Let’s start off on the right foot

“You’re simply the best.” –Tina Turner

The skinny

Recent survey reveals that burnout is becoming a huge organizational problem.

♦

Feel that.

No joke. Not only are we coming up on the grim one-year anniversary of the U.S. shutting down socially and economically, reaching an almost unfathomable death milestone, but it’s also bleeping February.

Woof.

Indeed. And employees are feeling it, too. A recent survey revealed that 89% of respondents said their work life was getting worse and 85% said their well-being had declined. But it’s more than just an employee problem; massive burnout is an organizational issue that needs an organizational solution.

What do you mean?

Well first, let’s discuss the main causes of burnout: unsustainable workload, perceived lack of control or flexibility, insufficient rewards for effort, lack of a supportive community, lack of fairness and lastly, mismatched values and skills.

That’s quite a list.

Start saying it before bed every night. Despite all six of these causes being mainly organizational issues, we still prescribe self-care as the cure for burnout. This makes an unhealthy shift as to who’s in charge of solving the problem.

Who?

Is there an owl in here? If your main solution to burnout is self-care, that puts all the burden on the employee to solve. Now, before you tell me to downward dog, things such as meditation, exercise, yoga, and gym memberships are swell, great even. But unfortunately, they’re not preventing burnout specifically.  

Oh no.

Yes, it’s like giving someone ice cream when they asked for a spinach salad. It may be a most welcomed surprise, but it’s not the right pathway to overall wellness, and, not to mention, the person is lactose intolerant.

You scream, I scream?

We’re all screaming. The pandemic has brought a lot of change in the workplace and some very good changes. But the rise in cynicism, loneliness and above all, exhaustion is concerning. These are the key predictors of burnout. Plus, many of these workplace issues have been here for a long time and are being exacerbated by the pandemic.  

Like?

Unhealthy work hours (the average workday has become longer during the pandemic), not enough control or flexibility (women are dropping out of the workforce in higher numbers), too much screen time (swapping the big screen for a smaller screen and vice versa), too many meetings (it’s reported time spent in meetings has increased 13%) and a lack of recognition for the extent of people’s struggles.  

Feeling exhausted rn.

We live here now. Applying Band-Aid solutions (aka, bringing ice cream to a spinach fight) to heal a gaping wound doesn’t do much to help the fact that people are working unsustainably day after day and organizations aren’t recognizing the true depth of the burnout issue. Probably because leaders are burnt out, too.

Halp, please.

Yes, now time for some solutions. Survey respondents said that feeling a sense of purpose helped them with longer hours, but what helps more is having a manageable workload. Focus on what can go on the back burner and what should be prioritized by your employees.

Ok, what else?

Cancel culture, but, with meetings. One of the glaring issues related to work overload was meeting fatigue. More meetings = less time to work. Last but not least, encouraging employees to talk about burnout is the cherry on top. Wait, I mean the lemon squeeze on top of the spinach salad. When employees feel comfortable and know they have a safe place to discuss what they’re going through, they’re less likely to feel burnout and are more likely to take the time they need to recharge.

Please be done…

I hear you. So, I’ll only say one more thing that’s a very important weapon to have when combating burnout: empathy. Having an empathetic manager was the second-most-cited need in the survey for higher job satisfaction and lower burnout rates.  

#Notfine fact: An average adult will say “I’m fine” 14 times a week, though only 19% of people really mean it. 

It’s not all bad: Happiness and burnout rose together in 2020. Cute. 

Further reading: HR Burnout is real.

Potato: Is this you?

Totes quotes: “The fatigue I feel these days is unlike any other I’ve ever felt. I end each day just WRUNG out.” – Susan Orlean, the author, on Twitter

The skinny

A quarter of employees may be looking for new jobs once the pandemic is over.

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Personally, shocked.

Yeah, pretty surprising. Millennials and working parents were the most likely populations planning to peace out of their current jobs post-COVID.  

Why?

