6 reasons why corporations are to blame for the burnout epidemic and what to do?
After the pandemic and the widespread remote work set up - which partly stays with us - more and more companies started to deal with employee mental health - seeing the horrific statistics and the big resignation.
Even with the best intentions, HR and the leadership rarely do more than having a fruit basket, provide guided meditation during lunch breaks, and organising a few presentations.
Then all the responsibility to avoid burnout is pushed on the individual employee. This is nothing else than the greenwashing of mental health and employee wellbeing.
I do some of those workshops and talks at companies, but i feel the responsibility to talk about the other side of the coin as well.
There are systemic issues, what need to be solved at system level.
More and more research confirms that the physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion (aka burnout) caused by long-term untreated workplace stress cannot be solved by any mindful life hacks. Burnout is caused by work or the workplace, so the root of the problem must be addressed by changing the world of work! This is not the responsibility of employees, but of leaders.
In the past few years, my individual practice has grown very well, where I try to help my burnt-out clients in the world of work. I lead group coaching programs as well, but I don't want to delude myself into thinking that this will solve all the problem.
No, at this level, I can only alleviate individual suffering, but I have bigger ambitions: I want to see change in the system!
Since the beginning, a big question for me has been whether I can work credibly and authentically for large corporations in supporting mental health. Will they even invite me? Or will they say I'm an anti-corporation rebel because I speak out about how working conditions and inhumane values are the cause of mass burnout?
I believe that without changing the attitudes of corporations, it's impossible to solve the problem. Change must come from within the system, where people just like you and me work. We are the system.
Let's look at the factors that cause burnout and requires systematic change:
Workload - money, budget cuts, do more with less - nonsense.
Control and autonomy over your own tasks - too large organizations, excessively regulated job positions, centralized decision-making, process descriptions, standardization, SSCs, everyone is replaceable attitude. Employees don't understand what the results of their actions will be. This is completely demotivating.
Lack of recognition and rewards. Good job, work harder next year! Familiar message.
Is the workplace team a real community or a toxic environment?
Fairness - the CEO earns a thousand times more than the average worker, and during restructuring, they always lay off the ones who actually do the work, while the C level leaders get golden parachutes.
6. Meaning - does what you do make sense?
Honestly! How many of these 6 factors depend on you?
Multinationals have also recognized that employee burnout reduces productivity, and employees spend a lot of time away from work, leading to accelerated turnover within the company.
Mindfulness programs and fruit baskets have also been introduced, but as long as this is only intended to maintain high levels of productivity, there is a big problem. The responsibility is fully shifted onto the burnt-out individual, the employee - as on paper, they have done everything.
But none of the 6 factors mentioned above have been changed.
I don't want to participate in such fake employee wellbeing programs, not even for good money, but I'm not anti-corporate. I'm just stating the problem and would like to start a dialogue that can lead to a solution!
I want to support companies in launching real change and tackling the problem at its root! This requires the commitment of leaders to their teams.
We should not only focus on shareholder value!
As long as only profit matters, we are unfortunately not doing well in this fight. My goal is to broaden the perspective of decision-makers or future leaders so that they can create real renewal.
I am really excited about working with companies. Workshops, corporate podcasts, public speeches. This is my medium-term goal.
I want to find out whether I am really idealistic and naive or whether my intuition is good and there is a chance for change?
If you would like to invite me to your company as a consultant, speaker, or podcaster, please contact me through my website.
