What Employers Should Do to Minimize Burnout

Jennifer Moss speaks with CTV News Montreal about employee burnout, and what employers can do to minimize the risks of employee burnout. She talks about the extra workload for those required to work in-person throughout the pandemic, as well as the strain on employees health and well-being in general. 

Jennifer also speaks about surge capacity, where we can prepare for and manage an increased workload, but that our brains are only wired to handle this amount of acute stress for about two weeks. We’re now going on over three years of surge capacity, so our brains are so overloaded that they can’t cope. This is making it much more difficult for us to continue to perform at the same level.

Jennifer talks about the importance of employers acknowledging and addressing this chronic stress and about some of the consequences, including quiet quitting, disengagement, and burnout. Jennifer says “self-care isn’t the cure for burnout”, and stresses that employers need to move beyond traditional wellness strategies to address their employee’s needs. 

Jennifer was asked about what employees should do if they find themselves in a difficult work environment, but are unable to leave, and she reminds us that our burnout is not our fault. It’s important to label and acknowledge it, and to try strategies to manage their expectations and focus on what helps to bring us joy. Ultimately, burnout is an ecosystem problem to solve, and Jennifer continues to encourage organizations to address the root causes of burnout and chronic stress.