Of course, I am not telling you anything new when I tell you that the reasons for this state of exhaustion can be many and varied. In companies, however, there are generally five main risk factors:
Work organization, d. h. the way the company works, its structure, the distribution of tasks
Working conditions, d. h. the specific parameters of the employee (his working hours, salary, . )
Working environment and conditions, d. h. the physical working environment (noise, brightness, tools provided, . )
The content of the work, d. h. the tasks assigned to employees, their intensity as well as their demands (physical, mental work, . )
Interpersonal relationships at work, d. h. social relations between colleagues, but also with management and other third parties
This theoretical approach is interesting because it shows that burnout is often associated with a combination of factors that could be influenced by the company in most cases.
The consequences for the company
In order to understand what burnout is, it seems important to me to go beyond its causes to also consider its consequences to clarify.
These begin at the individual level, in that they have an effect on the worker himself: headaches, fatigue, nervousness, irritability, loss of short-term memory, decrease in productivity, gross errors, denial of the situation are very often accompanied by a refusal to accept the help offered by family, colleagues, management or even the doctor.
Furthermore the team affected, mainly because – when it becomes aware of the situation – it feels a kind of anxiety, often mixed with empathy, but sometimes also with anger. And if the employee is absent for a long period of time, this absence must be compensated for.
Finally, this leads for the Company to a series of direct and indirect Additional kost: failure management, decrease in turnover, decreased productivity, increase in occupational diseases and accidents, damage to image, etc.
Recognizing the early signs: Ways to prevent burnout?
Recognizing the signs of burnout
In view of the many prejudiced opinions on the subject of burnout, it seemed necessary to revisit the subject in order to break down stereotypes and raise awareness of the company at various levels. First of all, I would like to emphasize that it is particularly the dedicated staff concerns who put a lot of heart and soul into their work. If I had to describe these people, I would say that they usually deal with a very high workload that goes so far as to cause a lot of Overtime performing until their energy reserves are exhausted.
They also fall through certain behaviors, such as z. B. the systematic postponement of their vacation or drinking a lot of Coffee, at. These individuals can sometimes seem a little irritable or nervous and seem to shut down by foregoing their lunch breaks or chronically refusing common activities such as exercising with colleagues during their lunch break. It can also happen that they regularly some days sick leave become (z. B. by recurring headaches).
Talking about burnout
This, it seems to me, is the basis of a prevention plan. When employees are well informed about what burnout is and what it entails, everyone in the company can Pay attention to the warning signs. Anyone can intervene when a colleague seems to be suffering from too much stress, emotional or physical exhaustion. However, I am careful when using the word "intervene", because my experience as a trusted person shows me that it is not enough to simply notice the symptoms in a colleague to talk to him about it and raise awareness of it. The most common reaction remains denial. Unfortunately, many employees have to "fall off" in order to recognize the situation and think about getting back up again. No one is obligated to do the impossible, but Communication and Prevention prevent some of the feelings of guilt that often afflict colleagues of an employee with burnout. I have heard the phrase "If only I had known" all too often.
A corporate culture focused on well-being
Burnout is an occupational disease , that affects every company, even a Great Place to Work company like Protime. The commitment of employees is sometimes so strong that there is a danger that they will overtax themselves and contribute more and more to the company. This is particularly noticeable in service companies, where the value Customer focus is very pronounced. Nevertheless, the strength of a corporate culture like ours lies in the fact that it is the satisfaction and above all the cohesion of Employees promotes. We can rely on the strong bonds that unite the Protimers and make them look out for each other.
It is not always easy to talk to one’s direct colleagues about difficulties at work. Therefore it is advisable, one or more confidants in your company to name, d. h. a person who is available to assist a colleague in need, who is trained to recognize key stressors or emotional overload, and with whom it is easier to open up. The role of this trusted person is to help the employee, at his or her request, learn about the Source of risk(n) think at the source of the problem and pass the information on to the occupational health department or a third party (human resources, manager, etc.).) forward.
Make your own list of indicators
Depending on your industry and company, I would also advise you to determine exactly what Prevention signals are specific to the industry. If you have z. B. are a service-oriented company that works from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., you can look at overtime, days off not taken, excessive workload, number of absences, emails sent in the evening and on weekends, etc. focus.
In order to be effective and know exactly when a case becomes critical, you need to observe these indicators naturally. Time and team management tools such as Protime can then be useful to you. Allow you to determine when an indicator is in the red and that it is time for action, especially for the manager of the employee in question.
The fight against burnout: concluding words
I am not suggesting that the task is easy and that a bit of communication is the panacea for. However, if I could at least give you food for thought through this article and, above all, sensitize the company on various levels, I will feel that I have made a meaningful contribution. Be aware that not everyone is receptive, but if among those who receive your message there are just a few managers and employees who listen and become aware, you have already achieved a lot.