Workplace Going Up in Smoke?: Climb Out on the Stress Doc’s Burnout “Ladder”

This woman works fast!  Yesterday I received the following email:

I'm an editor at Ladders, a website focused on careers and life in the workplace. I'm hoping you might write a brief essay for us or speak to me for a short interview on burnout and how to get over it, in response to this:

https://qz.com/932813/employee-burnout-is-becoming-a-huge-problem-in-the-american-workforce/

Might you have a few minutes in the next few days to speak by phone or write 400-700 words? I'd love to make something work!

More about Ladders: We have more than 2 million monthly visitors and an email newsletter that reaches more than 8 million. We'd link back to your site and share widely across our social networks.

Thanks so much for the time and consideration,

Kirsten

Senior Editor, Ladders

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, by 3:30 that afternoon we began a stimulating half-hour question/discussion exchange. And by this morning, her work/our collaboration was online. Kirsten recorded the conversation and deftly captured the essentials. Trust me, she did a wonderful job sorting out my psychobabble!

I’ve been dealing with burnout since the 1980s – mine and many others. And in 2000, this burnout engine was in full steam mode, at least in the tech world of Northern Virginia…when the industry had its meltdown. Again, it’s in hyperphase and companies are ignoring the "erosive spiral" warning signs…to the peril of both employees and companies.

I’m glad to have contributed to this not just timely but, also, critical piece.

Mark Gorkin

stressdoc@aol.com

www.stressdoc.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ladders Link

https://www.theladders.com/p/17413/overcome-burnout

I overcame burnout. Here’s how you can too.’

Kirsten Salyer

By Kirsten Salyer, Senior Editor at Ladders

Mar 21, 2017

Have you ever felt overworked, stressed, or just plain burned out at work?

You’re not alone.

As productivity has risen and technology has expanded the workweek, wages have failed to catch up. More than half of U.S. workers left vacation time unused in 2015, and surveys have shown that about two-thirds of U.S. workers eat lunch at their desks.

If more employees burn out, it could pose problems for individuals and organizations. As Quartz reported, a recent study found that burnout is responsible for up to half of workplace attrition. Think about that: one of every two workers leaves his job because he just can’t take the stress any more.

Mark Gorkin, who coaches people on how to overcome stress and is the author of Preserving Human Touch in a High-Tech World, spoke to Ladders about his own experience with burnout and his suggestions for how companies and employees can address it in the workplace.

Ladders: What is burnout?

Gorkin: Burnout is the gradual process by which a person detaches from work and other significant roles and relationships in response to excessive and prolonged stress and mental and physical strain. It results in low productivity, cynicism, confusion, and a feeling of being drained and having nothing more to give.

Have you ever experienced burnout?

My first real experience was as a doctoral student. I was trying to do something creative but off the academic wall. At that time in my life, I was immature, and I wasn’t going to let anyone stifle my creativity. But I was being unrealistic, and I eventually burned out.

What I learned is that there are different stages of burnout: physical and mental exhaustion, shame and doubt, cynicism and callousness, and finally failure, helplessness, and crisis.

I went through all of them, and I dropped out of the program.

Why is burnout a problem in the workplace?

Where do you spend most of your time? Most people spend more hours at work than anywhere else.

We live in a driven and distracted world, and management is not taking enough time to really recognize the impact.

One of the consequences is that people feel like they’re being used up. We’re constantly doing more with less.

There are also some people who feel like they’re doing the same thing over and over. They feel like they’re being underutilized and that their talents are not being given a chance.

Burnout can be just the tip of the iceberg. If it goes on, it can cause people to call in sick more, feel distressed, become more passive aggressive, or engage in workplace sabotage.

What can organizations do to prevent burnout?

Good organizations allow people to have a sense of authority, autonomy, and accountability.

The problem occurs when employees have a lot of accountability, but they feel that there isn’t much authority or autonomy. When people feel that they’re in control, they are more stress-resilient.

Organizations should encourage breaks and give their employees a chance to sit down and talk about burnout. They should ask: “Where are people feeling overloaded? How can we give you some support?”

The important thing is to address it not as an individual issue but as a structural issue.

What can individuals do to beat burnout?

