tag:theconversation.com,2011:/id/topics/burnout-32649/articlesBurnout – The Conversation2024-03-11T16:11:24Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2254812024-03-11T16:11:24Z2024-03-11T16:11:24ZMental workload: how can we prevent our brains from overheating?<p>Is it possible to read your e-mails while keeping weekend plans in mind and listening to someone on the phone? Multitasking is part and parcel of our daily lives, with teleworking and the rapid expansion – if not invasion – of digital technology. </p>
<p>We may feel like we’re doing two things at the same time, but in reality our brain unconsciously shifts its attention from one task to another very quickly. After more than 50 years of scientific research, the expression <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/mental-workload">“mental workload”</a> is starting to be heard in everyday life and a variety of professional contexts. But the concept still raises many questions, both about its precise definition and about how to study it or manage it on a day-to-day basis.</p>
<p>Also known as cognitive workload, mental workload corresponds to a <a href="http://arpege-recherche.org/user/pages/06.activites/03.colloques-epique/11.10e-colloque-epique/Actes_EPIQUE_2019.pdf">quantity of mental work to be done in a given time</a>, with potential consequences for the individual, such as rising fatigue or the number of errors in carrying out tasks. Examples include searching through a cluttered visual display, taking a difficult exam or driving on a busy motorway. These and other activities call on perceptual, cognitive and/or motor processes to produce <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.1.1">flexible and adaptive behaviour</a>. </p>
<p>The engagement, maintenance and control of these processes require different levels of mental effort depending on the circumstances (routine activities versus sudden events). Sometimes this massive mental effort leads to what scientists call “cognitive overload” or “mental overload”.</p>
<h2>Searching for a universal definition</h2>
<p>Researchers are still struggling to come up with a universal definition that cuts across the disciplines concerned with mental workload, including psychology, management and cognitive science. For some, it corresponds to the notion of an individual’s <a href="https://kahneman.scholar.princeton.edu/sites/g/files/toruqf3831/files/kahneman/files/attention_lo_quality.pdf">limited capacity</a> to process information – a “reservoir” of attentional resources. For others, it refers to the management of attentional resources and focuses on the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1518/001872008X288394">demands of the task in hand</a>. Among the many <a href="https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA474193.pdf">definitions proposed</a>, mental workload can be defined as the effort invested by the individual in carrying out a task as a function of the resources available and the characteristics of the task.</p>
<p>In neuroscience, cognitive psychology and ergonomics (the scientific discipline concerned with the relationship between human beings and their work), the study of mental workload relates in particular to so-called safety-critical applications.</p>
<p>When the cognitive cost exceeds the available resources, the result can be <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0018720813510735">“inattentional deafness”</a>.</p>
<p>The overload produced accentuates the risk of accidents. In fields such as aviation, space flight, defence and medicine, the result can be catastrophic – for example, when a pilot is landing in poor weather conditions.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Pilot landing an airplane" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/580925/original/file-20240311-24-d7ujzf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/580925/original/file-20240311-24-d7ujzf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580925/original/file-20240311-24-d7ujzf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580925/original/file-20240311-24-d7ujzf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580925/original/file-20240311-24-d7ujzf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580925/original/file-20240311-24-d7ujzf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580925/original/file-20240311-24-d7ujzf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Aviation is filled with</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/pilot-flying-airplane-5129525/">Roger Brown/Pexels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://artlibre.org/licence/lal/en">FAL</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>While laboratory studies have advanced our knowledge of brain function during a given task, it is important to assess an individual’s performance and mental load in the complex work environments encountered in everyday life. The discipline of neuroergonomics, which was founded in the late 20th century, brings together the approaches and tools of neuroscience, ergonomics and engineering. It’s defined as the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0963721411409176">study of the human brain in relation to performance at work and in everyday life</a>. One example is the measurement of brain activity in surgeons, for whom <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023064666">increased mental workload can lead to errors and adversely affect performance</a>.</p>
<h2>How can mental workload be studied?</h2>
<p>No single tool or method can give a complete picture of how an individual responds to a particular task. Approaches that combine <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41583-023-00692-y">data from several sensors or measurements</a> can be more accurate and reliable for estimating mental workload in real time. This is all the more true in changing environments (fluctuations in lighting, temperature, noise, etc.) or contexts requiring adaptation to the situation (discomfort, technical incidents, etc.).</p>
<p>Self-assessment questionnaires can be used to collect people’s perceptions of the task they are performing. For example, by incorporating a multidimensional evaluation procedure, the <a href="https://humansystems.arc.nasa.gov/groups/tlx/downloads/TLXScale.pdf">NASA-TLX questionnaire</a> provides an overall mental workload score during or after the task. It is based on a weighted average of the scores (from 0 to 100) of six subjective areas. These are:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Mental demand: level of mental activity.</p></li>
<li><p>Physical demand: level of physical activity.</p></li>
<li><p>Temporal demand: feeling of pressure to complete the task within a given time.</p></li>
<li><p>Performance: level of achievement of the task objectives.</p></li>
<li><p>Effort: amount of effort involved.</p></li>
<li><p>Frustration: feeling of dissatisfaction while completing the task.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Analysing performance on a single task can also help to estimate mental workload. For example, more frequent errors or a reduction in the speed with which information is processed may indicate a higher mental load if the demands of the task increase. In the case of a dual cognitive-motor task (phoning while driving, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457516304389">finding your way while cycling or walking</a>…), the sharing of resources thus created can lead to a drop in performance compared with performing each of the two tasks separately.</p>
<p>Neuroergonomics also proposes the integration of objective measures to assess mental workload <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2019.00375/full">using several techniques</a> in environments that vary over time – workplaces, classrooms, hospitals, motorways, and so on. For example, eye-tracking analysis can provide information on mental workload by measuring where an individual directs her or his attention. Physiological measures such as heart rate and its variability, electrodermal activity and even portable brain imaging can provide specific neurophysiological indicators of mental workload.</p>
<h2>The brain’s prefrontal cortex is a key indicator</h2>
<p>Mental workload manifests itself particularly in the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain that has undergone the greatest development in human beings over the last few million years. This part of our brain is heavily involved in <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1088545">cognitive control</a>, a mechanism for supervising and managing the decision-making process. It involves conflict resolution, error detection and inhibition, and aims to guarantee a sufficient level of performance in relation to the demands of the task and unforeseen events, while maintaining an acceptable cognitive cost.</p>
<p>Measuring the activation of the prefrontal cortex can provide information about the quantity of resources mobilised. Indeed, difficult tasks or those requiring sustained attention lead to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bht206">more pronounced activation of the prefrontal cortex and associated brain networks</a>.</p>
