Everyone is closely or remotely familiar with a person who has been a victim of burnout. Despite its prevalence, it still remains taboo in Switzerland. 18% of Swiss workers are reported to be burnout, with 4% considered serious. Nevertheless, burnout is not inevitable. There are solutions to prevent and cure it. We present several of them in this article.
Burnout is not considered as a disease, but as a syndrome, and more specifically as a set of symptoms characterizing a pathological state. Currently, there is no unified definition across the world. However, Lausanne researchers have studied this question and proposed the following definition: « burnout is a state of emotional and physical exhaustion related to prolonged exposure to work problems » (Canu & al. 2021).
The manifestations of burnout can be emotional (loss of self-confidence, irritability, feelings of helplessness), cognitive (impaired concentration, indecision), physical (headaches, digestive disorders, muscle tension, sleep problems), behavioural (withdrawal into oneself, aggression, lack of empathy) or even motivational (negativity, disengagement).
Although burnout is strongly associated with professional factors, such as work overload, lack of recognition and fairness, value conflicts or unclear objectives, there are other risk factors that should not be underestimated, such as:
- The social environment (interpersonal and family support)
- The experience of traumatic life events (bereavement, sick child)
- Personality (perfectionism, strong commitment)
The consequences of burnout
For the employee, unmanaged burnout can crystallize and generate other pathologies such as depression. Moreover, the syndrome has an impact on the overall life of an individual. Indeed, he can have a detached attitude, be overwhelmed by the feeling of inutility, experience relentless questioning, suffer from chronic and intense fatigue. Interpersonal relationships are also affected because the person with the condition may become irritable and struggle to manage daily stress. Chronic stress can also make the person more sensitive to diseases (viruses, chronic diseases, etc.).
On the company side, the situation is hardly better. Burnout causes a decrease in productivity before the person stops working. Then when the person is on sick leave, this leads to an increase in the absence rate. In some cases, there may also be a change of career direction for the impacted employee, which involves finding and training a new employee. The cost of burnout for a company can be considerable if one includes expenses related to replacing and training new employees, costs related to sick leave and reduced productivity. Burnout is therefore an economic issue for companies and the entire social system. There is therefore a significant interest in preventing and curing it.
In response to these numerous challenges, more and more companies are beginning to recognize the importance of promoting a healthy work environment and are implementing measures to prevent stress and psychosocial risks.
Prevent burnout
Prevention thus involves the implementation of various measures aimed at improving working conditions and positively impacting the health and well-being of employees.
For example, companies can promote flexible working hours, and thus help their employees to better balance private and professional life.
Open and transparent communication is another pillar of burnout prevention. Employees should feel confident to voice their concerns, discuss their workload or seek help when needed. To facilitate communication, regular meetings are held to assess the well-being of the teams. By recognizing the work and valuing the efforts of his teams with rewards or positive feedback, the manager strengthens their sense of accomplishment, thus helping to maintain their motivation and commitment.
Training its employees in stress management and psychosocial risk prevention raises their awareness of these issues, provides them with tools and promotes the early detection of warning signals. CHS offers tailored training for managers and employees on the prevention of psychosocial risks.
The company can also call upon external specialists, who will carry out an in-depth analysis of its situation and help it identify the psychosocial risks faced by its employees. Our health audit in the workplace’ service assesses the general well-being and satisfaction of employees through confidential interviews, providing a full report with suggestions for improvement at the end of the audit. Learn more
Finally, providing a space for employees to speak, in which they can interact with a neutral person outside the company, allows them to discuss in complete confidentiality on private or professional issues, to feel listened to and supported. Our specialists in the field of occupational health are at their disposal via our health line « O2-Line». Learn more
Let’s not forget that each person is unique and experiences a situation in a different way. The employee also has a role to play in preserving their health since the risk factors for burnout are not only professional. Recognizing one’s own limits and the importance of one’s health, by regularly assessing one’s state of stress, fatigue, and job satisfaction, is an essential first step. The employee must also know how to manage their time and prioritize their tasks, daring to say no when necessary. If the workload is too heavy during a period, his superior must be informed so that he can relieve him by seeking the support of other colleagues. Finally, taking care of one’s health by adopting a good lifestyle also contributes to the individual prevention of burnout. This involves a balanced diet, regular physical activity and sufficient sleep.
We are here for you
CHS offers customized solutions adapted to the context of each company as well as the needs of its employees. Our approach is proactive, caring and effective. We intervene early to preserve your most precious asset: your employees.
Together, let’s build a professional environment conducive to the development of your teams and the sustainable growth of your company.
CHS, your health partner.
Sources :
Al-Gobari M., Shoman Y., Blanc S., Guserva Canu, I. (2022). Point prevalence of burnout in Switzerland : a systematic review and meta-analysis. Swiss Medical WeeklyGuseva Canu & co.., (2021). Harmonized definition of occupational burnout : A systematic review, semantic analysis, and Delphi consensus in 29 countries. Sand J Work Environ Health, 47(2), pp.95-107.
Plys, E., Al-Gobari, M., Farine, A., Rochat, L., Talpain, O., Blanc, S., … & Canu, I. G. (2022). Prise en charge des personnes en burnout en Suisse: Résultats de l’étude épidémiologique auprès des professionnels de la santé.
