HR secret to survive burnout
How many times have you felt that you were on a verge of a breakdown? Or how many times have you identified that you were on a verge of a breakdown? If not, for physical symptoms like headache, stomachache, or crying over without any reason. We are so involved in our problem, and we cannot detach ourselves and identify that is burnout. Scientific research has already indicated that burnout can generate health problems, such as sleep disturbance and distress such as anxiety, depression, and feelings of weakness. In the workplace, burnout can affect performance, job satisfaction, and well-being.
I have taken my career and responsibilities profoundly serious, sometimes too much serious. As I joined a new role, the new beginning was composed of a brand-new office, beautiful view, new furniture, modern decoration, and a large number of promises for the future. A new team was set up, and the head of each department hired and onboarded. The team was extremely excited about promises and the expansion. We are going to be big in the market. However, months had passed. Targets and goals poorly communicated. The new CEO never set foot in the office. Employees were left with minimum guidance, performance started to decrease, and small issues started to arise in the HR office.
Taking responsibility for everything that happens.
As responsible for the Human Resources department of the company, I have carefully listened to all complaints, suggestions and even taken on anger, disrespect, unmanliness, dissatisfaction, and grievance of several people. It was a lot to take, not only because I was severe on myself, demanding that I had to cope and resolve everything but also because I understood that was my job. Halfway through this process, there was emotional exhaustion. Scientific research has described burnout as a psychological phenomenon of long-lasting exhaustion and apathy, frequently associated with work.
Only after my living experience with burnout, I started to have this awareness of what it is and how it related to work. There are three dimensions of burnout and any of these dimensions can be considered a triggered point. Emotional exhaustion constant feeling emotionally or physically tired; cynicism or depersonalization relates to an unfit ability to deal with excessive demand and lack of resources. This dysfunctional way to cope with the high demands; direct individual to feel lack of accomplishment and consequently is the starting trigger of the burnout. The third-dimension reduction of personal accomplishment represents the feeling of incompetence and lack of achievement and productivity at work. At this point, individual lost complete trust in themselves, affect their self-esteem.
Working in Human Resources we can live both sides of the coin. An individual burnout can severely impact the company in terms of absenteeism, turnover, job performance, and financial impact.
What can we do as human resources professionals to prevent our own burnout and support organisations?
· Build a supporting network among HR professionals to share the experience of burnout.
· Learn to identify indicative signs of burnout.
A good example of HR burnout was described in the well-being and market trend report 2021.
The CHRO, who is a very senior hard-charging executive, told us that her biggest challenge is the burnout of her senior HR team. Several of her operations and talent leaders are not getting enough sleep, not eating well, and are missing deadlines because they are overworked. She told them to take time off and slow down, and started working closely with them to reduce their workload and help them prioritize. She told us this story in late November, and after only a few weeks her HR team began to feel better. HR professionals have to not only provide well-being solutions, but also learn how to slow down, check-in, and prioritize.
Organisations that focus on burnout interventions will thrive in challenging times like the recent pandemic. Another important intervention to prevent burnout is working with managers and educating them on what is burnout and how to identify it in an individual.
Education about burnout — emotional maturity serves as a coping strategy, and task performance feedback.
Equipping managers with tools and coping mechanisms to prevent burnout — define work priority, encourage the team to raise a hand for help, demystify that seeking help is a sign of weakness.
Other areas to work on to avoid burnout. I will explore more these areas in further articles.
Job control and work characteristics
Workplace support
For HR professionals burnout will continue to be an important topic in the well-being field. This is now an essential skill HR must have to cope with burnout demands. In this way, HR professionals can support leaders and organisation to thrive in difficult and uncertain times.
References
Aholaa, K., Toppinen-Tannera, S., & SeppänenbaFinnish, J. (2017). Interventions to alleviate burnout symptoms and to support return towork among employees with burnout: Systematic review andmeta-analysis. Burnour Research.
Alarcon, G. (2011). A meta-analysis of burnout with job demands, resources, and attitudes. Journal of Vocational Behavior.
Aronsson , G., Theore, T., Grape, T., Hammarström, A., Hogstedt, C., & Marteinsdottir, I. (2017). A systematic review including meta-analysis of work environment and burnout symptoms. BMC Public Health.
Bersin, J. (2021). 2021 Wellbeing Market & Trends.
Nayoung, L., Eun Kyoung, K., Hyunjung, K., Eunjoo, Y., & Sang Min, L. (2010). Individual and work-related factors influencing burnout of mental health professionals: a meta-analysis. journal of employment counseling.
Society, T. B. (Director). (2021). Thriving when work is tough: in covid and non-covid times [Motion Picture].
