Cisco is a Case Study in Addressing Burnout

Cisco Is a Case Study in Addressing Workplace Burnout

The software company is focused on prioritizing manager training and employee engagement.

Summary: Over half (53%) of women report experiencing job-induced mental health strains leading to burnout, as revealed by a recent CNBC and SurveyMonkey Women at Work survey of 6,821 U.S. adults. Licensed psychotherapist Bea Arthur labels this as an "assault on our nervous system," indicating a trauma state. Workplace specialist Jennifer Moss pinpoints a significant root cause of burnout as the longstanding unfairness women encounter in professional settings. Moss highlights the added pressures of the pandemic, noting that women averaged 20 hours weekly on caregiving and house chores. This workload makes pre-Covid productivity expectations untenable. Moss and Arthur recommend strategies to prevent burnout, emphasizing transparent conversations about goals, self-compassion, prioritization, and "compassionate detachment." Practical tips include scheduling breaks, spacing out meetings, and enjoying "fake commutes. While there is no singular cure for burnout, organizations can take several proactive and reactive steps to reduce burnout and help prevent burnout from continuing to negatively impact the health and happiness of many workers.

It is challenging for employees to be happier at work when they experience such a large number of frictions in their experience of work. Employers need to think not only about the time spent between “9-5”, that does not encompass the entirety of the employee experience. Every step in the process of working contributes to the overall employee experience. How we get to work, what we wear, how much time we spend thinking about work, etc., etc. Read the full interview at the link below. Jennifer offers workshops on burnout for leaders and executives to help them better understand the causes of burnout and what they can do differently to prevent it.

Jennifer is highly engaged on LinkedIn, where she's eager to connect and dive deeper into the latest trends in workplace well-being, employee burnout, employee happiness, leadership development and workplace culture. Let's continue the conversation there! Jen’s LinkedIn Profile.