Last week, we ran a poll to find out if our respondents felt confident in identifying the signs and symptoms of burnout. While 68% said they could correctly identify the signs and symptoms, 32% felt they were unsure or could not.

Burnout can be described as a state of mental and physical exhaustion. Burnout can be prevalent in various ways and is caused by various factors both inside and outside of work.

What are the signs and symptoms of burnout?

Individuals may experience burnout in different ways, but the most frequent signs and symptoms may be:

• Feeling tired or drained most of the time
• Negative feelings surrounding work, usually feeling helpless, trapped, or defeated
• Feeling detached, overwhelmed, or alone
• Procrastination/ taking longer to complete daily tasks
• Self-doubt

What causes burnout?

Burnout can be caused by a number of factors including both mental and physical constraints of work life. These can include:

• Unmanageable workload
• Unclear communication/ expectations from managers
• Lack of support
• Time/deadline pressures
• Long working hours
• Poor work-life balance

Preventing burnout

Luckily, burnout can be prevented before it becomes a large issue. Educating employees about the signs, symptoms and causes is a great place to start meaning burnout can easily be identified. From here, the risk of burnout can be reduced. One of the easiest ways to do this is to promote an open and honest atmosphere in the workplace.

Opening up the conversation about expectations, goals, concerns, and internal support systems can be a powerful tool for combating burnout. When employees and management alike are encouraged to communicate their thoughts and set effective boundaries, it fosters a supportive environment of collaboration and trust which may help employees and managers alike reduce their risk of burnout.

The risk of burnout could also be mitigated by utilizing annual leave and mental health resources included in your employer’s benefits package. Using the full entitlement of annual leave can provide the opportunity to step away from work, relax, and mentally disengage from the workplace for a temporary period of time.

Remote working and burnout

Burnout may be harder to spot in those colleagues that work remotely. Frequent contact and communication, for example through check-ins or one-to-one meetings, should be maintained so that remote colleagues do not feel ‘out of sight and out of mind’.

Helping those experiencing burnout as a colleague

If you suspect a colleague is experiencing symptoms of burnout, there are simple ways you can help as a colleague:

• Open up the conversation: If you suspect that someone is experiencing burnout, seek a quiet and private moment to ask them how they are feeling. Show empathy as you listen to their response, and be considerate in your reaction. Knowing that someone is listening can often be beneficial for those experiencing stress by giving them a platform to express their feelings and the events that have led them to feel burnt out. You should aim to have a further understanding of your colleague’s feelings and the root cause of the problem.
• Prioritise the workload: Following this, if the cause is work-related and you are able, help your colleague organise their tasks by prioritising their to do list. Often, colleagues experiencing burnout due to their workload are unable to see an end to their to-do list. If there are any low-priority tasks that you can handle, you could offer to lend a hand or provide guidance on delegating some of their workload.
• Be a friend and offer support: In addition to providing professional assistance, offering personal friendship and support can be a source of comfort for colleagues. Colleagues may need a moment to breathe away from the task at hand, so taking a moment to offer more personal support can be just as useful.

Helping those experiencing burnout as a manager

From a managerial perspective, there are some additional ways you can help those struggling with burnout:

• Be an advocate for your team: Ensure your team is meeting the goals of the wider business whilst communicating that your team/ individuals on your team are currently at capacity and cannot increase their workload. Let your team members know that it’s okay to ask for help and that you will advocate for the time they need to complete their current workload without being further overwhelmed.
• Remind employees to look after their health: Make sure employees are aware of any physical and mental health benefits they may have as part of their benefits package. While you can provide support in the workplace, it may also be beneficial for them to seek some further support temporarily to help reduce stress appearing in their life outside of work.
• Listen: As simple as it may seem, listening is often the most important tool to help. Knowing that somebody is taking their thoughts on board and trying to find a solution can make a large difference to those that are struggling.

If you are struggling with burnout, it may be time to talk to your manager and ask for help. Please take a look at our free resources to help you manage your workplace happiness and mitigate difficulties.