<p>This also occurs during demanding physical effort in complex environments, such as in traffic situations with a bicycle, where each cyclist acts individually, weighing up the costs and benefits of each choice. In this dual-task situation, both physical and cognitive, the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457514003157">speed choice decision</a> is cognitively controlled.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Man working being distracted by two people talking nearby" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/580935/original/file-20240311-16-jsqj90.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/580935/original/file-20240311-16-jsqj90.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580935/original/file-20240311-16-jsqj90.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580935/original/file-20240311-16-jsqj90.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580935/original/file-20240311-16-jsqj90.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580935/original/file-20240311-16-jsqj90.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580935/original/file-20240311-16-jsqj90.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Something as simple as two coworkers talking nearby can complicate tasks that are normally managable.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-stressed-employee-at-work-7640731/">Yan Krukau/Pexels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://artlibre.org/licence/lal/en">FAL</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Managing the load</h2>
<p>In demanding contexts, our mental load can shift under the influence of various external and internal factors. So how do we deal with the multitude of factors to which we have to pay attention? Here are four specific suggestions:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Draw up an overview of all the tasks that need to be done and prioritise them. This allows building up a sequence of tasks to be completed in order, and to set aside the nonessential ones.</p></li>
<li><p>Each task should correspond to specific short-term objectives of 20 minutes or so.</p></li>
<li><p>Adapt work breaks to the task in hand. This allows you to manage mental workload effectively and reduce distracting interruptions.</p></li>
<li><p>Always allow yourself adequate recovery time (reading, sport, etc.).</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Applying the principles of neuroergonomics can provide personalised and effective solutions for managing mental workload. Research remains extremely relevant, particularly when taking account individual ways people process information and interact with the environment. In this respect, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2020.609096/full">the use of artificial intelligence methods</a> to extract information from several measurements is an interesting way of continuously assessing the mental load of an individual engaged in a task.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/225481/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stéphane Perrey ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d'une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n'a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.</span></em></p>Despite being a central concept in the digital age, mental workload remains difficult to define and study in real-life situations.Stéphane Perrey, Professeur des Universités en Physiologie de l'Exercice / Neurosciences Intégratives, Directeur Unité Recherche EuroMov Digital Health in Motion, Université de MontpellierLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2190712024-01-18T13:29:28Z2024-01-18T13:29:28ZStudents do better and schools are more stable when teachers get mental health support<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568750/original/file-20240110-23-z8tb6j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=43%2C21%2C7195%2C2387&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Teachers report worse well-being than the general population. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/tensed-school-teacher-sitting-in-classroom-royalty-free-image/1305187925?phrase=stress+teacher&adppopup=true">VectorFusionArt via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>When it comes to mental health at school, typically the focus is on helping students, especially as they emerge from the pandemic with <a href="https://youthtruthsurvey.org/swiiv/">heightened levels of anxiety, stress and emotional need</a>. But as school officials seek to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1477878520988432">put resources toward student well-being</a>, another school population is possibly being overlooked: teachers.</p>
<p>Teachers are experiencing high levels of stress, anxiety and work-related trauma in the classroom – much of it stemming from <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/00317217231212004">student behavioral problems</a>. The pandemic exacerbated this issue, impacting students and teachers alike.</p>
<p>According to 2022 data from the National Center for Education Statistics, 87% of public schools reported that the pandemic “<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/whatsnew/press_releases/07_06_2022.asp">negatively impacted student socioemotional development</a>.” Additional stressors from the pandemic, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12450">new levels of uncertainty, higher workloads and a more negative perception of teachers in society</a>, have also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12450">impacted teachers’ mental health</a> and well-being.</p>
<p>As teachers navigate the highs and lows of their profession, taking care of their emotional and mental well-being is essential. Research backs this up. Not only do teachers personally benefit from improved mental health, but <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2021.100411">their students do, too</a>. </p>
<p>As the author of a forthcoming paper about teacher experiences during the pandemic, I have identified four benefits of prioritizing teacher mental health that create a more stable and effective educational environment.</p>
<h2>Reduces burnout and turnover</h2>
<p>An undeniable link exists between teacher mental health and burnout and turnover, especially for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1052684619836823">early career teachers</a>. For young teachers in particular, a <a href="https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/the-elephant-in-the-classroom">workaholic culture</a> can contribute to the deterioration of their mental health. </p>
<p>The demanding nature of teaching, characterized by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2023.2196607">heavy workloads and high performance expectations</a>, can take a toll on all teachers. This is especially true for teachers of color, who are more likely to leave their schools, or the profession, due to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/105268461702700504">poor working conditions and a lack of support</a>. </p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://doi.org/10.7249/RRA1108-7">2023 State of the American Teacher Survey</a> by the Rand Corporation, 13% of respondents said their schools offered teachers no mental health or well-being supports. Furthermore, teachers report <a href="https://www.rand.org/education-and-labor/projects/state-of-the-american-teacher-and-the-american-principal.html">worse well-being than the general population</a>.</p>
<p>This is where schools can really make a difference in teacher retention. In schools with more positive leadership and support, including for mental health, <a href="https://doi.org/10.19030/cier.v12i1.10260">teachers are more likely to stay</a>. Examples of mental health supports include setting appropriate <a href="https://doi.org/10.4148/0146-9282.2175">work-life boundaries</a>, incorporating <a href="https://doi.org/10.2196%2F32312">self-care and stress management techniques</a> into the school day, and creating an open environment where <a href="HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.22329/JTL.V16I1.6856">mental health can be discussed</a> without stigma. </p>
<h2>Improves teaching effectiveness</h2>
<p>Teachers excel at their jobs when school leaders prioritize their mental well-being. Research has directly linked <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2021.1980416">teachers’ well-being with greater resilience</a>. For instance, the research found, when a teacher remains calm and solution-oriented in the face of challenging classroom situations, it creates a more positive environment and supportive atmosphere for students.</p>
<p>Teachers also burn out less when they’re <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2015.1034494">encouraged</a> to be <a href="https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2023/07/26/creativity-in-classroom-reduces-burnout-improves-teacher-student-wellbeing">creative in the classroom</a>. Creative activities allow for a greater level of connection between student and teacher – and satisfaction on the job.</p>
<p>Being creative and having a positive rapport with their teachers also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101302">develops students’ competence</a> and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325248514_Effects_of_Teacher's_Behavior_on_Academic_Performance_of_Students">improves their academic performance</a>. A teacher with poor mental health, however, may have a hard time showing up for their students in such a positive way.</p>
<h2>Preserves institutional knowledge</h2>
