with Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett

Work & Career Psychologist / Keynote Speaker / Author / Advocate / Podcast Host

Turbulent and uncertain times continue in our lives with a multitude of challenges facing today’s employees and leaders, including high levels of stress, economic uncertainty, global unrest/wars, polarization, and various after-effects of the pandemic. It’s a challenging time to be a human, yet when was it ever easy?

Episode 73: Burnout Prevention: What Organizations Must Do

Rates of burnout are at an all-time high according to the American Psychological Association [1]. A global survey of 15,000 workers across 15 countries by McKinsey Health [2] found that a quarter of employees experienced burnout symptoms.

Burnout as a term gets tossed around a lot, and this blog seeks to clearly define what we’re talking about, and focus on the biggest culprits: chronic stressors in today’s organizations and what to do about them.

As an Organizational Psychologist, I want to emphasize that burnout is fueled by chronic stressors in organizations, which need to be widely and urgently addressed. 

What is Burnout?

According to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) [3]

Burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:

1. Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion (e.g. “I have no energy left.”)
2. Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativity or cynicism related to one’s job (e.g. “what I do doesn’t matter and my career will never get better”)
3. Reduced professional efficacy (e.g. “I’m the problem; I’m not good at my job”)

These are stress responses that are psychological as well as physical in nature and build up over time. It’s important to understand what burnout is not:

1. A medical diagnosis
2. A clinical diagnosis (i.e. it is not classified in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM))
3. Caused by the person (we must not stigmatize or label the person and blame them for feeling burnt out).
4. A synonym for stress.

Many employers choose not to see these chronic conditions in their organizations, and ignore just how damaging these are to their people.

Burnout Culprits in Organizations:

Much is written about what we as individuals can do to better manage our stress and build resiliency.  As an Organizational Psychologist, I want to emphasize that burnout is fueled by chronic stressors in organizations, which need to be widely and urgently addressed. These include:

1. Unfair treatment (including favoritism towards others, politics that reward managing up, exclusionary behavior, etc.)
2. Lack of manager/leader support
3. Toxic leaders (may include bullying, passive-aggressive behaviors, abuse or harassment, gaslighting, etc.)
4. Lack of trust/autonomy (e.g. micromanagement; removing flexibility despite consistent performance).
5. Feeling unappreciated/undervalued
6. Dysfunctional workplace dynamics (e.g. unhealthy team dynamics, difficult personality conflicts)

Yet many organizations do not directly focus on these culprits, and instead, bring in “quick fixes” or band-aid solutions to address increasing burnout [4]. These are primarily to help the “broken person” to better cope and include:

• Extra vacation time
• Mandating vacation time to be used
• Flexible schedules
• Wellness programs

Although these solutions may be helpful and well-intentioned, they do not address the root cause. I like the analogy of living in a house that has black mould in the walls. You may put in new flooring and air purifiers, but you are addressing the symptoms, not the root causes. Further, employees are not often consulted on what they want or need and the conditions of their jobs, and the toxic leaders or cultures surrounding them are left to fester.

Many employers choose not to see these chronic conditions in their organizations, and ignore just how damaging these are to their people. For example, a global survey of employees and HR decision-makers revealed a disconnection between employer efforts and employee mental health challenges. There was an average 22 percent gap between employer and employee perceptions of mental health and well-being in organizations.[3]

Burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.

Preventing Burnout in Organizations

As there are many organizational culprits of burnout, there are a range of ways to address and prevent burnout. As leaders are in positions of influence, they need to prioritize addressing these chronic stress conditions in their organizations versus turning a blind eye. This starts with the CEO and Board of Directors, and through to all levels of management. I’m not saying these solutions are easy, and in fact, many take great courage, consistency, effort, and difficult decisions along the way. Here are a few examples:

1. Prioritize mental wellness and stop rewarding overwork at the expense of renewal (for an excellent book on this check out: “Never Not Working” by Malissa Clark, who will be on the podcast January 30, 2024; whose book can be pre-ordered)
2. Identify and remove toxic (abusive) managers
3. Upskill managers to become people leaders
4. Provide coaching to managers to help build their self-insight and understand their impacts on others
5. Maintain or enable flexible work, providing greater autonomy & control versus a “one-size-fits-all” model for where and when people work
6. Care about employees as people, not just assets, learning to show genuine appreciation and check in on their well-being

__________________________

Works Cited:

[1] Ashley Abramson (2022). “Burnout and stress are everywhere”. Vol. 53 No. 1. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/01/special-burnout-stress

[2] Jacqueline Brassey, Erica Coe, Martin Dewhurst, Kana Enomoto, Renata Giarola, Brad Herbig, Barbara Jeffery for McKinsey Health Institute (2022). “Addressing employee burnout: Are you solving the right problem?”, McKinsey Health Institute https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/addressing-employee-burnout-are-you-solving-the-right-problem

[3] [4] Christina Maslach, PhD (2021). “Episode 152 – Why we’re burned out and what to do about it, with Christina Maslach, PhD” podcast episode, American Psychological Association www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/burnout

References:

Burn-Out an “Occupational Phenomenon”: International Classification of Diseases. World Health Organization: Geneva, Switzerland. (2019). Available online: https://www.who.int/standards/classifications/frequently-asked-questions/burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon (accessed on 28 October 2023).

Understanding the mental health of Canadians through COVID-19 and beyond: Poll #17. Mental Health Research Canada. (2023). Available online:  https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f31a311d93d0f2e28aaf04a/t/64f7878a687b010fc50b4c17/1693943691674/2023+Sept+-+MHRC+Poll+17+Report+Final+.pdf (accessed on 26 October 2023).

Understanding the mental health of Canadians through COVID-19 and beyond: Poll #16. Mental Health Research Canada. (2023).  Available online: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f31a311d93d0f2e28aaf04a/t/646f6a54935f355d45369256/1685023317959/2022May25_MHRC+Poll+16+Full+Report.pdf(accessed on 26 October 2023).

Work Burnout: Signs, Treatment And More. Forbes. (2023). https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/signs-of-work-burnout/

About Dr. Laura:

Dr. Laura Hambley is a thought leader on Career and Workplace Psychology, passionate about career development. She founded Canada Career Counselling in 2009, however has specialized in career development since 1999 through her Master’s research and counselling in different settings, including outplacement and career transition firms in Alberta.

Dr. Laura learned early on that effective career planning enhances wellbeing, confidence, and clarity in one’s work and life. Combining the expertise of Psychology with Career Counselling is what she sought to do as she founded and evolved Canada Career Counselling from Calgary to Toronto, Victoria, and Halifax, providing Career Counselling and Career Coaching to thousands of clients over many years.

Dr. Laura enjoys her work as a Career Counsellor and Career Coach to professionals who are in mid- or senior stages of their career, helping them navigate complex career decisions and pivots. Her extensive experience as an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist, enables her to understand and address the challenges faced by individuals, leaders, teams, and organizational cultures.  Having consulted to a wide range of organizations since the late 1990s, and becoming a future of work thought leader, has enabled her to help individuals and organizations navigate the latest trends impacting today’s organizations.

Dr. Laura fulfilled her dream of having her own podcast in 2020, called Where Work Meets Life™, where she interviews experts globally on topics around career fulfillment and thriving humans and organizations. She is a sought-after keynote speaker for organizations, associations, conferences, and events.

In addition to her Master’s in Counselling Psychology (1999), Laura holds a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology (2005) from the University of Calgary. She is a Registered Psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists, as well as a member of the Psychologists’ Association of Alberta and the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). She also contributes to teaching, supervision, and research as an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at the University of Calgary.