What is the ‘exhaustion‘? Also called Bornout Syndrome is an illness that arises as a result of work stress that has some characteristic symptoms such as physical exhaustion, permanent fatigue, emotional wear and tear. Hence the name burnout, which means to be burned.
The shift to telecommuting that led to the onset of the pandemic had a positive outlook for many employees. Others, meanwhile, managed to get used to at least the new conditions. However, there are employees who suffer the psychic consequences of working from home.
More than one is even at risk for burnout, something that affects women more than men. “Studies show that they are the ones who, in addition to working, take care of children when they close nursery schools and colleges,” says German Franziska Stiegler, director of the World Mental Health project. Work (psyGA) of the New Quality of Work initiative (Inqa).
Singles are also part of the risk group most likely to suffer a burnout or professional wear and tear syndrome from telecommuting. According to Stiegler, social exchange is an important resource for psychic balance.
Is it a problem working from home?
In general, many of the people who work from home complain that this situation blurs the boundaries between the private and work world and claim that it is difficult for them to recharge their energies for the day to day, they feel “burned out”.
“They are chronically exhausted and have a hard time finding meaning in or interest in their work,” says Professor Eric Quintane, of the ESMT International Business School in Berlin.
Add to this, according to Quintane, those affected often doubt their ability to do the job well, which often leads to effectively lowering performance.
When to seek the help of a professional?
If those affected say or think more and more frequently “I can’t take it anymore, I don’t want to continue”, it is advisable to seek professional help.
“It’s best to act as soon as possible,” Stiegler says. Many health insurers offer preventative measures such as online workouts. “It can also be helpful to contact a counseling center and get free advice there,” he adds.
Quintane stresses that people who suffer from burnout should not be stigmatized. “Burnout is not a sign that an employee is weaker, performs less, or can be delegated less than others,” he warns.
Before reaching burnout, it is also worth remembering some recommendations for working healthier from home. A key point is to have the right technical and ergonomic equipment. It is also important to create clear routines, with regular breaks, respect rest days and move enough.
Maintain a regular exchange with the bosses
Another important aspect is to maintain a regular exchange, even if it is remote, with the team and with the managers. On the other hand, employees should talk openly about the problems they face.
“Ideally, each boss should contact their employees at least once a week and ask them what is costing them the most in telecommuting and talk to them about possible solutions,” says Stiegler.
According to Quintane, another approach may be to assess whether work is being distributed equitably among all employees. In these cases, it may be helpful to track the frequency of “fingerprints” left on a particular product by people working from home.
“That is, analyzing email traffic, calls, and other conversation logs on digital platforms, without analyzing the content,” Quintane says. A study initiated by him at the ESMT showed that this makes it possible to identify overworked employees well.
Quintane and his team are currently working on an intelligent algorithm that evaluates what factors may be related to a burnout in different organizations. “Our long-term goal is to develop an automated warning system that prevents burnout,” he explains. (DPA)
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