Work-related stress is killing us; Where do we begin changing the situation?
745,194 people.
745,194 lost lives in one year because of work-related burdens & long working hours.
This new finding was published recently by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization.
It’s the first big-scale analysis that connects the dots between excessive work hours, job-related stress, and death cases as a result of physical and mental stress - specifically heart disease and stroke.
It stretches over 194 countries and 16 years and leaves no room but to wonder:
How did we get there? And more importantly, what can we do differently?
If you follow my content, you know that I have a firm stand that burnout isn't only caused by long working hours. Even when the workload does play a role, the problem is the gap between the demands and our ability or resources to meet those demands; not the requirement itself.
On top of it, there’s already enough research to show that other causes significantly affect the likelihood of burnout, such as lack of support, lack of recognition (appreciation/reward), toxic work environment and more.
I see this everywhere, both in the business and in the nonprofit world. It’s an organizational burning issue.
Therefore, the point is not the working hours; It’s the entire organizational culture coupled with the lack of capacity of the staff to handle the regular stressors in a healthy way.
Add to it the unexpected stressors - challenging situations, personal or professional hardship, sudden shifts and shakes of the system - and you end up with people who just want to do their work in the best possible way, but they are too busy with emotional survival, which negatively affects the physical aspect as well.
Having said all that, the purpose is not to frighten you who are reading this article. I don’t believe in the doom & gloom scenario, which leads to hopelessness. I believe in removing the blinders, and then moving on to action - concrete action - that alters the harmful course of burnout in this case.
What can we do differently within our organizations that will reduce the likelihood of burnout and chronic stress?
There are two prerequisites:
- A deep process rather than random "hacks" and quick solutions;
- A commitment of all sides involved in the process to be invested in it, followed by proud ownership of it (a.k.a engagement).
As for the specific approaches and solutions, there are plenty that has proven effective. They revolve around:
- Bettering the communication and enhancing trust
- Redesigning a culture of wellbeing (routines)
- Being attentive to employees' physical, emotional, & mental needs
- Shaping the space - the physical work environment - in a calmer and more effective way
- Offering employee training that builds emotional resilience
- And mainly, offering leadership training that equips the organization's managers with the tools and capacities to maintain employee wellbeing and avoid burnout.
We all know and have access to knowledge, solutions, and tested tools. Now we need to want it enough, be committed enough, and lead others as well - to take action towards an organizational culture that combats burnout. (If you wish to learn more about the organizational aspect, you can explore here).
Should we wait for organizations to solve the problem of burnout?
Absolutely not. Without minimizing the organization's responsibility for this topic, we can – simultaneously – improve our wellbeing on the individual level, and reduce the likelihood of burnout without waiting for the systemic ball to get rolling.
As individuals, we have a responsibility for our emotional and physical state of being, and even better – we have the ability to act faster.
We can implement wellbeing practices into our routines: Quality breaks, mindfulness, meaningful connections, sports, relaxation, and self-enrichment – are just a few examples out of many. The key is to start with one or two practices that suit you personally and meet your specific needs, and to be persistent with those (for a comprehensive list, check out my book Burning Out Won't Get You There)
Ultimately, our physical and mental health become important to us to an extent that we redesign our work and life routines, as well as demand better conditions, better work environments, and better leadership.
We don’t need to wait for change - we can start now, by personal action for enhanced wellbeing and by advocating this issue within our workplaces.
What will you choose to do?...
Some people don't realize what is triggering the stress laying the blame of health issues or emotional issues on potentially wrong areas. Not realizing that work stress is leading to relationaship stress, they'll blame their partner rather than their job for causing it. Keeping a journal helps pinpoint where the stress is coming from, allowing a person to figure out healthy ways to actually address it.
Great article! Collectively, we have to stop wearing our "busy" and our "stress" as a badge of honor. The American culture rewards and reinforces this negative behavior. Now, we're shocked that so many of us have burned out. At an individual level, workers need solid boundaries and to enforce them. At the organizational level, leaders need to recognize their company will only be as a great as their workers. If their workforce is struggling with burnout, the company won't be far behind in struggling.
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3 年Maybe it starts with an end to the idea that work creates stress Davida Ginter. If it did, everyone doing a particular job would experience exactly the same amount of stress. I burnt-out as a Headteacher but not every Headteacher does. There is a missing link here.
Excellent article. I especially liked the point that everyone plays a role - "the company", management/managers and the individual are all responsible - and as a group (or team) responsible for each other. Personally I wound up creating a healthy lifestyle framework and will no longer take "lone ranger" roles (like sales)
Healing and managing stress is imperative for wellness