Corporate burnout is one of the biggest threats to the health and lives of working professionals these days. While the issue was already present earlier, it certainly got more extensive during the pandemic. No wonder, according to a recent study, nearly 30% of working professionals in India have suffered from corporate burnout lately. It could be just a few symptoms, but when it becomes apparent, corporate burnout can considerably impact people’s personal, professional, and social lives.
Corporate burnout can cause loss of appetite, sleep, exertion, and others. The emotional health of employees suffering from corporate burnout can take a significant hit – self-doubt, dissatisfaction, anxiety, lack of motivation, and feeling of loneliness are a few emotions that could start to creep in. If these emotions stay longer than usual, these could also lead to several behavioural changes.
Employee burnout remains a big problem because it can hamper a person’s career prospects, and it could take as many as three years to recover from. And that is a massive loss that India, dependent on its young workforce to stand toe to toe with the most flourishing economies of the world, can’t afford. To limit the damage, many companies have evolved in a brief period. Those companies and others need to ensure that the sudden and drastic changes in the way of working don’t impact the health and wellness of employees.
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To start with, the organization should work to minimize the toll because if they don’t, this added stress due to the new way of working will begin impacting employees’ productivity sooner rather than later. While most organizations are now more aware of mental health, corporate burnout can still slip right under the radar and cause significant trouble before they know about it.
The focus of organizations that haven’t yet started helping employees detect and alleviate corporate burnout needs to learn from those who already have and are doing great in it. However, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach because people face different challenges and deal with them in different ways. It all begins with making employees feel valued and safe, and that they are being properly looked after in these testing times. Helping employees to manage workload and encouraging them to take frequent breaks throughout their workday is an excellent way to start. Companies need to take a deeper look at the factors causing corporate burnout. Once they know what’s behind it, they will tailor practical solutions to help employees deal with it.
An employee help initiative that deals explicitly with corporate burnout can greatly assist employees. They will know exactly where to go and whom to speak to if they face any trouble. Investing in such an initiative can help in improving employee productivity and reducing attrition.
Reference: Corporate burnout: A loss that India Inc. cannot afford | Forbes India | Neerja Birla | Dec 27, 2021
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