- Half of the managers fear their employees are at risk of ‘burnout’ as WHO officially recognises burnout as a medical diagnosis.
- Employers have a crucial and central role to play in order to ensure their staff does not reach the point of burnout.
Bengaluru: More than half (52%) of Middle East employees stated that their mental health and wellbeing has suffered as a result of working longer hours during Covid-19.
Across the globe, many people are working longer and harder than ever before and 47% of managers in the Middle East believe their employees may be at risk of burnout, following a change in work pattern or behaviour bought on by Covid-19.
Despite ‘burnout’ not being a new phenomenon — identified as early as 1974 – the World Health Organisation (WHO) has only officially recognised burnout as a legitimate medical diagnosis in its eleventh edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) in May of this year.
According to WHO, burn-out is a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterised by three dimensions – feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy.
The reason we should all be concerned about the culture of chronic stress is that its effects are many and far-reaching.
From poor mental and physical health across the global workforce (and as a result, millions of sick days taken), to the massive tolls on productivity, burnout is a problem that impacts employer and employee alike.
“There is no denying that mental health and wellbeing has been on the agenda for most employers – even pre-Covid,” Megan Prosser, Manager at Robert Walters South Africa, said.
Wellness policies are important
According to a study conducted by global recruiter Robert Walters, those working remotely recorded a 44 per cent increase in productivity, and an overwhelming 87 per cent of these respondents have felt the pressure to keep productivity levels consistently high to prove the case for working from home post-Covid.
“Burnout is an entirely different and recently recognised condition which, unlike other mental health issues, can be directly linked to work. As a result, employers have a crucial and central role to play in order to ensure their staff does not reach the point of burnout,” Prosser said.
Whilst two-thirds of professionals (61 per cent) believe that wellness policies are important, just a third of companies offer what is required by law.
“Increasingly we were seeing offices be re-designed ergonomically, work health insurances enhanced to provide mental health support, and training provided to managers to help understand and deal with employees suffering from poor mental health.
“Many of these policies were geared around personal mental health issues – such as depression and anxiety – which have an impact or were exasperated by work,” Prosser said.
Robert Walters’ Burnout Guide explores the most powerful ways to combat the six major causes of workplace burnout:
- Manage workload expectations by communicating goals and objectives clearly on a regular basis. Since remote working began, 21% of professionals claim that the pressure to deliver results has caused a negative impact on their mental health or wellbeing. Consider implementing a wellness policy, encourage employees to take time off work to recharge, and extend flexible working options to all employees, not just parents.
- Be strategic when creating job descriptions for new roles. Openly communicate with prospective employees that the role might change or evolve (if that is the case). Give regular feedback and provide channels for employees to submit anonymous feedback often.
- Offer rewards for high performers and ensure salaries are aligned to industry averages. Improve employee morale and prevent employee burnout by building a culture that openly and consistently celebrates good work.
- Organise team activities that deepen employee relationships within your business. Review communication channels to ensure they are being used, and that they effectively reach all corners of the business.
- Implement a transparent career trajectories. Promote those individuals who have met their previously agreed KPIs. Hire with diversity and inclusion in mind to avoid monotony and ‘tunnel vision’ thinking.
- Lead with your company values and mission and be sure that they are woven into the company culture. Include a ‘culture fit’ interview as part of your formal hiring process to ensure the placement will be a match for both sides.
According to Robert Walters findings, 55 per cent of employees are less likely to burnout if they strongly believe their performance metrics are within their control.