After being blocked by Google from posting in my own blog because of unscrupulous and inveterate spamming (which isn't my doing, mind you), I'm very happy I'll be able to blog my self to eternity and beyond with the extra time I have now. Thanks to a new assistant at work, I get to divide my time between my blogs and the website I'm working on. (*sigh*)Anyway, I've received this email from a MAPP newsletter and I think it's interesting because of two reasons: May is Mental Health Awareness Month and it's happened to me before when I was killing myself trying to graduate from college on time (which by the way didn't happen. I graduated from a different university 5 years overdue.)
So how do you know if you, a loved one, or someone who reports to you is suffering from burnout? Here are the early warning signs:
- chronic fatigue - exhaustion, tiredness, a sense of being physically run down
- anger at those making demands
- self-criticism for putting up with the demands
- cynicism, negativity, and irritability
- a sense of being besieged
- exploding easily at seemingly inconsequential things
- frequent headaches and gastrointestinal disturbances
- weight loss or gain
- sleeplessness and depression
- shortness of breath
- suspiciousness
- feelings of helplessness
- increased degree of risk taking
Further research on burnout has produced the following additional information. From an article by Mark Gorkin in MentalHelp.net, a burnout is defined as "a gradually process by which a person detaches from work and other significant roles and relationships in response to excessive and prolonged stress and mental, physical and emotional strain. The result is lowered productivity, cynicism and confusion, a feeling of being drained and having nothing more to give." Furthermore, a burnout-prone work environment has the following characteristics:
- From TLC to TNC. People are always on call. There's little boundary between work and home. Work environment driven by "time, numbers and crises" not by "tender loving care." Beware a philosophy that extols customers as kings while treating employees as peasants; it's a formula for revolt, inertia or sabotage.
- Rapid and Unpredictable Change. Can be either a downsizing or an expansionary mode. Unstable leadership and a revolving work force; adjusting to new personnel along with a loss of institutional history and wisdom. Rules and procedures don't appear to be operational; "the book" has lost some critical pages. Chronic uncertainty and mistrust from lack of timely information or from communication not perceived as genuine or accurate.
- Destructive Communication Style. The norm is condescending, explosive or passive aggressive styles of communication; there's excessive workfloor razzing or scapegoating. Managers are talking over employees; nobody is truly listening. Either defensive counterattacking or robotic groupthinking is common.
- Authoritarian Leadership. Rigid, militaristic mindset; "superiors" vs. "subordinates" or "inferiors." Typical slogans: "You don't get paid to think" or "My way or the highway." Leaders blow up if challenged and break up any participatory decision-making or team building efforts.
- Defensive Attitude. There's an overall dismissive attitude regarding feedback with little interest in evaluation of people and policies. Only numbers count. Not safe to give feedback; people quick to feel disrespected or rejected. Yelling or intimidation or, conversely, avoidance, are the preferred ways of dealing with conflict.
- Double Standard. Different policies and procedures, bias in application, for management and employees, blue collar or white collar, racial or sexual discrimination - "Workfloor vs. Tower" dichotomy. Double standard also manifests as management gets substantial training or support for dealing with change processes and employees get minimal orientation and ongoing support.
- Unresolved Grievances. No mechanisms or only adversarial ones - "us vs. them" - to settle grievances. Or, dysfunctional individuals protected or ignored because of contractual provisions, red tape, old boy network or union cover, etc.
- Emotionally Troubled Personnel. Management not actively assisting troubled employees get the help they need; no Employee Assistance Program (EAP) option. No coaching for supervisors dealing with dysfunctional personnel. This gap can create a tumor for the work team - scapegoating, loss of respect for leader, apathy and lowered morale, etc.
- Repetitive, Boring Work. Not just assembly line syndrome. Also, "The Bjorn Bored Syndrome": When Mastery times Monotony provides an index of Misery! Your niche of success becomes the ditch of excess and stagnation. There's a lack of opportunity for job rotation or not enough new blood is coming into the system.
- Faulty Equipment/Deficient Training. Equipment or procedures (or lack of same) that don't allow people to work effectively or efficiently…and then workers are criticized for not being productive. Also, rapidly inundating people with new equipment and operational standards while not providing sufficient time and resources for successful startup.
- Hazardous Setting. Disruptive ambient work conditions - temperature, air quality, repetitive motion issues, overcrowded space, problematic noise levels, excessive overtime, nocturnal schedule and interrupted sleep, etc. Personnel shortage results in lack of backup resulting in potentially dangerous work expectations and conditions.
- Culture of Violence. There is a culture or past history of individual and/or systemic violence and abuse, e.g., family battering, gang membership, etc. The person has been exposed to violent or explosive role models often with a context of alcohol and drug abuse. Finally, under sufficient stress, employees with lingering Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can be set off.
Next entry: Sources of and Coping with Burnout at Work
Mark Gorkin, LICSW, "The Stress Doc" ™, a psychotherapist, an acclaimed Keynote and Kickoff Speaker (including with Celebrity Cruise Lines), and an OD/Team Building Consultant. Mark is the author of Practice Safe Stress: Healing and Laughing in the Face of Stress, Burnout & Depression and of The Four Faces of Anger: Transforming Anger, Rage, and Conflict Into Inspiring Attitude and Behavior. Also, the Doc is America Online's "Motivational Psychohumorist" ™ running his weekly "Shrink Rap ™ and Group Chat." See his award winning, USA Today Online "HotSite" - www.stressdoc.com (recently cited as a workplace resource by National Public Radio (NPR). Finally, Mark is an advisor to The Bright Side ™ - www.the-bright-side.org - a multi-award winning mental health resource. Email for his monthly newsletter showcased on List-a-Day.com. For more info on the Doc's speaking and training programs and products, email stressdoc@aol.com or call 202-232-8662.
posted by diversityworking @ 8:51 AM
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