An increasingly intense and volatile environment, associated with factors such as overwork, unfavorable organizational environment, relationship problems with leaders and/or colleagues, among others, has shown an increasing number of workers reporting prolonged stress, feelings of exhaustion, low level of energy and lower work efficiency around the world. However, it is important to remember that when we talk about Burnout, we are highlighting these symptoms that appear chronically.
In addition to the impacts on the worker's mental and physical health, Burnout implies an increase in absenteeism, health insurance claims, reduced productivity, among other factors that bring additional costs to organizations, whether directly or indirectly.
This scenario has demanded concrete measures from companies to reduce the risk of burnout among the workforce and create a healthy environment. Mariane Guerra, Vice President of Human Resources at ADP (global leader in payroll management and human capital management solutions) for Latin America, highlights three tips for preventing mental and physical exhaustion among employees:
- Encourage work-life balance: One of the main causes of prolonged stress is a lack of balance between work and personal life. Therefore, it is critical that employers encourage people to take regular breaks, use vacation time and complete their work within the set time. More than anything, it is essential to respect the worker's right to disconnect from messages, emails and chats after working hours. A worrying finding noted in ADP Research Institute's 2023 People at Work study is that only 18% of workers say their employers respect their right to disconnect.
- Provide support for mental and emotional well-being: Mental and emotional well-being are as important as physical well-being. It is extremely important to make resources and support available to all workers in general, and not just to those who are dealing with a spike in stress, anxiety or other types of mental or emotional disorders. Prevention is key to ensuring a healthy workforce in a sustainable way. In addition to traditional benefits, such as Health Insurance, a great ally in combating Burnout is the worker assistance program (EAP), which offers not only psychological assistance, but also legal assistance, financial counseling services, among others. This is because, very often, mental disorders are multifactorial. Therefore, it is essential to offer support in the various areas that can affect people's lives.
- Create an inclusive work culture: A work culture that offers psychological safety and allows people to be themselves can significantly contribute to promoting well-being in organizations. To achieve this, it is important to foster an environment of trust, respect and inclusion. According to ADP Research Institute's 2022 “Global Workforce View” survey, people who love their work and feel great about doing it are 2.4 times more likely to have low levels of stress.
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