Burnout is not a new phenomenon yet has only been recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) since 2019. It can also be commonly confused with depression or anxiety, which have similar symptoms.
Burnout happens when workers experience chronic stress or work in stressful situations that leave them physically and emotionally exhausted. Burned-out employees can feel overwhelmed and unable to meet their workplace demands.
When we talk about burnout, we're not just talking about the typical stress and anxiety that working in an office can cause. We're talking about a chronic condition that can affect anyone, across all sectors and industries, with 40 percent of the UK workforce experiencing it.
Emotional exhaustion in the higher education sector is high, impacting over 60% of employees, but it can be hard to identify. The signs are often less obvious than you might imagine:
When your employees aren’t delivering work to the standard they usually do, it could be an indication of burnout. But since over sixty percent of university employees don’t feel comfortable speaking to their manager about work-related stress and wellbeing, you might not realise the full scale of the problem.
That’s why prevention is so important. With that in mind, here are four staff wellbeing ideas to help prevent employee burnout.
Mental wellbeing amongst Higher Education employees is considerably lower than population norms.
You might have a section on mental health in your employee handbook. You may offer health benefits that address mental health specifically. But unless you openly discuss mental health at your university, it’s unlikely that your employees will admit they’re burning out.
You could use Mental Health Awareness Week, for instance, to foster a discussion about the mental health challenges people face. Or you could dedicate a channel on your messaging platform to mental health tips and support.
There is a reciprocal relationship between burnout and loneliness as people experiencing burnout are more likely to withdraw, which makes it difficult to combat.
An employee on the verge of burnout might have a habit of saying ‘yes’ too much. They might accept even more responsibilities or take on too much. The reason could be because they feel irreplaceable, or the exact opposite; employees who think their jobs are at risk are more likely to make themselves invaluable.
Holding 1-1s with your staff will give them a forum to express any concerns they have about their roles and workloads. It will also enable you to identify those who say ‘yes’ too often and help them create boundaries.
Something as simple as a shared calendar will allow everyone at your university to see a staff member's meeting schedule. There are also project management tools, so that you can see how much work gets assigned to your staff and if they are able to complete it. As a result, you will be able to monitor their progress and provide support if they are struggling.
Sixty-one percent of university employees regularly work outside their contracted hours to complete work. There’s also the culture of leavism when people will actually use holiday leave to catch up on tasks. But these issues are often hard to recognise. Here are the signs to look out for:
A good work-life balance is crucial in preventing burnout, here are some simple ways you can encourage it:
Burnout is a problem that can affect everyone. And even those suffering from it, probably don't realise it.
The good news is that there are ways to help your staff prevent burnout and foster better wellbeing across your organization. These four ideas will help you do just that.
And if you want even more understanding into your efforts, consider Symbio—its wellbeing index helps your team manage their whole health in real-time and the Symbio hub for HR teams mean you gain insights into the wellbeing of your staff so that you can get a handle on how your employees are really feeling.
Speak to us today to discover how we can help 2023 be your staff's most positive year yet.