**Hello, please leave a message after you’ve read the article above.** Burnout! More than half of the employees say they’re struggling with burnout during the pandemic. December marked the lowest levels of employee well-being since the start of the pandemic according to the Mental Health Index.  

Melting.

Yes, burning the candle at both ends isn’t healthy. Burned out employees are less productive and more likely to suffer from other health issues like depression, high blood pressure and substance abuse. And when not addressed, these issues can cost employers $125 billion to $190 billion in lost productivity and health care costs.

Not a fun look.

Not at all. On the bright side, many organizations are expanding benefits to help employees balance their work-life catwalk. But if something isn’t done, and soon, many organizations are going to see a mass exodus of top talent that could make it even more difficult to bounce forward in a post-pandemic economy.

Deeper dive: Over a quarter of employers have offered new benefits during the pandemic to support their workforce.

Totes quotes: “What we’ve seen is low productivity or less engagement in their job. It’s hard to put 100% into everything when you’re pulled in 50 different directions.” –Stephanie Williams, registered nurse and VP of clinical solutions at Maestro Health

The skinny

Lack of sleep and mental overload can lead to making your brain feel “broken.”

♦

-_-

Same. Pandemic stress and multitasking can affect memory in a real way. We live in a time where brushing our teeth at 7 p.m. (for the first time) is real. Also, not showering because we’re going to work out later and then, never working out so…showering is out, too. So many things to keep track of in these strange days.

Brain is broke-o

Loco. We were all “fine” in the fall but coming up on a year inside has many of us feeling…beyond burnt out (see, there’s a theme here!). It turns out that many aspects of our pandemic lives could lead to impaired brain functions. Like an inability to organize, plan and remember instructions.

So, it’s not just me?

Welcome friend, we’re all here. Managing too many details can make you feel “foggy”—like organizing and managing your kids’ video conferencing calls, ordering groceries for dinner, walking the dog, Zoom etiquette, etc.  

There’s a lot in that “etc.”

For sure. We all have so much to juggle right now and it’s causing a lot of stress. Guess what stress does? Produces cortisol in your brain which can also cause you to become…oh right, forgetful.

Feeling stressed now.

Sorry, there’s a lot to take in. Don’t worry, there are some things you can do to help. For example, try to avoid multitasking as much as possible. Before you say, “that’s impossible” do a couple of little tweaks. Like not having 4 million windows open on your computer at once. Break up your day into specific segments where you focus on certain activities. Attending to one thing for each moment in your day will help improve your memory and cognitive functions.  

What else?

Watch and listen to this for 3 minutes. Now, right now, I’ll wait.

Ok, I'm back.

Good. Feel better? Going outside or simply simulating the outdoors, may help when you’re feeling mentally dull. Most importantly, don’t forget that you’re not alone. Many, many, many, many of your peers, friends and family are feeling the same way. So be kind to you, get some sleep, get some sun if you can and take some time to recharge. Even if that is as simple as going to the Hogwarts library or a jazz bar in Paris.

Sleep.

You know how I love sleep tangents. Quick tip for those suffering from COVID-related insomnia: Treat yourself like a baby with the 2 S’s: swaddle = get a weighted blanket, and shush = get a white noise machine.  

Podcast: Meditative Story combines extraordinary human stories with meditation prompts embedded into the storylines.

Further help: Recreate your favorite sounds of “going out.”

Take a break: Draw your own iceberg.  

Totes Quotes: “Wintering is a season in the cold. It is a fallow period in life when you’re cut off from the world. We like to imagine that it’s possible for life to be one eternal summer and that we have uniquely failed to achieve that for ourselves. We dream of an equatorial habitat, forever close to the sun, an endless, unvarying high season. But life’s not like that.” –Katherine May, author of Wintering.

Now a break from the news… Wait for it.

Compliance Corner Tracking essential workers who get the vaccine.

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Benefits Pulse at a glance

Leave of absence trends have fallen almost 20% MoM.