between employees and manifest in multiple industries, from healthcare and education settings to legal and corporate finance firms.

CAUSES OF WORKPLACE BURNOUT

There are many things that can lead to job burnout, and it differs for every person. But there are common factors that can be identified as reasons behind burnout and stressors at your workplace

• A feeling of little control. Not being able to make decisions about your schedule or workload can lead to job burnout.
• Being unsure about your expectations. If you don’t know what your manager will expect of you, you’re likely going to be frustrated with your work.
• A poor work culture. The attitude and morale of people around you will directly impact your satisfaction with your job. A boss who micromanages you, cliquey coworkers, and a lack of friends at your office can lead to job burnout.
• A lack of work-life balance. If you’re giving a lot of your energy and time to work, your personal life can suffer, which can lead you to resent time at the office.
• High engagement with your work. Being over-engaged with your job can lead you to feel a constant need to overwork and be involved with projects. This leads to stressful situations, and emotional exhaustion. While being highly engaged good thing, it can also lead to high job stress and burnout. For example, while?millennials?tend to value work/life balance, they may have an increased risk of developing burnout because they are highly driven and motivated in the workplace.

ADVERSE EFFECTS OF WORKPLACE BURNOUT

Workplace burnout isn’t just a small thing that people need to figure out how to get over. It is a difficult and impactful reality that can lead to many negative consequences in all areas of your life. People dealing with workplace burnout symptoms and job stress are often impacted in the following ways:

Physical health issues

• Excessive stress
• Fatigue
• Increased likelihood for heart disease
• Increased likelihood for high blood pressure
• Increased likelihood for type 2 diabetes
• Increased likelihood for respiratory issues
• Increased likelihood for death before age 45

Mental health issues

• Depression
• Anger
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Increased likelihood for mental health needs like medication or hospitalization

Personal consequences

• Alcohol or substance abuse
• Isolation from friends and family
• Irresponsibility with finances
• Anger towards family members
• Inability to fulfill responsibilities

Professional consequences

• Job dissatisfaction
• Withdrawing from colleagues and friends
• Inability to do job well
• Drain on company resources

?As you can see, the impact of work stress on all aspects of your life is extremely serious, and should not be taken lightly. The issues that stress in your job can create for you are strenuous and require attention to correct, before it’s too late.

WORKPLACE BURNOUT is a growing problem for the modern workplace, having an impact on organisational costs, as well as employee health and well-being. These include possible long-term health risks and, due to its contagious nature, a toxic working environment of low morale, scapegoating, and increased office politics.

The annual cost of burnout to the global economy?has been estimated to be ￡255 billion. Such costs have led to the World Health Organisation predicting a global pandemic?by 2026. https://science.report/pub/33910920

Organisations have focused on burnout?to protect their profits, placing blame for lowered performance on individual employees, rather than making adequate adjustments?to safeguard against stress. This emphasis on the employee has led to psychometrically profiling those that may be at risk of burnout due to their psychological make-up, rather than organisations taking responsibility and making systematic changes to reduce stress caused by?structural level problems.

This conventional status quo blame game is often unhelpful. Not just for employees, but also because it risks a skills shortage in certain professions such as health and social care. In addition, it contributes to the burnout cycle: with limited staff and resources, demands are placed on fewer employees. The potential impacts of AI on this scourge is yet unknown, nor is the capacity of robotics and robots to withstand the attrition of workplace burnout established. Robots, like all other machines also entail costs of over-use or misapplication....So workplace burnout, be it on human or robots, is not something that is disappearing anytime soon.

In the meantime, what is undoubted is that individuals have a role to play too. It is important that people manage their own personal expectations, harnessing their skills and reflecting on their own personal values. This is particularly the case if one is working in a role that does not readily align with your own values or predisposition. Advisedly, it is wise to reflect on what matters to you, as living an inauthentic life can lead to burnout when your personal values are conflicted.

WORKPLACE BURNOUT SOLUTIONS - PREVNTION IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN CURE

The best way to deal with burnout, is to prevent it from happening in the first place. To this end, there are treatment options if you are currently experiencing burnout as well.

Human resource managers?should work to identify employees who may be suffering from burnout, as well as train employees and managers alike on how to recognize burnout.??

Similarly,?organizational leadership methods and training?can help their employees avoid burnout both by learning to recognize the signs of burnout and also by working with their employees to avoid it.

Prevention

Increase your belief?in yourself and your abilities. This is a first crucial step to preventing job stress. It’s important to identify what you need from your work, sometimes even before you decide to take a certain job. Knowing exactly what you need from your career will help you confidently make decisions about it.

Having creative outlets is also a great way to prevent yourself from getting too focused in on your job. These outlets allow you to find an escape from the pressures of your work. Similarly, self-care is crucial in preventing workplace burnout. Taken care of, you are more likely to be able to cope with the stress of your career.

Self-education about business?and its intersection with health can help you better identify and prevent workplace burnout.

Treatment

Getting real with yourself is an important first step. Acknowledge what the issues are, and where they stem from. Some people find it is best to get real in this way, with the help of a therapist. If you don’t want to find a professional, seek help and support wherever you can find it, whether it is friends and family or coworkers.

It is essential to take regular breaks during your workday, no matter how inconvenient it may seem. These breaks will help you reset, re-evaluate your emotions, and more. Similarly, if you feel yourself start to get angry or too stressed, walk away and take a break to clear your head.

Workplace burnout is a common thing for many employees, but it does not have to be. You can work to prevent, or treat workplace burnout and have a career that you find fulfilling and love-doing.

At a whopping Annual Cost of ￡225 BILLION to the Global Economy, currently caught up with Covid19 which has murdered over 6.4Million [https://covid19.who.int/] and crippled some economies, plus HIGH COST OF LIVING CRISES in Generations - Food, Gas & Electric Energy, Transport, Health, Housing etc, this Employability burden is not one to airbrush away or lightly ignore!