Burnout at work is a reaction to prolonged or chronic job stress, according to the mental health website Verywell Mind. Burnout is characterized by exhaustion, sarcasm and feelings of reduced skilled ability. It affects one’s physical and mental health negatively. Workplace burnout was a severe problem before the pandemic, and it has grown, according to a 2021 article on Forbes.com.

The foremost causes for employees undergoing burnout are not having enough time to complete their work, lack of communication and support from their manager, lack clarity about their role or job duties and feeling as if their boss is mistreating them. Unsurprisingly, employees who feel strongly supported by their manager are 70% less likely to experience burnout.

In both private and public sector organizations, burnout signs are similar. As a manager, you will see some of your team becoming more withdrawn, irritable and angry. You will also see decreased morale, apathy, a decline in job performance and more conflict between co-workers and colleagues. You may also see higher rates of absence due to mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression, sleeplessness and increased misuse of alcohol and other substances. This may explain the high turnover rates in the workplaces and why recruiting and retaining quality staff is increasingly challenging.

To reduce workplace burnout, according to Workplace Strategies for Mental Health (Canadian workplace mental health advocate), take the following steps:
Have honest conversations with employees about their wellness.
Provide clear work expectations and ensure they are understood.
Provide ongoing training to maintain competency.
Be respectful,empathetic,and acknowledge employee contributions.
Enforce reasonable work hours and realistic work expectations.
Foster a culture of mutual support and respect in the workplace.
Support physical activity and taking breaks throughout workday.

Burnout causes people to feel exhausted, incapable of coping and drained. They often lack the energy to get their work done. Burnout mainly affects everyday tasks at work or home when someone’s main job involves caring for family members.

Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion might look like feeling exhausted no matter how much sleep you get, inability to relax, changes in sleep patterns, body aches, getting or feeling sick more frequently, skipping meals, feeling listless, and lack of motivation in non-work areas of life.

Recovery is different for all of us because everybody reacts differently to stress. Using different recovery techniques depends on the situation. Some people are very physically affected by burnout. Others will experience purely psychological or emotional symptoms.
The key to unlocking a healthy relationship with work is to invest in daily acts of self-care. By striking a work-life balance, you can focus on your well-being in a way that makes sense for your values, ideals, and capacities.

I know this may be easier said than done. Sometimes, you can use a little extra support to stay committed to daily stress management.

Resilience has been defined as the course of adapting well in the face of hardship, shock, tragedy, pressures, or significant sources of stress—such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, or workplace and financial stressors.

In these times of the Covid outbreaks, we are living in challenging times testing our coping skills. Katherine King, assistant professor of psychology at William James College, identifies seven ways to enhance well-being in these trying times.
• cultivate a belief in your ability to cope
• stay connected with sources of support
• talk about what you are going through
• be helpful to others
• activate positive emotion
• cultivate an attitude of survivorship
• seek meaning

How is resiliency developed?
Resilience is made up of five pillars: self-consciousness, mindfulness, self-care, positive relationships and purpose.

You can build resilience in many different ways. First, exercise regularly and get enough sleep to control stress more efficiently. The stronger you feel physically and emotionally, the easier it is for you to overcome life’s challenges. Another example of building personal resilience at work is by developing and strengthening emotional insight. Insight is closely related to emotional intelligence. Individuals with a level of understanding have a group of awareness about the full range of emotions they experience, from ‘negative’ to ‘positive.’

Why are some people so resilient?
People who are resilient to hardship, exertion, and stress quickly rise to the top. A lack of resilience may be associated with stress leave, absenteeism, poor performance, and ultimately mental illness. Resilience is the holy grail of positive human functioning.

Organizational Resiliency
Incorporating organizational resiliency helps to reduce stress when managing and working through significant events. It will increase the trust and confidence of employees in the leadership, their colleagues and support the plan to move forward. Research shows a reduction in absenteeism because employees are happy and self-assured in the decision-making of their colleagues and their everyday job responsibilities.

In a happy workforce, productivity increases, and there is a significant reduction in workplace injuries and accidents when the employees are alert.
With overall personal health and well-being, the drive to succeed and the willingness to be flexible in the event of a change go hand in hand to becoming overall adaptable to resiliency.