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Modern life has brought facilities and also new illnesses, arising from the situations we live in and bringing stress, sedentary lifestyles, poor diet, among others. In this post, we'll show you what Burnout Syndrome is and how it is linked to working conditions.
The data on the disease is worrying: the International Stress Management Association states that 32% of Brazilians suffer from the problemThis leads to absenteeism (constant failures and delays) or presenteeism (the worker goes to the site, but is absent-minded and can't produce well).
What is Burnout Syndrome?
Burnout syndrome was first described in 1974 by the American psychologist and physician Herbert Freudenberg.
It can be defined as chronic stress caused by work overload. It manifests itself mainly in professions that deal directly with the public, but it doesn't mean that it only affects people who deal with these situations.
This disease causes excessive emotional exhaustion that severely affects the affected person's physical state, causing various symptoms. The main ones are
- fatigue;
- pessimism;
- mood swings;
- constant tiredness;
- memory loss;
- lack of appetite;
- sleep disorders;
- lack of pleasure in activities;
- muscle pain;
- signs of depression;
- difficulty concentrating;
- need for isolation.
The main problem with Burnout Syndrome is that the symptoms don't appear all at once; they come on gradually, making it difficult to identify the problem and take action to reduce the damage.
However, the effects are devastating. In many cases, employees have to leaving the company or have a good period off for recovery.
What causes the disease?
Burnout Syndrome is burnout caused by prolonged stress at work. Several triggers can cause this extreme stress. Here we highlight the main ones.
Overwork
A workload that employees can handle and have time to rest and do other activities is ideal for personal and professional development.
Unfortunately, companies are under a lot of pressure to produce more and more. In some cases, this pressure even comes from employees, who want to deliver results in order to be recognized and reach higher positions.
Lack of autonomy
It's common for professionals to have bosses or people who are one step above them in the hierarchy, but feeling that you have no autonomy or that your opinion isn't relevant is one of the triggers for Burnout Syndrome.
This totally affects the employee's well-being and can lead to stressful situations that can damage their physical integrity.
Lack of recognition
One of the biggest demotivators in the workplace is the lack of recognition for efforts. The feeling is one of frustration and wanting to give up - in some cases, the professional looks for other opportunities, but when this isn't possible, the situation is taken day by day, totally affecting the employee's health.
The solution doesn't have to be just a salary increase: public recognition, a small reward or more frequent feedback can solve the problem.
Moral or sexual harassment
Harassment, both moral and sexual, makes people feel humiliated, diminished and belittled. The uncomfortable situation begins to show physical symptoms, leading to the development of the syndrome.
Fearing unemployment, many professionals try to tolerate the situation. When it comes to harassment morale, some even try to deliver more results in an attempt to solve the problem, usually without success.
How to prevent the disease?
Preventing Burnout Syndrome mainly requires taking care of your mental and physical health, making sure that overwork doesn't take over your routine. Although this is a difficult reality and often beyond our control, some actions can be taken.
Assess working conditions
The structure and resources of the workplace must meet the employee's needs when carrying out tasks. It is also important to assess whether the workload is consistent, without overloading the employee.
In an attempt to save money, it is common for companies to require one employee to handle a task that should be handled by two or more people. As well as affecting productivity, this behavior will seriously damage the health of the professional.
Improve internal communication
Establishing an efficient internal communication channel is fundamental to improving the organizational climate and promoting a rapid solution to difficulties.
This dialog also gives the professional the opportunity to find out what the expectations are in relation to their results and to align various points that could hinder the flow of work.
Work on recognition
As we pointed out above, lack of recognition is one of the factors that can trigger Burnout Syndrome. Avoid this by rewarding employees for a job well done and making it clear how important their efforts are to the company.
Create a prevention program
Burnout doesn't appear overnight. It's a cumulative effect of months and even years of a complicated situation being endured by the worker.
This is why creating an internal prevention program can help. In this program, employees can be made aware of the disease, its triggers and symptoms, so that it can be identified at the earliest stages of stress.
This way, the employee can seek help from their manager or specialists such as a psychologist or psychiatrist right at the start of the problem, preventing it from escalating.
Understanding what Burnout Syndrome is and the seriousness of the disease helps managers and HR to take the necessary steps to prevent its development and, more than that, to adopt an organizational policy that prioritizes the health and well-being of employees. This is the first step for anyone who wants to have a productive company with a positive image in the market.
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