In the workplace, burnout may result from unmanageable workloads, poorly communicated expectations, badly defined roles, unrealistic deadlines and a lack of recognition for hard work.
Are you always on the clock? Dreaming about picking the low-hanging fruit in order to avoid boiling the ocean? Is your social life constantly on the back burner? Chances are, you’re teetering on the edge of burnout.
Q:So, what is burnout?
Burnout is a feeling of complete mental and physical exhaustion resulting from excessive and prolonged stress. Someone experiencing burnout will feel drained, numb and demotivated. They may also appear cynical or defeated and struggle to complete their day-to-day tasks. Physical symptoms of burnout can include headaches and digestive issues. As burnout can present similarly to depression, it is important to seek professional help if you are unsure which condition you are experiencing.
In the workplace, burnout may result from unmanageable workloads, poorly communicated expectations, badly defined roles, unrealistic deadlines and a lack of recognition for hard work. The resultant lack of sleep and poor work-life balance are additional risk factors.
Q:What are the Sri Lanka specific risk factors for work-related burnout?
Job insecurity resulting from the economic crisis: salary cuts and an increase in layoffs have resulted in employees
fearing being made redundant. Consequently, they push themselves to
work long hours even when unwell. Further, high inflation rates have resulted in many people having to take on additional work to meet living expenses, resulting in exhaustion and lack of free time.
Local workplace culture: many workplaces expect employees to work overtime without compensation, resulting
in fatigue and reduced employee performance. Furthermore, the hierarchical nature of Sri Lankan workplaces means that employees are pushed to meet unrealistic expectations without the option of saying no. This lack of autonomy, coupled with a lack of recognition for hard work, leads employees to feel undervalued and disengage from their work.
Workplace discrimination: opening up about struggling with one’s mental health is often seen as admitting weakness in local workplaces. As a result, employees are hesitant to seek out help as they fear career repercussions. Furthermore, gender-based discrimination is still a prevalent issue in local workplaces. Harassment, discrepancies in pay and pregnancy discrimination are serious concerns for women in male dominated fields. Additionally, many workplaces lack the systems and processes to address these grievances appropriately, resulting in high levels of stress.
Poor physical work conditions: offices in Sri Lanka tend to be overcrowded and poorly ventilated, and manual labour jobs often lack the necessary safety protocol. The resultant discomfort and high risk of injury can lead to feelings of overwhelm, underappreciation and anxiety.
Q:What can be done to combat workplace anxiety?
Implementation of supportive policies: employers should draw up and implement a set of mental health guidelines which include clear boundaries around after-hours communication and compensation for overtime work. Furthermore, employers should allow for remote work and flexible working hours so that employees can attend to other commitments whilst still meeting their deadlines. Employees should also be encouraged to make use of their vacation days and take breaks wherever necessary. In manual jobs, guidelines on safe manual handling should be implemented. Organisations should also partner with NGOs to offer workshops on topics such as stress management to employees, as well as opportunities to receive counselling.
Leadership training: managers must be trained in empathic leadership, allowing them to motivate and inspire their team whilst still achieving organisational goals. Empathic leadership will allow employees to feel heard and valued, encouraging them to seek help or set boundaries as necessary.
Reduction of unnecessary stressors: organisations should aim to simplify their processes as much as possible by automating certain tasks, cutting out any unnecessary steps and using the relevant technology wherever necessary. This will result in improved employee efficiency and a reduction in errors, leading to an improved work-life balance.
Recognition of employee contribution: employers should acknowledge and reward employee achievements in order to boost morale and achieve a positive, growth driven culture.
Recognising the signs of burnout and putting measures in place to combat it is imperative to creating a thriving workforce and thereby building successful businesses. Companies that prioritise employee wellbeing are bound to see higher retention rates, better performance, and improved employee satisfaction. Burnout is not a personal failing, but rather a workplace crisis. The time to make a change is now- because no job should come at the cost of our wellbeing!
