This is not a phenomenon that has arisen as a result of the pandemic, but it has certainly contributed to worsening: uncertainty and changes in the work environment, along with the use (and abuse) of telework, have further blurred the separation between people’s personal and professional lives, to the point that almost three out of four Spaniards admit to being unable to disconnect from work and almost half of them (45%) suffer from work stress, according to a study by health insurer Cigna on the global impact of coronavirus. If this stress becomes chronic, it can lead to exhaustion or burn worker syndrome, a condition recognized by the WHO since 2019 and that if left untreated can degenerate into physical, emotional and even behavioral disorders.
Regardless of the group to which it belongs, “the pandemic has increased stress levels in all professions (…). The drastic change in routines and habits and the decrease in personal and collective resources for dealing with them has caused emotional wear and tear that is not only due to the ‘ exhaustion at work, but also in cases of anxiety, depression or anxiety-depression that can often overlap “, explains Andrés Córdoba, a psychologist at BluaU in Sanitas. A phenomenon that has occurred with greater intensity” in those professions the public, such as Nursing, Medicine, Psychology, Teaching, or Social Work ”even prior to covid-19.
Where does burnout begin?
This disorder has its origin in prolonged exposure to stressful situations due to factors such as excessive workload, lack of motivation and recognition and toxic colleagues or work environment, among others. Circumstances that translate “into a feeling of both physical and emotional fatigue, job dissatisfaction and loss of commitment in relation to the company,” says Carmen Rodríguez, director of Affor’s Psychological Intervention area, specialists in psychosocial well-being. Symptoms that usually appear more commonly among those especially involved with the company, feeling that their dedication is not rewarded enough.
Lack of concentration and weakening of routines as a result of the pandemic can result in high levels of stress “which can manifest in greater intolerance, difficulty in social communication or health-related issues, such as alterations in the pandemic. sleep, nutrition or fitness, “argues Roel Koppens, general manager in Spain of the company e-learning Goodhabitz. The phenomenon, now aggravated, affects to a greater or lesser degree most workers, to the point that 67.58% of the active population in Spain show symptoms of anxiety such as nervousness, irritability and tension (present in 86% of workers); sleep disturbance (84.7%); headache (68.8%) and feeling overwhelmed (61.5%), according to a recent Affor study. All this can also be seen in the use of anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs, which experienced an increase of 4.8% in 2020 (with peaks of up to 14% during confinement), more than double the year previous (when they grew by 2%).
“At Goodhabitz we have seen a greater consumption of courses related to stress and uncertainty, which is why we developed an interactive course so that, in just over three hours, a person can learn what the exhaustion, know how to recognize the signs and what to do to prevent it “, explains Koppens. In just over two months, more than 50,000 Spanish workers have accessed this training through their respective companies and sectors.” As Human Resources and as companies, we have a social responsibility with the well-being of the employees, but also to guarantee the productivity and the continuity of their organization “, it adds.
Stress, however, can be good if experienced in a controlled way: “When kept at proper levels, stress responses help us focus better and even be more productive. But when we exceed these levels – either by intensity or by duration – they produce the opposite effect: they become blockers, generators of discomfort “, argues Rodríguez. It should be remembered that work stress causes almost 30% of casualties in Spain, and that work disabilities for this reason (6% of the total) extend over an average of 83 days, according to the National Institute of Social Security.
Within the framework of the 2030 Strategy, some governments are already implementing actions aimed at caring for the mental health of their citizens. Thus, for example, the Protocol for the monitoring of psychosocial risks at work stands out, used in Chile since 2013 and which provides for additional contributions for those companies with absenteeism rates above the national average, recognizing them as psychosocial risk indicator. A very different situation to that, for example, in Spain, where the ratio of psychologists per 100,000 inhabitants (6) is three times lower than the European average (18). As early as January 2020 (before the pandemic began), the Ombudsman called for an increase in psychological care resources in the National Health System.
How to prevent professional wear and tear
As this syndrome develops in the work environment, prevention from the organizations themselves seems essential to strengthen the commitment and motivation of workers, encouraging constant communication between company and employee and helping to prevent the development of emotional disorders (low self-esteem , depression, anxiety or inattention), behavioral (such as impulsivity and aggression) or physical (headaches, gastrointestinal or sleep problems or cardiovascular disease) that affect your quality of life and productivity. Actions that Goodhabitz experts summarize in six areas:
- Workload according to the abilities of the worker, so that he does not feel overwhelmed.
- Control: the company must promote autonomy with the necessary tools so that the employee does not divert his attention.
- reward: a job well done deserves proper recognition.
- Community: either physically or by video conference, it is the company’s responsibility to create a positive atmosphere community.
- Justice: establishing an equitable work system is a key factor.
- values: the company needs to know the values of its employees, talk to them and check that they are aligned with those of the company.
Properly managing human resources in the company (from leadership style to the existence of a career development plan and access to training programs) provides guarantees of well-being and reduces the minimal risk of exhaustion to the staff. Telework, for example, requires a different kind of leadership; one more focused on obtaining results and objectives than on management by activity or time. And although Spanish workers admit to having a good relationship with their colleagues (79%) and superiors (67%), only half (49%) enjoy training and professional development opportunities within their company. “We still need to educate people on how to organize a day working remotely, wherever it is. It requires other skills, and this is being applied by very few people … Many of our clients talk about a fifth wave that will not be caused by the virus, but for mental wear and tear, for being burned and stressed by everything we are leaving behind, ”Koppens warns.
What is occupational psychology?
This branch of psychology specializes in the work environment, both in terms of the person in the exercise of their professional work and their relationships with the rest of the team and the work climate. They are often integrated within the Human Resources departments of companies, with all that entails, and are often involved in staff selection tasks, training or career management, and its scope of action includes from the development of the so – called soft skills (or soft skills) and leadership processes in team and organizational dynamics.
The most common training for psychologists who specialize in this field are the master’s degrees in Human Resources, trainer of trainers and talent scouts. (headhunters)“But it is important that they have knowledge of emotional management, which is increasingly crucial in the field of business,” says Rodriguez, while health training remains essential for the psychologist, regardless of where he practices their task “.
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