<p>Reduced turnover has a profound impact on preserving <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/016146810710900301">institutional knowledge</a> – the collective understanding of how a school and its students work best. When experienced educators leave unexpectedly or earlier than planned, schools <a href="https://www.govtech.com/education/higher-ed/opinion-undervalue-institutional-knowledge-at-your-own-risk">lose a lot of valuable insight and expertise</a>. Reducing turnover enables schools to benefit from experienced teachers for longer periods of time.</p>
<p>When teachers remain at their schools, they contribute to the schools’ ongoing stability and the accumulation of best practices over time. </p>
<h2>Fosters a positive organizational culture</h2>
<p>Prioritizing the mental health of teachers is not just about personal well-being. It’s also about building a <a href="https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/18/07/what-makes-good-school-culture">positive and supportive organizational culture within schools</a>. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://icma.org/articles/pm-magazine/addressing-mental-and-emotional-wellness-through-organizational-culture">culture that prioritizes mental health and wellness</a> creates an environment where teachers feel acknowledged, understood and supported. This positive culture <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/cs/cdw048">impacts the satisfaction and morale</a> of educators, which can in turn positively affect student learning. A supportive atmosphere <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/cs/cdw048">encourages collaboration</a>, open communication and a shared dedication to the well-being of everyone within the academic community. </p>
<p>Recognizing and supporting the needs of teachers is crucial. It’s not just about problem-solving. It’s a smart investment in the long-term success and resilience of the entire educational community.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219071/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lee Ann Rawlins Williams does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Mental health for teachers carries critical benefits for students.Lee Ann Rawlins Williams, Clinical Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation and Human Services, University of North DakotaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2158832024-01-08T19:16:01Z2024-01-08T19:16:01Z‘Caring as much as you do was killing you’. We need to talk about burnout in the arts<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563836/original/file-20231206-29-l4wsxc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=21%2C21%2C4866%2C3232&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Verne Ho/Unsplash</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Burnout is an <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4911781/">occupational hazard</a> in many people-focused jobs. People in these roles routinely go “above and beyond” for the benefit of others – often in the face of funding cuts and policies that make their work harder than it needs to be. </p>
<p>Since COVID-19, concern has grown about <a href="https://www.artshub.com.au/news/career-advice/artist-burnout-is-not-a-mental-health-issue-it-is-a-labour-issue-2650825/">burnout in the arts and culture sector</a>. However, burnout isn’t a new problem for artists. As one arts worker told me in a 2019 interview: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>the level of burnout in this industry is pretty shocking […] the idea that [burnout] even exists is a running joke […] we’re all overworked and constantly tired.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Burnout rates are <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332063591_Human_Resource_Development_and_Executive_Leadership_Succession_Planning_in_Nonprofits">higher in not-for-profit</a> than in for-profit organisations, due to insufficient resources, job insecurity, low pay and disillusionment involved in meeting funders’ rising demands. </p>
<p>Yet it is ironic that cultural organisations whose success is <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-57583-4_6">based around people</a> should treat those same people poorly.</p>
<h2>What is burnout?</h2>
<p>According to both the <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases">World Health Organization</a> and the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1997-09146-011">Maslach Burnout Inventory</a> (widely regarded as the “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6194874/">gold standard</a>” measure), burnout has three dimensions: </p>
<ul>
<li> feelings of exhaustion or energy depletion</li>
<li> negativity, cynicism or mental distancing towards work, colleagues, and/or those benefiting from our work (known as “depersonalisation”)</li>
<li> inefficacy or a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. </li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165178121003206">Recent research</a> identifies three further burnout symptoms: </p>
<ul>
<li>sleep disruption</li>
<li>memory and concentration problems</li>
<li>withdrawal from social relationships. </li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563837/original/file-20231206-17-djskol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563837/original/file-20231206-17-djskol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563837/original/file-20231206-17-djskol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563837/original/file-20231206-17-djskol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563837/original/file-20231206-17-djskol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563837/original/file-20231206-17-djskol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563837/original/file-20231206-17-djskol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563837/original/file-20231206-17-djskol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Feelings of exhaustion or energy depletion are a symptom of burnout.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Christian Erfurt/Unsplash</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Burnout is also associated with <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2167702620917447">negative outcomes</a>, such as alcohol abuse, declining health and <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.397">job withdrawal</a>, which could be presenteeism, absenteeism or quitting.</p>
<p>In a nutshell, burnout is a state of physical and/or emotional exhaustion caused by chronic stress on the job.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/if-companies-want-to-stop-quiet-quitting-they-need-to-take-burnout-seriously-207289">If companies want to stop quiet quitting they need to take burnout seriously</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What causes burnout in the arts?</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases">Prolonged work-related stress</a> is the main cause of burnout. This type of stress <a href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/237059/employee-burnout-part-main-causes.aspx">can stem from</a> a lack of role clarity, unmanageable workloads or time pressures, unfair treatment at work and a lack of support or communication from managers. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.397">Additional risk factors</a> include incongruities in workload and control (where expectations aren’t matched by experience), a lack of fairness and appropriate rewards, the loss of positive relationships at work, and conflict between personal and organisational values.</p>
<p>Artists and arts workers often experience these stressors due to the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13691180110117640">boom-bust careers</a> necessitated by the <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ER-05-2018-0128/full/html">project-based work</a> that characterises this sector. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563838/original/file-20231206-22-2c5mdc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A dancer" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563838/original/file-20231206-22-2c5mdc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563838/original/file-20231206-22-2c5mdc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563838/original/file-20231206-22-2c5mdc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563838/original/file-20231206-22-2c5mdc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563838/original/file-20231206-22-2c5mdc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563838/original/file-20231206-22-2c5mdc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563838/original/file-20231206-22-2c5mdc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The boom-bust cycle of art work can exacerbate stressors.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Hulki Okan Tabak/Unsplash</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Working across multiple projects and companies, often with competing deadlines, arts workers can quickly become overstretched. And the small-to-medium companies that form the “<a href="https://www.arts.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/national-culturalpolicy-8february2023.pdf">small vertebrae in the institutional spine of the nation’s cultural sector</a>” often have limited understanding of their contingent workers’ work and emotional situations. Organisations also typically lack the human resource management expertise that might help to address those situations. </p>
