Time spent at work is a big part of twenty-first century living. Following the Global Financial Crisis of the late 2000’s, many people are working longer and harder than ever before - with most businesses dealing with smaller budgets, smaller staffs, but the same (if not greater) expectations.

It therefore comes as no surprise that the well known phenomenon of job burnout is becoming an increasing (and unfortunate) part of working life for both employees and employers.

WHAT IS JOB BURNOUT?

Burnout is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration”.

It is normal for workers to occasionally experience feelings of frustration, dissatisfaction, even helplessness on the job. But for a worker who suffers burnout, these kinds of negative feelings increase in their frequency and intensity to the point where they become chronic.

The consequences of job burnout vary in nature and extent from person to person, and include:

• Job dissatisfaction;
• Declining performance;
• Absenteeism;
• Interpersonal problems (overly critical, irritable with clients and co-workers);
• Substance abuse (use of drugs, alcohol in an attempt to self-medicate);
• Physical illness (neck, back and headaches); and
• Mental illness (anxiety, depression).

WHAT CAUSES JOB BURNOUT?

There are a number of causes of job burnout. While many are job related, how we spend our time away from the office and individual personality traits also play a part.

Work-related causes of burnout

• Poor job fit;
• Confusion, conflict and uncertainty over role;
• Overly demanding job expectations;
• Working in a high-pressure environment;
• Completing tasks that are repetitive or unchallenging;
• Toxic work environment; and
• Inadequate support from management.

Lifestyle causes of burnout

• Spending excessive hours working;
• Poor eating and sleeping habits; and
• Insufficient support at work or at home.

Personality traits that contribute to burnout

• Perfectionist tendencies;
• The need to be in control; and
• High-achievers.

NEW STUDY: BURNOUT PROFILES

A new study on 409 workers at the University of Zaragoza, Spain, has identified three profiles of job burnout with distinguishing features.

“Frenetic”

The “frenetic” profile is tied to the number of hours a person works. The study shows that people who worked more than 40 hours a week were six times more likely to suffer burnout than those working less than 35 hours.

Those who fit this profile tended to be driven, ambitious and dealing with a heavy work load.

“Under-Challenged”

The “under challenged” profile includes workers who are required to complete repetitive tasks which provide little challenge or prospect for growth.

Workers in the area of administration and service were almost three times more likely to fit this profile than those in the area of teaching and research.

“Worn-Out”

Workers falling under the “worn-out” profile were generally those who had been in the same job for an extended period, and displayed some level of reduction in enthusiasm and dedication for the job.

A person who has worked in the same job for over 16 years was five times more likely to become “worn-out” than someone in the job for under 4 years.

It was observed that in the post GFC climate, the “frenetic” profile is an increasingly relevant explanation for burnout.

EFFECTS OF JOB BURNOUT

For Employees

Employees who suffer burnout are more likely to experience deterioration in mental and/or physical wellbeing.

Physical symptoms include fatigue, headaches, stomach aches and disturbed sleep.

Psychological symptoms range from anxiety to depression. Furthermore, as symptoms of burnout continue to deepen, social skills deteriorate. This isolation often leads to a worsening of the overall condition.

There is reason to suggest that the post GFC working world has led to an increased risk and incidence of the kind of stressors that contribute to job burnout. For instance, at the World Economic Forum in January 2011, it was revealed that over the last four years in Germany, sales of anti-depressant drugs have soared by over 40%.

For Employers

Employers also suffer when a worker experiences job burnout. Burnout in an organisational sense leads to:

• Lost productivity (2007 survey by the American Psychological Association found that 55% of 1,110 workers believed they were less productive at the office when stressed);
• Higher sick leave (World Health Organisation estimates that the average burnout sufferer takes 30.4 days off work);
• Higher staff turnover; and
• Lower morale.

These costs come as no surprise to employers. In a recent survey of over 3,000 executives across Canada, 54 per cent chose employee morale and burnout as their number one business concern.

PREVENTING OR RESPONDING TO JOB BURNOUT

Job burnout and its precursor symptoms have real personal and financial consequences. As always, the best way to address a problem is to prevent it.

In Part 2 of this series, Return to Work Matters looks at how RTW Coordinators can help prevent, identify and deal with job burnout.

In Part 3, we identify ways that employers can help prevent job burnout and assist a successful return to work.