Common red flags influencing burnout culture

Employee burnout is widespread throughout businesses across Australia. It is important pick up on the early signs of a burnout culture so that it can be managed before it gets out of hand.

Burnout is a major occupational health hazard that must be addressed. According to the World Health Organisation, burnout isn’t a medical condition; instead, it is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.

Although it is not defined as a medical condition, long-term burnout can have a seriously negative impact on an employee’s physical and mental health. The World Health Organisation characterises employee burnout in three ways:

1. Energy depletion and exhaustion
2. Negative feelings towards your job, including frustration or a lost sense of purpose
3. Reduced professional efficacy at work

According to Gallup, 76 per cent of employees say they’ve experienced burnout. Burnout can be misconstrued as an individual problem, but the evidence shows that it can be derived from a larger workplace culture. Understanding the signs of a burnout culture can empower an employee to advocate for better workplace culture practices.

Megan Dalla-Camina, chief executive and founder of Women Rising, listed five key signs that a workplace has a burnout culture and how you can learn to manage it:

1. Limited autonomy: A hallmark of burnout culture is a lack of autonomy, where employees feel they have little control over their work processes or schedules. This might manifest as micromanagement, rigid schedules, and strict, often unnecessary, oversight.

Manage it: Advocate for more flexible working arrangements or the implementation of results-only work environments (ROWE) where performance is measured by output rather than hours spent at a desk. Propose pilot projects to demonstrate the effectiveness of increased autonomy in boosting productivity and employee satisfaction.

2. Inequitable treatment: Burnout thrives in environments where employees feel undervalued or unfairly treated. This could be due to a lack of diversity and inclusion, unequal pay, or opaque promotion paths.

Manage it: Engage with HR to discuss transparent methods for promotions and raises. Support or initiate the formation of employee resource groups (ERGs) to foster a more inclusive culture. Encourage your company to conduct regular pay equity reviews and diversity training.

3. Overwhelming workloads: Consistently high workloads without sufficient resources or recognition can lead to burnout. Signs include employees regularly working long hours, high turnover rates in departments, and frequent complaints about workload. According to a Gallup survey, employees are 70 per cent less likely to experience high burnout when they have enough time to do their work.

Manage it: Communicate openly with management about the realities of workloads and the need for realistic project timelines or additional resources. Encourage the use of workload management tools and techniques. Advocate for policies that allow employees to disconnect outside of work hours to recover and recharge.

4. Lack of recognition: Without acknowledgment of their hard work and contributions, employees can feel invisible and undervalued, leading to burnout.

Manage it: Promote a culture of recognition by encouraging managers to regularly acknowledge team efforts and individual contributions. Propose the implementation of reward systems that highlight employee achievements, both big and small.

5. Poor community support: A supportive workplace community is essential for employee wellbeing. A lack of support can manifest as isolated teams, poor communication, and a competitive rather than collaborative environment.

Manage it: Foster a supportive community by promoting team-building activities that help strengthen relationships among colleagues. Advocate for open communication channels and regular feedback loops. Encourage leadership to conduct routine check-ins with teams to gauge morale and address any concerns as they arise.

Recognising the signs or red flags of a burnout culture is the initial step towards counteracting it and creating a healthier workplace that doesn’t allow that kind of culture to manifest. Communication, new policies, engagement, and direct actions can be deployed to change this culture, for not only the individual but everyone within the workplace.