<p>Other unique factors also contribute to <a href="https://abewatson.com.au/burnout-thesis">burnout in Australia’s arts and culture sector</a>. Burnout can arise from <a href="https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-where-to-now-for-australian-culture-62439">a longstanding public policy context</a> in which artists have continually had to <a href="https://theconversation.com/artists-shouldnt-have-to-endlessly-demonstrate-their-value-coalition-leaders-used-to-know-it-136608">justify the value of their work</a>, coupled with <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-problem-with-arts-funding-in-australia-goes-right-back-to-its-inception-138834">a chronic lack of resources</a> and widespread <a href="https://australiacouncil.gov.au/research/do-you-really-expect-to-get-paid/">precarious employment</a>. </p>
<p>Interestingly, <a href="https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/OP.20.00990">hope can buffer burnout</a> so more recent policy developments <a href="https://theconversation.com/tony-burkes-double-ministry-of-arts-and-industrial-relations-could-be-just-what-the-arts-sector-needs-183623">may bring some relief</a>.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://abewatson.com.au/burnout-thesis">24/7 nature of the industry</a> and widespread commitments that “the show must go on” can also contribute to burn out. </p>
<p>As one submission to the <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/Arts_Funding">2014–15 Senate Inquiry into arts funding</a> explained:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When you are working the equivalent of two full time jobs on below average pay, burnout, fatigue, acute anxiety, and severe depression are not simply likely, but common. It is even more difficult for women, particularly parents, and particularly those who live alone, whether by choice or circumstance.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/3969/">Performance anxiety</a> and “<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14561128/">obsessive passion</a>” can also <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11031-013-9384-z">cause burnout</a> for some artists – particularly in the event of <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/0305735618797180">failure</a>. </p>
<h2>Individual-centred solutions are not enough</h2>
<p>Between 2020 and 2022, I facilitated more than 80 <a href="https://creatingoutloud.business.uq.edu.au/">peer coaching circles</a> with arts workers around Australia, many who were seeking help to cope with burnout. </p>
<p>Reflecting on the wisdom shared in their circle, one participant said that discussions about the stress of arts work: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>kept coming back to the idea of caring less. Not that you don’t care, but that you need to be able to care less, because caring as much as you do was killing you.</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563839/original/file-20231206-29-t51mt7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A computer and notebook." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563839/original/file-20231206-29-t51mt7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563839/original/file-20231206-29-t51mt7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563839/original/file-20231206-29-t51mt7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563839/original/file-20231206-29-t51mt7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563839/original/file-20231206-29-t51mt7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563839/original/file-20231206-29-t51mt7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563839/original/file-20231206-29-t51mt7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Applying for grants – and justifying your value – can lead to burnout.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Nick Morrison/Unsplash</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://www.artshub.com.au/news/career-advice/why-we-are-burning-out-in-the-arts-249582-2350136/">Prioritising self-care</a> is often touted as the solution to burnout, both <a href="https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-artists-share-advice-preventing-burnout">by</a> and <a href="https://www.artshub.com.au/news/features/50-ways-to-take-care-of-yourself-in-the-arts-249726-2350300/">for artists</a>. Indeed, “<a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-23694-007?doi=1">fixing the person</a>” approaches dominate both academic and industry responses.</p>
<p>But as workplace expert Jennifer Moss wrote for the <a href="https://egn.com/dk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/08/Burnout-is-about-your-workplace-not-your-people-1.pdf">Harvard Business Review</a>, “burnout is about workplaces, not workers”. </p>
<h2>What can arts organisations do?</h2>
<p>The key to preventing burnout is supporting engagement and wellbeing at work by creating <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-23694-007?doi=1">six “positive ‘fits’”</a> between arts workers and their workplaces:</p>
<ul>
<li>a sustainable workload</li>
<li>choice and control</li>
<li>recognition and reward</li>
<li>a supportive work community</li>
<li>fairness, respect and social justice</li>
<li>clear values and meaningful work.</li>
</ul>
<p>This involves more than just individual job-tweaking. A holistic approach is needed to build <a href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/313160/preventing-and-dealing-with-employee-burnout.aspx#ite-313229">workplace cultures</a> that prioritise wellbeing from recruitment to leaving the organisation.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/237185/employee-burnout-part-organizations-stop-burnout.aspx">Specific steps</a> arts organisations should take straight away are: </p>
<ul>
<li>managers and staff (including contractors) jointly identifying burnout factors in their organisations</li>
<li>giving staff as much control as possible over what, where, when and how work gets done</li>
<li>recognising and rewarding staff strengths</li>
<li>encouraging and enabling arts workers to support one another (such as through peer coaching networks).</li>
</ul>
<p>Preventing burnout among arts workers will require <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-23694-007?doi=1">long-term, organisation-</a> and <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ER-05-2018-0128/full/html">sector-wide</a> commitments. And, to maximise success, arts leaders – including those in politics and government – should <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-23694-007?doi=1">ask themselves</a> how can the arts and culture sector (and individual arts organisations) become a great place to work, and a workplace of choice? </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-great-resignation-didnt-happen-in-australia-but-the-great-burnout-did-201173">The 'great resignation' didn't happen in Australia, but the 'great burnout' did</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215883/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kate Power has received funding from the Queensland Government, under the Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship program.</span></em></p>Unique factors contribute to burnout in Australia’s arts and culture sector. Preventing burnout will require long-term, sector-wide commitments.Katherine (Kate) Power, Lecturer in Management, School of Business, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2161752023-11-30T19:03:38Z2023-11-30T19:03:38ZIt’s beginning to look a lot like burnout. How to take care of yourself before the holidays start<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/559015/original/file-20231113-27-eru7jb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=13%2C6%2C4555%2C3027&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sad-lonely-woman-complaining-christmas-sitting-2384321809">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>It’s getting towards the time of the year when you might feel more overwhelmed than usual. There are work projects to finish and perhaps exams in the family. Not to mention the pressures of organising holidays or gifts. Burnout is a real possibility.</p>
<p>Burnout is defined by the <a href="https://www.who.int/standards/classifications/frequently-asked-questions/burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon#:%7E:text=Burn%2Dout%20is%20defined%20in,has%20not%20been%20successfully%20managed.">World Health Organization</a> (WHO) as having three main symptoms – exhaustion, loss of empathy and reduced performance at work.</p>
<p>Australian <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34052460/">research</a> argues for a broader model, particularly as the WHO’s third symptom may simply be a consequence of the first two. </p>
<p>So what is burnout really? And how can you avoid it before the holidays hit?</p>
<h2>More than being really tired</h2>
<p>The Australian research model endorsed exhaustion as the primary burnout symptom but emphasised burnout should not be simply equated with exhaustion. </p>
<p>The second symptom is loss of empathy (or “compassion fatigue”), which can also be experienced as uncharacteristic cynicism or a general loss of feeling. Nothing much provides pleasure and <em>joie de vivre</em> is only a memory. </p>
<p>The third symptom (cognitive impairment) means sufferers find it <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-13/gordon-parker-says-the-burnout-definition-needs-to-broaden/101920366">difficult to focus</a> and retain information when reading. They tend to scan material – with some women reporting it as akin to “baby brain”.</p>
