How many offices really keep their work-hours pegged on a steady 9 to 5 grind? Why do we hear of so many cases of burnt out employees?
Employee burnout is a form of psychological, physical, and emotional exhaustion from a series of toll-taking incidents in the workplace. This state of depression and, at times, scorn hampers the employee’s productivity.
Common causes of employee burnout is caused by a series of events or a working condition that eats away at an employee’s morale and enthusiasm. Issues like lack of compensation, support or appreciation can batter employee morale. Eventually employees dread the idea of going to work, going about their work, and delight in the sound of end-of-workday bell.
Low morale is just the lowest form of it. For the employee, burnout may even lead to health problems. High blood pressure, gastric pains, and exhaustion are some of the possible ailments arising from an unregulated work pace. Sadder is when the employee does not even get any support from suffering. At times, management will only be concerned of a worker’s output. Hence, a burdened employee will take long breaks, turn towards absenteeism, and display lackluster performance leading to lower appraisals. There would be instances where friction evolves between colleagues. When frustration sets in, the employee often is left with one course of action – leave. Thus, he or she leaves with a heavy heart – in most times, the sheer opposite of the employee he or she was as a new employee.
Employers, as businessmen, are more inclined to look at results. They would not hesitate spending for overtime pay even if it means that employees need to clock in more than the standard 40 hours just to get projects done before launch or shipment dates. Sadly, overtime pay may not compensate for the accumulated stress that employees get. In most cases of startup companies, stretching work hours far beyond what is required is standard procedure. The frighteningly common notion that employees are dispensable plague many companies from small-scale enterprises to large corporations.
It is a common belief that employees are transient. In fact they are not. The work that employees do contribute to the collective experience and ways of working inside the company. Getting good people is only one side of the story. Keeping them in and getting best out of them is another. Even if these “underperforming” people eventually leave, they are ambassadors of the company’s culture. Hence, employers should really observe these issues in the workplace lest they are willing to face the possible adverse consequences.
In the end, mass employee burnout is a management issue. It is a cumulative process that can be averted when employees start to get sluggish. Many are potentially good employees disheartened. No matter how much persuasion or promises of raises and benefits may sway them back – especially when they know that employers have considered them dispensable just by pushing them too hard.
“A bucket of oats is no use to a dead horse.”
Several years ago I wrote a book on the subject of workplace culture and employee morale. It is as relevant today as it was then. Employee morale is directly linked to the interaction of employees with line managers who are charged with executing the policies and strategies of companies. Unfortunately, many of these managers subvert the good intentions of the organization to meet their own personal goals and agendas at the expense of their peers and subordinates. This management subculture is a direct result of a corporate culture of ignorance, indifference and excuse. Better corporate level leadership is the key. Read more in “160 Degrees of Deviation: The Case for the Corporate Cynic.”