Employee Burnout
Updated: Dec 20, 2021
Burn Out
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In 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) officially recognised employee burnout as a occupational chronic stress illness resulting from workplace stress that has been left unmanaged.
Definition of Burnout
Burnout is distinguished by WHO as:
Feelings of exhaustion or depleted energy
Increased mental distance from one’s job
Feelings of negativity or cynicism related to one’s job
Reduced professional efficiency
It is also emphasized in the definition that burnout relates specifically to the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.
Workers in high-risk or high paced roles/ environments are more susceptible to burnout. It is important for those in high-risk environments to recognise symptoms and act quickly, as tired workers can be more likely to have incidents.
Stress vs. Burnout
It is important to note that stress and burnout are very similar. You cannot have burnout without stress.
Burnout Symptoms
Symptoms of worker burnout can consist of the following:
Becoming disconnected / i