Defining Burnout

Before delving deeper, it’s crucial to distinguish between mental health disorders and burnout. Conditions like depression or anxiety require specialized, personalized assistance from qualified health professionals. If you or someone you know is grappling with a mental health issue, seeking medical advice is vital.

This discussion will solely center on burnout, which, while not classified as a mental illness, can sometimes lead to depression. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) identifies burnout as an occupational phenomenon rather than a medical condition. Many individuals facing burnout in their work environments do not exhibit symptoms of mental illness in other aspects of their lives. Burnout is context-specific and may dissipate quickly when an individual is removed from their stressful work situation.

Burnout demands an occupational approach to its resolution.

Factors Contributing to Burnout

Research has pinpointed several elements that can influence whether someone experiences burnout, including their perceived control over their job, the variety (or lack thereof) in their tasks, and their sense of fairness within the workplace. These elements are amenable to change and can only be effectively addressed within the work environment itself.

Resilience training programs aim to equip individuals with tools to buffer against burnout and mental health issues by enhancing protective factors and diminishing risk factors. Such programs have become commonplace in many workplaces, and under appropriate conditions, they can serve as valuable support. However, employers need to be aware that mandating attendance at these programs for employees already experiencing burnout may exacerbate their situation rather than alleviate it.

Respecting Employee Needs

Many individuals work in high-stress environments or face frequent changes yet manage to avoid burnout, not necessarily due to heightened resilience but because of other workplace dynamics.

Recently, several acquaintances from various sectors shared experiences of being mandated to attend resilience training sessions. While I understand the underlying intentions, the feedback I received indicated that the training often produced the opposite of the desired outcome. Instead of feeling supported, employees felt isolated from management, interpreting the mandate as a message to simply "toughen up." These individuals expressed valid concerns regarding policies and practices affecting mental health that could have been addressed had their leaders genuinely listened to their input.

Being sent to resilience programs implied that management viewed the employees as the problem, suggesting they just needed to be stronger in handling their work conditions. A few participants felt the program was merely a superficial exercise that allowed employers to claim they had addressed mental health concerns, only to move on without meaningful change.

The disconnect between good intentions and actual needs has led to feelings of disrespect among employees. Restoring these relationships will require considerable effort.

A Call to Employers: Listen and Act

I urge employers to bravely ask their teams what they require, genuinely consider their responses, and implement changes where possible to alleviate the pressures contributing to burnout.

While it may seem simpler to send employees to a training program rather than assess and amend workplace policies that contribute to burnout, achieving substantial change may necessitate this effort.

To clarify, I am not against resilience programs; I believe that a well-executed, evidence-based program can be beneficial when appropriate. However, integrating resilience training into a broader strategy, guided by employee input, is likely to be more effective and better received.

Before deciding to send staff to resilience training, consider these questions:

1. Have you engaged in an open dialogue with your employees about their feelings of burnout? Do they believe resilience training would be beneficial?
2. Have you solicited their input on the primary factors contributing to their stress or burnout?
3. Have you candidly communicated what aspects are unchangeable and critically evaluated what can be modified?
4. Have you encouraged staff to propose innovative solutions to alleviate stressors, especially those that cannot be changed?

It’s worth noting that individuals experiencing burnout may be hesitant to voice their concerns to management. Therefore, consider appointing a volunteer to gather feedback anonymously, which may foster greater honesty and transparency.

In conclusion, while a resilience program may be what your employees need, it is crucial to empower them to make that choice.

Remember: offer support, but do not impose it on those who are unwilling to accept it.

References

Heinemann, T., & Heinemann, A. (2017). Burnout Research: Emergence and Scientific Investigation of a Contested Diagnosis. SAGE Open, 7(1), 1–12.

Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103–111.

World Health Organization. (2019). International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision.