In this stage, one’s harmful physical and emotional symptoms impact their quality of life. For example, chronic sadness or depression, mental exhaustion, low self-efficacy, and suicidal ideation. Employees: National resources at <a href="https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline">Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration</a> (SAMHSA) and the <a href="https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/">National Suicide Prevention Lifeline</a> can lend support. Companies must create safe, diverse, inclusive workspaces led by well-trained, empathetic leaders. High rates of habitual burnout warrant an evaluation of key leadership, budgets, workflows, technologies, and more.

Phase 5: Habitual burnout

An alarming trend that continues to rise is workplace burnout. Organisations should understand this phenomenon, evaluate the risks and be intentional about lowering and controlling them to protect their employees and businesses. Burnout is a form of job-related stress that has not been successfully managed. It consists of five stages that individuals and organizations must assess and then take action to reduce the symptoms.

Workplace burnout 

When stress levels rise faster, and more frequently, employees could reach a dangerous tipping point. Stress causes cognitive overload and can reduce the focus needed to make sound business decisions or perform tasks. Employees should make use of medical benefits, employee assistance plans, or local counseling. Companies can invest in automation. Digital platforms can connect your teams, automate workflows and communications, and integrate safety and incident management.

Phase 3: Chronic stress

Stress onset can show up as nervous anxiety, irritability, fatigue, or disorganization. Employees must prioritize their work and deal with it appropriately. Meditative box breathing and other simple techniques can help to reduce stress. Company leaders can assess employee stress through regular 1:1 meetings, daily huddles, and pusle surveys. Leaders can eliminate work bottlenecks, improve clarity on strategy, reduce emails, and invest in wellness workshops.

Phase 2: Onset of stress

If employees reach the point of burnout, they can experience critical symptoms like cynicism and pessimism about their work, feelings of incompetence, unwarranted fears, strong desires to escape or self-isolate and other serious physical conditions. This can cause workplace accidents, injuries, disputes, violence, poor decision-making, decision avoidance and impulsive behaviours. Employees experiencing true burnout should ask if this is really the job for them. Companies can prevent burnout with better strategic planning and health resources.

Phase 4: True burnout

Stress comes with the newness of a big challenge or career advancement. Most people adjust with minor bouts of stress.
Company leaders must provide clear expectations, upskilling opportunities, support resources, and a commensurate level of autonomy to help employees manage burnout risks.

Stage 1: The honeymoon phase

Princess Castleberry maintains it’s possible for a person to experience burnout in a job they like and want to keep and leaders are encouraged to watch for all the signs.