<p>Research <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34052460/">suggests</a> a fourth symptom: insularity. When someone is burnt out, they tend to keep to themselves, not only socialising less but also obtaining little pleasure from interactions.</p>
<p>A potential fifth key feature is an unsettled mood.</p>
<p>And despite feeling exhausted, most individuals report insomnia when they’re burnt out. In severe cases, immune functioning can be compromised (so that the person may report an increase in infections), blood pressure may drop and it may be difficult or impossible to get out of bed. </p>
<p>Predictably, such features (especially exhaustion and cognitive impairment) do lead to compromised work performance.</p>
<p>Defining burnout is important, as rates have <a href="https://dspace.library.uu.nl/bitstream/handle/1874/420608/Burnout_Fatigue_Exhaustion.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y">increased</a> in the last few decades. </p>
<h2>‘Tis the season</h2>
<p>For many, the demands of the holidays cause exhaustion and risk burnout. People might feel compelled to shop, cook, entertain and socialise more than at other times of year. While burnout was initially defined in those in formal employment, we now recognise the same pattern can be experienced by those meeting the needs of children and/or elderly parents – with such needs typically increasing over Christmas. </p>
<p>Burnout is generally viewed according to a simple stress-response model. Excessive demands lead to burnout, without the individual bringing anything of themselves to its onset and development. But the Australian <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34052460/">research</a> has identified a richer model and emphasised how much personality contributes. </p>
<p>Formal carers, be they health workers, teachers, veterinarians and clergy or parents – are <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781003333722/burnout-gordon-parker-gabriela-tavella-kerrie-eyers">more likely</a> to experience burnout. But some other professional groups – such as lawyers – are also at high risk.</p>
<p>In essence, “good” people - who are dutiful, diligent, reliable, conscientious and perfectionistic (either by nature or work nurture) – are at the <a href="https://journals.lww.com/jonmd/Abstract/2020/06000/A_Qualitative_Reexamination_of_the_Key_Features_of.4.aspx">greatest risk</a> of burnout.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/559016/original/file-20231113-22-dpz0vf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="person with notepad, small christmas tree on desk" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/559016/original/file-20231113-22-dpz0vf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/559016/original/file-20231113-22-dpz0vf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/559016/original/file-20231113-22-dpz0vf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/559016/original/file-20231113-22-dpz0vf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/559016/original/file-20231113-22-dpz0vf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/559016/original/file-20231113-22-dpz0vf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/559016/original/file-20231113-22-dpz0vf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Breaking down tasks into realistic goals can stop them becoming overwhelming.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/goals-plans-make-do-wish-list-1860771079">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/bring-a-plate-what-to-take-to-christmas-lunch-that-looks-impressive-but-wont-break-the-bank-196565">Bring a plate! What to take to Christmas lunch that looks impressive (but won't break the bank)</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>6 tips for avoiding seasonal burnout</h2>
<p>You may not be able to change your personality, but you can change the way you allow it to “shape” activities. Prioritising, avoiding procrastination, decluttering and focusing on the “big picture” are all good things to keep in mind.</p>
<p>Managing your time helps you regain a sense of control, enhances your efficiency, and reduces the likelihood of feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities.</p>
<p><strong>1. Prioritise tasks</strong></p>
<p>Rank tasks based on urgency and importance. The Eisenhower Matrix, <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/7-Habits-Highly-Effective-People/dp/0743269519">popularised</a> by author Stephen R Covey, puts jobs into one of four categories: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>urgent and important</p></li>
<li><p>important but not urgent</p></li>
<li><p>urgent but not important</p></li>
<li><p>neither urgent nor important.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>This helps you see what needs to be top priority and helps overcome the illusion that everything is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10159458/">urgent</a>.</p>
<p><strong>2. Set realistic goals</strong></p>
<p>Break down large goals into smaller, manageable tasks to be achieved each day, week, or month – to prevent feeling overwhelmed. This could mean writing a gift list in a day or shopping for a festive meal over a week. Use tools such as calendars, planners or digital apps to schedule tasks, deadlines and appointments.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-deal-with-holiday-stress-danish-style-195522">How to deal with holiday stress, Danish-style</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>3. Manage distractions</strong></p>
<p>Minimise <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2023-66900-001">distractions</a> that hinder productivity and time management. <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/691462">Research</a> finds people complete cognitive tasks better with their phones in another room rather than in their pockets. People with phones on their desks performed the worst. </p>
<p>Setting specific work hours and website blockers can limit distractions.</p>
<p><strong>4. Chunk your time</strong></p>
<p>Group similar tasks together and allocate specific time blocks to focus on them. For example, respond to all outstanding emails in one stint, rather than writing one, then task-switching to making a phone call.</p>
<p>This approach <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7075496/">increases efficiency</a> and reduces the time spent transitioning between different activities.</p>
<p><strong>5. Take breaks</strong></p>
<p>A <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2022-90592-001">2022 systematic review</a> of workplace breaks found taking breaks throughout the day improves focus, wellbeing and helps get more work done.</p>
<p><strong>6. Delegate</strong></p>
<p>Whether at home or work, you don’t have to do it all! Identify tasks that can be effectively delegated to others or automated.</p>
<p>To finish the year feeling good, try putting one or more of these techniques into practice and prepare for a restful break.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-make-the-perfect-pavlova-according-to-chemistry-experts-196485">How to make the perfect pavlova, according to chemistry experts</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216175/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gordon Parker receives funding from NHMRC. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sophie Scott does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Start by categorising tasks. Are they urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important or neither urgent nor important?Sophie Scott, Associate Professor (Adjunct), Science Communication, University of Notre Dame AustraliaGordon Parker, Scientia Professor, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2135542023-11-06T05:40:20Z2023-11-06T05:40:20ZA 4-day week might not work in health care. But adapting this model could reduce burnout among staff<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557212/original/file-20231102-15-bi7e32.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C2995%2C1576&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/nurse-stress-depression-man-on-hospital-2265615149">PeopleImages.com - Yuri A/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The COVID pandemic saw a <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/burnt-out-australias-hospital-system-struggling-to-cope-amid-covid-19-wave-healthcare-workers-warn/lru94oiaj">mass exodus</a> of health-care workers across developed countries, exacerbating an existing <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/no-answers-to-huge-problem-of-healthcare-worker-exodus-20230307-p5cq5o">health-care staffing crisis</a>. </p>
<p>In Australia, turnover rates among hospital staff <a href="https://www.oracle.com/au/human-capital-management/cost-employee-turnover-healthcare/#:%7E:text=In%202022%2C%20turnover%20rates%20for,to%2094%25%20at%20nursing%20homes.">reached nearly 20%</a> in 2022. Hospital waiting lists in Victoria alone ballooned to <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/cash-alone-won-t-fix-hospital-staffing-woes-20230414-p5d0fa.html">80,000 in 2023</a>.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.nsinursingsolutions.com/Documents/Library/NSI_National_Health_Care_Retention_Report.pdf">United States</a> and the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/mar/26/nhs-england-staff-shortages-could-exceed-570000-by-2036-study-finds">United Kingdom</a> have faced similar staffing issues.</p>