Here are some steps I learned in my own personal recovery.

1. Exercise

When I started feeling better, I started an exercise regime. Not only is exercise good for you, but it also gives you a sense of accomplishment and control. When you’re feeling burned out, you need to create some rituals that give you a feeling of accomplishment and competence.

2. Laugh

When you’re experiencing burnout, after a while, your funny bone starts to atrophy. I read books, like The Catcher in the Rye, that made me laugh. Watch Friends. Watch Seinfeld. Do something that helps you see the absurdity of life. Laughing helps you feel that you’re not trapped in a black cloud.

3. Reflect

I took a personal retreat and took time to reflect on how I got myself in the burnout predicament. You might feel like you’re in a great position and can’t give it up, but rigid expectations are a formula for burnout.

4. Write

What was really helpful for me was that I started writing. Research shows that when you’re able to write things out, it can be stress-reducing.

5. Reach out

Find a stress buddy. It’s easy to get caught up in the whole process. Find someone at work who will give you honest feedback.

Once you’ve done these things, you’ll be ready to take more risks — whether that means speaking up in your workplace or saying that it’s time to move on.

~~~~~~~~~

Mark Gorkin, MSW, LICSW, "The Stress Doc" ™, a nationally acclaimed speaker, writer, and "Psychohumorist" ™, is a founding partner and Stress Resilience and Trauma Debriefing Consultant for the Nepali Diaspora Behavioral Health & Wellness Initiative. Current Leadership Coach/Training Consultant for the international Embry-Riddle Aeronautics University at the Daytona, FL headquarters. A former Stress and Violence Prevention Consultant for the US Postal Service, he has led numerous Pre-Deployment Stress Resilience-Humor-Team Building Retreats for the US Army. Presently Mark does Critical Incident Debriefing for organizational/corporate clients of Business Health Services. The Doc is the author of Practice Safe Stress, The Four Faces of Anger, and Preserving Human Touch in a High Tech World. Mark’s award-winning, USA Today Online "HotSite" – www.stressdoc.com – was called a "workplace resource" by National Public Radio (NPR). For more info, email: stressdoc@aol.com.

Building Stress Resilience and Organizational Hardiness despite Doing “More with Less”

[A shorter version of this Q & A will appear in Workforce.com]

Dear Workforce:

How do we cope with employee stress from them having to do more with less? Like many companies, ours has had to make tough choices in recent years. So far so good.... but we want to defuse any problems that might arise.

-- Chief Worry Officer, services/software, New York City

Building Stress Resilience and Organizational Hardiness despite Doing “More with Less”

Dear CWO,

I like your job title.  The troops will more likely sense you feel their pain.  And this is vital, for research has updated the old saw:  “Misery loves company.”  Actually, it really likes miserable company!  While I’m being a tad playful, there is a serious message.  When a company has had to make tough cutbacks, one of the most important dynamics is that everyone in the company makes some sacrifice; all, in some fashion, are walking in those “more with less” shoes, (and occasionally feel the bunions).

Let me also provide a proactive list of stress resiliency bullet points:

1.  Hold Town Hall Meeting.  Consider having an “all hands” meeting for the troops to review where you’ve been as company-division-department, etc. – bumps and strengths – during this tough transition. (And if necessary make it web-video friendly.)  I might hold a panel forum with an array of levels having an opportunity to share what have been the challenges, the stress points; some humor here is especially invaluable.  As I once penned:  “People are less defensive and more open to a serious message gift-wrapped with humor.”

In addition, highlight what has been learned, including improvements made, noteworthy efforts and achievements, as well as areas to be strengthened.  Perhaps give out some awards.  Especially underscore where there’s been interdepartmental sharing and synergy.  Not only did systems circle the wagons in tough times, but they interlinked, supported, fortified, and coordinated as well.

2.  Seek Team-Department Input. 
Perhaps after the town meeting (or even in preparation for the big event), do a similar “local” analysis as noted above.  The more people believe they are being listened to, that their diverse “worries” and ideas are respected and considered, the more they will see themselves as not just part of the problem but also instrumental in the solution.  (Of course, acknowledgement doesn’t mean agreement.  And most don’t expect immediate accord.  But people want to know their argument is being genuinely heard if not addressed.) 

