Episode 7 - Burnout Banter - Am I Really Burned Out?

Burnout Banter

In 1974, psychologist Herbert Freudenberger became the first person to coin ‘burnout’ in a medical journal, after studying the lasting impacts of excessive stress and workplace demands on individuals, resulting in symptoms like depression and anxiety. For a long time, burnout was a blurry cultural concept that defied attempts to create a specific consensus definition that scientists could agree on. In fact, there have been hundreds of studies conducted on the subject in an attempt to define it. In May 2019, the World Health Organization defined it and stated that burnout should be considered a disease in the newest version of the International Classification of Diseases. They define burnout as a “syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”. They also point out that while it relates to work, it shouldn’t be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life. According to the WHO, Burnout is caused by three factors:

• Feelings of Energy Depletion or Exhaustion

• Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job;

• and reduced professional efficacy

Burnout has become a bigger problem than ever due to employees working more and feeling like they aren’t being fairly compensated. It has a big impact on employee retention and also prevents professional success. If it sounds serious, it is. You might be asking yourself, am I burned out? or, What do I do if I am? Let’s find out!

Join us monthly on Burnout Banter as we fully showcase and share the stories and insights of marketing professionals and teams in the construction industry in order to shed light on issues such as miscommunication and burnout. Email us any burning questions you would like us to answer at [e-mail].