<p>Efforts are underway globally to <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/higher-education-funding/commonwealth-grant-scheme-cgs/20000-additional-commonwealth-supported-places">educate new health professionals</a> and boost the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/government-cuts-red-tape-for-overseas-trained-doctors">skilled migration of doctors</a>.</p>
<p>However, retaining existing staff is a paramount strategy. </p>
<p>The pandemic accelerated the exploration of more flexible work arrangements, while the idea of a four-day work week is continually gaining traction. Could this be a solution to improve the retention of burnt out staff in the health-care sector?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-worker-burnout-and-compassion-fatigue-put-patients-at-risk-how-can-we-help-them-help-us-191429">Health worker burnout and 'compassion fatigue' put patients at risk. How can we help them help us?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Burnout</h2>
<p>Health-care professionals have historically experienced <a href="https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(18)30938-8/fulltext">high levels of burnout</a>. </p>
<p>The strain of balancing demanding work schedules, including long hours and shift work, with family responsibilities, can lead to work-family conflicts. Also, the nature of the profession means staff are often exposed to traumatic situations such as patient deaths, further elevating stress levels. COVID has intensified the issue of <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.750529/full?hidemenu=true">burnout in health care</a>. </p>
<p>Burnout commonly leads <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/debgordon/2022/05/17/amid-healthcares-great-resignation-burned-out-workers-are-pursuing-flexibility-and-passion/?sh=5c4314507fda">health-care workers to resign</a>, and also contributes to <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/01437721011050594/full/html?casa_token=nr9ADuU_NwcAAAAA:GpDmtyeG9mgabwrsADWwebyIQhYePpc4ZgM2Cu9VfPOsP7VQUEo5cyJhPriWp7yqA2B3HBYW-WAOPRfNF-zdlywoomCPN5Z_6FPFYc2F9hZx3-UIrPwm">early retirement</a>. </p>
<p>For those who remain in the profession, burnout <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025619616001014">negatively affects productivity</a>, including increasing the likelihood of perceived <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/203249">medical errors</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A nurse attends to a patient's IV drip." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557213/original/file-20231102-25-oc7b5i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557213/original/file-20231102-25-oc7b5i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557213/original/file-20231102-25-oc7b5i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557213/original/file-20231102-25-oc7b5i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557213/original/file-20231102-25-oc7b5i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557213/original/file-20231102-25-oc7b5i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557213/original/file-20231102-25-oc7b5i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Staff shortages are a big issue in the health-care sector.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hospital-ward-professional-black-head-nurse-1985507474">Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Rise of the four-day week</h2>
<p>A four-day work week is based on the so-called 100-80-100 arrangement, where 100% of productivity is achieved in 80% of the time with 100% of pay. So that might mean working Monday to Thursday, but getting paid a full wage, and with an expectation that you’ll produce as much in four days as you did in five.</p>
<p>In a pilot study by Cambridge University and <a href="https://www.4dayweek.com">4 Day Week Global</a>, <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/fourdayweek">71% of participants reported</a> feeling less burnt out, while there was a 57% fall in staff resignations. These outcomes <a href="https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/how-far-reaching-could-the-four-day-workweek-become/">are similar to results</a> from trials in Belgium, Spain, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. </p>
<p>But the execution of a four-day work week in health care comes with unique challenges. The model has primarily been trialled in office and corporate environments, where a five-day work week, totalling 35-40 hours, is conventional. </p>
<p>For many health-care workers, especially nurses, longer hours and shift work are the norm. Nurses are often expected to work on public holidays, and may have to work for <a href="https://www.healthstaffrecruitment.com.au/news/nurse-working-hours-in-australia/">six or seven consecutive days</a> before having a few days off, instead of the standard five days on, two days off. </p>
<p>Also, many health-care services, such as hospitals and aged care facilities, require staffing seven days a week. It’s imperative any restructured work arrangements are designed to ensure continuous, adequate staffing.</p>
<p>Consequently, a direct transition from a five-day to a four-day work week might not be immediately logical or applicable.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/4-day-work-week-trials-have-been-labelled-a-resounding-success-but-4-big-questions-need-answers-201476">4-day work week trials have been labelled a ‘resounding success’. But 4 big questions need answers</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Instead, this model should be conceptualised more broadly for health care, focusing on reducing and optimising working hours, and addressing the specifics of rostering and workforce planning in the industry. </p>
<h2>Applying this model to health care</h2>
<p>The focus should be on achieving greater productivity through reducing stress and burnout. Although shifting to a four-day work week won’t necessarily be practical, there should be an emphasis on shorter hours, guided by the 100-80-100 model.</p>
<p>The application of this model within health care would vary. For example, specialist physicians work <a href="https://labourmarketinsights.gov.au/occupation-profile/specialist-physicians?occupationCode=2533#:%7E:text=Around%2079%25%20of%20people%20employed,(44%20hours%20per%20week).">50 hours a week on average</a>, so applying the model would reduce their work week to 40 hours.</p>
<p>Shift design, particularly <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10729-022-09613-4">for nurses</a>, should focus on ways to reduce fatigue and in turn burnout. This might include scheduling shifts at a consistent time of day for individual staff members, implementing shorter shifts, and rostering reasonable consecutive working days (instead of seven or more days in a row before getting a day off).</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Four people working around a table in an office." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557214/original/file-20231102-21-q9g8oq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557214/original/file-20231102-21-q9g8oq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=379&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557214/original/file-20231102-21-q9g8oq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=379&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557214/original/file-20231102-21-q9g8oq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=379&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557214/original/file-20231102-21-q9g8oq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=476&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557214/original/file-20231102-21-q9g8oq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=476&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557214/original/file-20231102-21-q9g8oq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=476&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Trials of a four-day work week have shown positive results in corporate settings.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/office-colleagues-having-casual-discussion-during-1791564398">Jacob Lund/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The benefits</h2>
<p>Reducing the hours worked and optimising shift rostering could help to alleviate stress, burnout and work-family conflict for health-care workers. All this is likely to improve staff retention.</p>
<p>Any reduction in staff turnaround would save on direct costs associated with hiring new staff. The cost to replace a highly specialised health-care professional can reach up to <a href="https://www.oracle.com/au/human-capital-management/cost-employee-turnover-healthcare/">200% of their annual salary</a>. </p>
<p>Also, implementing shorter shifts – for example shifts lasting four or eight hours instead of 12 – may <a href="https://upaged.com/blog/healthcare-organisations-workplace-flexibility/">increase the uptake of</a> shift times that are usually hard to fill. Measures like shorter shifts could also appeal to part-time workers or those who have retired.</p>
<p>Finally, reducing burnout and absenteeism will improve productivity among staff. This will indirectly lower costs and benefit public health.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-burnt-out-health-workforce-impacts-patient-care-180021">A burnt-out health workforce impacts patient care</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Some challenges</h2>