Finally, people will begin seeing you as a meaningful change agent – an aware, effective, and responsible individual who impacts positively mind, motivation, and morale and is also worthy of trust.

3. Generate “TnT” Environment.  Management, in particular, can do two things to facilitate trust, especially vital in a changing, sometimes uncertain or turbulent environment.  First be transparent – Transparency and Trust are soul sisters and brothers!  As much as possible, share openly with folks what you know and what you don’t know.  Don’t fudge facts.  Be clear when you are speculating.  Don’t put a positive spin on a problem to suppress angst in the short-term.  That pseudo-Yin energy will like turn around and bite you in the Yang. 

Second, allow your audience or team members to raise tough questions and even to challenge some decisions made.  Employees want leaders that can handle intense and intimate interaction without management getting defensive.  And hold off jumping on someone’s attitude if they are not being abusive. (A little or occasional attitude isn't unreasonable if "streamlined" or "right-sized" times have persisted for a good while.)  Don’t immediately handle an encounter by immediately proving why “you” are right and “they” are wrong.  Again, at least make sure the other party believes you understand their perspective.  And if you are not sure of an answer, say so up front.  Also, let people know of the research you will do to address the problem raised.  And provide some time-line for report back.  This kind of head-heart toughness also builds your trust account

4.  Make Psychological Hardiness a Priority.  Psychological hardiness is a concept developed by Dr. Suzanne Kobasa and her research team while studying the health of AT&T executives during the stressful breakup of “Ma Bell.” Some execs were having a hard time physically and emotionally, while others were coping effectively with the transitional storm. The hardiest executives demonstrated what I call the “Four C’s of Psychological Hardiness”:

a. Commitment.  The hardy execs while not crazy about all the changes were still committed to doing really good work.  They also were committed to finding work-life balance; they were not spending long nights at work hoping they would be rewarded for self-sacrifice.

b. Control.  These effective execs understood that they would have to let go of some real control; they did not bury themselves in their silos, but were more open to exploring new assignments and role-responsibility shifts.

c. Change.  The most stress resilient were able to release considerable control as they understood that “change happens.”  These individuals were quicker to grieve their loss, perceived or actual.  They were also quicker to jump into new learning curves; and did not fight being an uncomfortable beginner.  I would say their personal mantra; I’m a learner not a loser!

d. Conditioning.  The hardiest execs engaged in regular aerobic exercise or physical conditioning.  Not only does exercise help you stay fit, manage your weight and improve your endurance and cardiovascular health, but it also releases mood-lifting bio-chemicals, a good antidote to mild feelings of agitation and/or depression.  Also, when everything’s up in the air--you can’t seem to close any projects or meet elusive deadlines--structured exercise provides a self-defined beginning and endpoint, for a tangible self of accomplishment and control.

How about instituting a wellness/hardiness program or competition among departments, with some team rewards at the end of the challenge?

Closing

Follow these four resiliency-hardiness building measures and your ship, even when hitting some rough water, should continue to stay the course.  Bon voyage!

Mark Gorkin, the Stress Doc ™, www.stressdoc.com, acclaimed Keynote and Kickoff Speaker, Webinar Presenter, Retreat Leader and Motivational Humorist, is the author of Practice Safe Stress and The Four Faces of Anger. A former Stress & Violence Prevention consultant for the US Postal Service, "The Doc" is a Team Building and Organizational Development Consultant as well as a Critical Incident/Grief Intervention Expert for Business Health Services, a National Wellness/EAP/OD Company. Mark leads highly interactive, innovative and inspiring programs for corporations and government agencies, including the US Military, on stress and brain resiliency/burnout prevention through humor, change and conflict management, generational communication, and 3 "R" -- Responsible, Resilient & Risk-Taking -- leadership-partnership team building.

Email stressdoc@aol.com for his popular free newsletter & info on speaking programs and phone coaching sessions.  And click https://vimeo.com/69053828 for the Stress Doc's wildly pioneering "Shrink Rap" video.

Stress Doc Mantra: "Think out of the box, perform outside the curve (the Bell Curve) and be out-rage-ous!"