THE WAR AGAINST BURNOUT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 40
WHAT IS BURNOUT ?
ASIDE FROM THE SYMPTOMS noted near the beginning of this article , what aspects of burnout do leaders need to understand , and how can they distinguish between it and other serious conditions ?
In 2019 , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) added burnout to the International Classification of Diseases Index . The WHO defines burnout as “ a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed .”
Though the WHO only recently recognized burnout in an official capacity , the term originated with German psychologist Herbert Freudbenberger . Leading burnout researcher Christina Maslach notes that burnout is not a medical condition .“ The stress response is a normal part of the human condition ,” Maslach said .“ It ’ s not a pathology . It ’ s not something that has gone wrong , but what can go wrong is that when it ’ s a response to chronic stressors , then there is really much less time and ability for people to recover . You can ’ t keep running a marathon at a sprint pace . It just doesn ’ t work .”
Depression and loneliness are both conditions that often mirror the effects of burnout . In the case of depression , one way to assist a member of your team without stepping into territory best reserved for a mental health professional , tracing the individual ’ s symptoms back to work is the simplest way to determine whether an individual is dealing with burnout rather than depression .
As for loneliness , psychologist Constance Noonan Hadley said that it ’ s more than just a lack of in-person interaction with others .“ One question I like to ask in interviews is ,‘ Who has your back here ? Who would be there if you needed help ?’ If they don ’ t have a clear and confident answer , there is a good chance the person is lonely .”
44 PULSE n JULY 2022