<p>As it can take a <a href="https://ipractice.nl/en/symptoms/burnout/treatment-and-recovery/#:%7E:text=How%20Long%20Does%20Burnout%20Last,or%20periods%20of%20stagnant%20recovery.">few months</a> to a <a href="https://www.wellics.com/blog/how-long-to-recover-from-burnout">few years</a> to recover from burnout, once any changes are implemented, the benefits would take time to be seen. </p>
<p>And reducing working hours as well as other changes to rostering will initially be difficult given current staff shortages in the sector. </p>
<p>Hopefully, measures such as migration incentives and subsidised training for health-care professionals will bolster the workforce and make bridging this gap a little easier.</p>
<p>Although the implementation is not straightforward, changes to working arrangements in the health-care sector could have an even greater positive impact than in other industries.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213554/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nataliya Ilyushina receives funding from the ARC Centre of Excellence.</span></em></p>The COVID pandemic has exacerbated staff shortages in health care. We need to think about how we can better retain staff in this sector.Nataliya Ilyushina, Research Fellow, Blockchain Innovation Hub, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2102682023-07-24T20:09:49Z2023-07-24T20:09:49ZPolitical staffers can make or break election promises – they deserve better management<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538880/original/file-20230724-194450-2itzt6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=1322%2C13%2C6025%2C2805&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Political parties and candidates spend most of their time proposing policies they promise will improve voters’ lives if elected to government. But actually delivering on those promises requires another kind of political operative: staffers.</p>
<p>These taxpayer-funded employees or advisers <a href="https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/unelected-lynchpin-why-government-needs-special-advisers">play crucial roles</a>, and yet they are often mismanaged. Staffers can be the hidden heroes – or villains – of the political process. When they occasionally <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/112494041/national-partys-emotional-junior-staffer-brian-anderton-resigns">make headlines</a>, it is almost invariably for the wrong reasons.</p>
<p>Parliamentary reviews in <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/set-standard-2021">Australia</a>, Britain and <a href="https://www.parliament.nz/en/visit-and-learn/how-parliament-works/office-of-the-speaker/corporate-documents/independent-external-review-into-bullying-and-harassment-in-the-new-zealand-parliamentary-workplace-final-report/">New Zealand</a> have documented various problems. Those who take on these jobs rarely receive effective training, work incredibly long hours, <a href="https://www.thepost.co.nz/a/politics/350019540/political-staffers-lacking-support-sacrificing-personal-lives-and-mental-health">sacrifice their personal lives</a> and <a href="https://www.thepost.co.nz/a/nz-news/350022502/kris-faafoi-it-s-a-fine-line-between-being-a-head-case-and-headstrong-at-parliament">experience high levels of stress</a> – if not outright <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/may/23/half-uk-mps-staff-clinical-levels-psychological-distress-study">clinical distress</a>.</p>
<p>Public servants themselves have taken the initiative, including offering advice to MPs on managing staff, establishing a <a href="https://pwss.gov.au/">Parliamentary Workplace Support Service</a> in Australia, introducing <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/services/respectful-workplace-policy-office-prime-minister-ministers-offices.html">respectful workplace policies</a> in Canada, and establishing <a href="https://www.parliament.nz/en/footer/about-us/parliaments-workplace-culture/behavioural-statements-for-the-parliamentary-workplace/">behavioural expectations</a> in New Zealand’s parliament.</p>
<p>However, my <a href="https://politicalmanagement.wordpress.com/hrm-political-staffers/">new research</a> – based on interviews with advisers to former prime ministers Scott Morrison (Australia), Boris Johnson (Britain) and Jacinda Ardern (New Zealand), and Canada’s current leader Justin Trudeau – concludes that political parties need to take the lead if they want to deliver their agenda once elected.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1682331140471025664"}"></div></p>
<h2>Proper recruitment processes</h2>
<p>Better management of political staff requires better planning. As one longstanding chief of staff told me, reflecting on their eight years in government: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>If I could whisper in someone’s ear into the future, I’d say really take that time on organisation. How you set things up can make such a difference to your success at delivery.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>New governments have to fill a high number of posts all at once. They are a bit like a business start-up, except they are running a country. They often make problematic hires, or start without sufficient staff. As one UK staffer explained: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>Parties need to give a lot more thought to year-round recruitment and talent identification, because you can’t just suddenly turn up at Downing Street and put a new machine together.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Parties therefore need to identify potential talent before an election. They also need to look beyond the usual circles to find the right people. Campaign volunteers won’t automatically be suitable. Those with relevant skills may not be lifelong party members. </p>
<p>Scouting talent means having initial conversations followed by professional selection processes. Ultimately, it’s about ensuring those selected are capable of doing the actual job – not simply rewarding loyalty.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538881/original/file-20230724-233455-7bnydt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538881/original/file-20230724-233455-7bnydt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538881/original/file-20230724-233455-7bnydt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538881/original/file-20230724-233455-7bnydt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538881/original/file-20230724-233455-7bnydt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538881/original/file-20230724-233455-7bnydt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538881/original/file-20230724-233455-7bnydt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Seat of power: ‘You can’t just suddenly turn up at Downing Street and put a new machine together.’</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Getty Images</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Managing the political workplace</h2>
<p>Those likely to be involved in managing staff need to be trained on best practice within a political workplace. This applies not only to chiefs of staff, but to anyone in a senior role or who heads a team. </p>
<p>For example, political staffers need ongoing feedback, and not merely when things go wrong. They also need help with managing the never-ending workload, identifying priorities and where best to focus their time.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/parliament-is-not-a-normal-workplace-anti-bullying-policy-must-start-with-ethical-leadership-and-accountability-193196">Parliament is not a normal workplace – anti-bullying policy must start with ethical leadership and accountability</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Maintaining wellbeing and avoiding burnout means instigating rules: limiting late-evening contact unless there’s a crisis, for example, and encouraging staff to take occasional but complete breaks from work.</p>
<p>Setting a clear shared purpose will also help people see the difference their work is making over time. One former staffer put it this way:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Maintaining morale is a big part of political management […] things get bad and can get dark in offices.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Orientation and training</h2>
<p>Because there is often a lack of human resource management infrastructure for political staffers, parties need effective staff training systems. A senior staffer recalled to me:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I remember walking into the office on the first day after the prime minister was sworn in, and it was empty. It was just me. No handover, nothing.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Some of this is inevitable – parties and leaders just voted out are unlikely to provide much continuity. And the public service is wary of straying into partisan matters. But incoming parties need to take action to fill the gap.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/nz-has-a-history-of-prominent-public-servants-who-were-also-outspoken-public-intellectuals-whats-changed-201370">NZ has a history of prominent public servants who were also outspoken public intellectuals – what’s changed?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>More experienced staffers would ideally spend time mentoring and supporting newer colleagues. Yet a party new to power won’t have many veteran staff to call on. They may need to find former senior staff willing to return and share their wisdom, or make use of relevant research.</p>
