Burnout is a hot topic. According to the 2024 Global Talent Trends report from HR consultancy Mercer, which surveyed more than 12,000 people, 82% of employees say they feel at risk from burnout. Commonly cited factors include excessive workload, exhaustion, and financial strain. So, what is burnout, what are the risk factors, and what can you do about it?
What is burnout?
Burnout is a state of complete exhaustion — mental, physical, and emotional — stemming from unresolved work stress. It often manifests itself as feeling like you’re permanently swamped and can no longer cope. The symptoms can vary from person to person, but you may feel as if you can’t do anything right and that you lack any control. Your productivity can nosedive, you might become depressed, and so on.
What causes burnout?
There are multiple drivers. As the Mercer report suggests, excessive workload, particularly with no let-up, is a big one. Long hours (which are not necessarily the same as a high workload) can be a significant factor, too, as can a lack of control. A toxic and demotivating company culture can also make employees unhappy and impact engagement in their job negatively. Factors outside of work, such as stress around family matters, illness, and financial worries, can also leave you unable to cope at work. Studies suggest that some personality types are more prone to burnout than others. For instance, a tendency to have “negative” emotions such as anxiety, anger, and sadness correlates positively with burnout, while openness and agreeableness correlate negatively.
What easy steps can I take?
Two of the simplest things you can do are to exercise and eat a healthy diet. These can do an enormous amount to alleviate stress. According to Harvard Medical School, “Exercise reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, [and] stimulates the production of endorphins, [which] are the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators.” Moreover, exercise can improve your psychological resilience, meaning you’re better equipped to cope with workplace stress. Similarly, having a good diet means you’ll be alert, energised, and in the best possible shape for whatever life throws at you. Finally, getting enough sleep is very important (this may mean cutting down on caffeine). Again, you will perform better generally and be more resilient.
Look at your life holistically
Many people can cope with demanding workloads if the rest of their life is in check. However, because people often don’t have much extra bandwidth, problems outside work may have an oversized impact. So, if you are struggling, it’s worth asking if any external factors, such as family issues or illness, have triggered the workplace problems. You may be able to address these, but you should also consider explaining to your line manager that you have things going on outside of work and may need some time or flexibility to deal with these.
Take control
One of the big causes of burnout is the feeling that you have no control in your job. This might be because you do not know what is expected of you, because you are micromanaged, or because you lack resources. Here you could ask for a meeting with your line manager to set goals and expectations, agree on where in your role you have autonomy, and ensure you have what you need to do your job. With this, you are basically codifying your job description. You don’t even need to tell your boss that you’re struggling — you could say that you want to focus on what’s important, and ensure you have the tools to work productively and deliver. Even if you’re not having any difficulties, it’s a good exercise.
Deal with easily identified problems
Do you have conflicts with certain co-workers? Or are there disagreements with your boss? If you leave these to fester unresolved, they can add considerably to day-to-day stress and distract you from your work. So, make a list of these issues and really dig down into them. Sometimes just thinking about them can help. If you look at your dislike of your colleague Mike, you might decide that really, it’s not a big deal, and you can work on it. Just by doing this, you have taken control of the situation and potentially even solved the problem.
Ask for help
Managers are not psychic, and they may not know that you’re struggling — and could even be horrified to discover that you are. So, again, talk to your boss. Here it’s a good idea to prepare a case.
You might say that, for example, your workload has expanded over the past year or that somebody has left and you’ve taken on much of what they used to do. Could you have some extra support? Or the problem might be that you’re doing a lot of low-value work and this is affecting the quality of your more important work. Point out, too, that stress and overwork damage your productivity. According to The Burnout Report, by Mental Health UK, one in five British workers have taken time off because of poor mental health caused by pressure or work-related stress in the past year.
There is also help outside of your boss. You can ask the human resources office for general tips on combating burnout or to help deal with other workplace issues. You may also be able to reach out to an employee assistance programme (EAP), if your company provides one. The EAP can provide you with referrals, short-term counselling, and other support to address stressors both inside and outside of work.
Talk to someone
It really is good to talk. Ideally, the person you speak to should be a person like a coach, mentor, or even, within the organisation, a friend who you do not work too closely with. They should be able to listen, sympathise, and give you objective advice. If it’s a coach or mentor, they may even be able to help get to the bottom of things and devise strategies for coping.
What about my team?
If you are a manager, you should lead by example. You can do this by encouraging the right sort of working culture. Part of this is keeping reasonable hours and being flexible around people’s lives. It also means discouraging presenteeism, where employees are present at work but not productive due to physical illness or a lack of mental or emotional health. Another is fostering openness so people feel they can talk about stress and problems and can get any help they need. Finally, try to be a decent boss in a general sense. Set achievable goals, recognise that people aren’t perfect, give feedback, and try to help your people get ahead in their careers.
What else do I need to watch out for?
“Brownout” is burnout’s junior sibling. Many of its causes can be the same, but a particularly acute driver is large amounts of dull work and a lack of stimulation and career progression. The result is people who are overworked, but uninterested. Left unchecked, it can lead to burnout.
Visit the Global Career Hub from AICPA & CIMA for help with finding a job or recruiting.
Rhymer Rigby is a business writer and columnist. To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Oliver Rowe at Oliver.Rowe@aicpa-cima.com.
LEARNING RESOURCE
This course delves deep into the intertwined nature of stress and ethical decision-making, both on a personal and organisational level.
COURSE
MEMBER RESOURCES
Articles
“Burnout: What Athletes Can Teach Companies About Performance, Sustainability”, FM magazine, 20 December 2024
“No End in Sight: Employees Struggle to Disconnect From Work”, FM magazine, 12 November 2024
Podcast episode
“Curbing Burnout: Advice for Making Sure You Switch Off From Work”, FM magazine, 24 July 2024