<p>Bespoke training programmes relevant to specific roles need to be created. These can include generic topics, such as maintaining respectful workplaces, time and project management, and maintaining resilience. But they should also have political context about advancing party policies and priorities.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-political-staffers-are-vulnerable-to-sexual-misconduct-and-little-is-done-to-stop-it-155300">Why political staffers are vulnerable to sexual misconduct — and little is done to stop it</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>One community</h2>
<p>Finally, all political staffers need to be seen as one community, regardless of which office they work in. It’s much harder to instil positive workplace norms and practices if everyone exists in silos.</p>
<p>People will also support one other and learn from their peers if they are connected through regular events. These can build relationships between staffers in different offices. In turn, this helps advance policy in government.</p>
<p>Anyone serious about becoming prime minister or seeking political office should start thinking about those hidden heroes – political staffers – before an election, not after it. </p>
<p>Winning power is only the beginning, after all.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210268/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jennifer Lees-Marshment does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Having interviewed advisers to past and present prime ministers in Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand, my new research shows how crucial it is to recruit and train staff – before an election.Jennifer Lees-Marshment, Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata RauLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2072892023-07-03T12:05:54Z2023-07-03T12:05:54ZIf companies want to stop quiet quitting they need to take burnout seriously<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534165/original/file-20230626-27-r5orsw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=122%2C73%2C5340%2C3563&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Unless businesses deal with the root causes of employee burnout, they will struggle to retain their workforce.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>In 2023, between a <a href="https://www.mhrc.ca/findings-of-poll-16">quarter</a> and a <a href="https://www.bcg.com/en-ca/publications/2023/workplace-burnout-costing-canadian-companies-billions">third</a> of Canadians are feeling burned out. Burnout has not declined <a href="https://www.hcamag.com/ca/specialization/mental-health/canadians-more-burned-out-now-than-this-time-last-year/447897">compared to last year</a>. A full <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2023/06/09/a-third-of-canadian-professionals-are-reporting-burnout-heres-why.html">36 per cent of employees</a> are more burned out now than last year. </p>
<p>If you aren’t burned out, it may well be because you did some <a href="https://theconversation.com/quiet-quitting-why-doing-less-at-work-could-be-good-for-you-and-your-employer-188617">quiet quitting</a> to keep work at bay. Most workplaces haven’t changed their workload or how work is done, although there are a growing number of exceptions.</p>
<p>My research focuses on <a href="https://doi.org/10.7146/kkf.v31i3.128517">organizational governance</a>. I study organizations and employees’ experiences of their workplaces. Last summer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/5-ways-to-deal-with-burnout-at-work-184994">I wrote about how employee burnout remained high in Canada</a> and discussed how it could be addressed. I cautioned that often, workplaces hold employees responsible for managing burnout. </p>
<p>However, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/13505084231156267">addressing the root causes of burnout</a> requires workplaces to examine the workload and expectations they place on employees. How can workplaces change their approach to burnout? Are they now more concerned with handling the root causes of burnout? </p>
<h2>Burnout and quiet quitting</h2>
<p>According to the <a href="https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/mh/mentalhealth_jobburnout.html">Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety</a>, burnout includes a variety of symptoms from being emotionally depleted to detachment and cynicism to a sense of low personal accomplishment and depersonalization — the feeling that work does not belong to oneself.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534166/original/file-20230626-23-aa5w3j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A stressed man in front of a laptop places his fingers on his forehead" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534166/original/file-20230626-23-aa5w3j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534166/original/file-20230626-23-aa5w3j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534166/original/file-20230626-23-aa5w3j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534166/original/file-20230626-23-aa5w3j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534166/original/file-20230626-23-aa5w3j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534166/original/file-20230626-23-aa5w3j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534166/original/file-20230626-23-aa5w3j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">To address burnout businesses should examine how much work their employees have and how they expect them to do it.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The fact that burnout hasn’t decreased suggests that organizations have not addressed its root causes. Instead, employees have taken matters into their own hands and done some quiet quitting. </p>
<p>Quiet quitting refers to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-10-2022-0792">doing what our job requires and nothing more</a>. Gone are the days of overwork and constant availability. According to a <a href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace-2022-report.aspx">2023 Gallup report</a>, most employees around the world are quiet quitting. Because employees who quiet quit may <a href="https://www.qualtrics.com/blog/quiet-quitting/">set better boundaries around their work</a>, quiet quitting enables them to prevent burnout.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/quiet-quitting-is-a-new-name-for-an-old-method-of-industrial-action-189752">Quiet quitting is a new name for an old method of industrial action</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The fact that many employees have resorted to quiet quitting suggests workplaces are not addressing or taking burnout seriously enough.</p>
<p>As a result, work remains the <a href="https://www.bcg.com/en-ca/publications/2023/workplace-burnout-costing-canadian-companies-billions">primary source of stress</a> for Canadians. We have <a href="https://www.hcamag.com/ca/specialization/mental-health/heavy-workloads-see-more-employees-burned-out-report/447917">too much work, work in organizational cultures that are too toxic and don’t feel supported enough</a>. </p>
<p>Not surprisingly then, a recent survey found one third of Canadians have <a href="https://blog.canadianprosperityproject.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Pollara_TPP-W6_Workplace_Report.pdf">left a job</a> due to burnout. <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-621-m/11-621-m2022022-eng.htm">One in four businesses</a> in Canada have had challenges with employee retention.</p>
<h2>How workplaces can address burnout</h2>
<p>Employers need to revisit the workload they place on their employees. They should consider how realistic it is for employees to complete their work within the required time frame. </p>
<p>They also need to address their culture and question how it can be <a href="https://theconversation.com/toxic-work-cultures-start-with-incivility-and-mediocre-leadership-what-can-you-do-about-it-204198">toxic</a>, notably concerning how <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-let-go-of-toxic-workplace-emotional-labour-108245">work is done</a>, and how toxicity can be addressed. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534168/original/file-20230626-21-pgg5t8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman working on a laptop with a baby beside her in a high chair" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534168/original/file-20230626-21-pgg5t8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534168/original/file-20230626-21-pgg5t8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=281&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534168/original/file-20230626-21-pgg5t8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=281&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534168/original/file-20230626-21-pgg5t8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=281&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534168/original/file-20230626-21-pgg5t8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=353&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534168/original/file-20230626-21-pgg5t8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=353&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534168/original/file-20230626-21-pgg5t8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=353&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">By accommodating the needs of their employees, businesses can improve retention and reduce burnout.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Finally, organizational leaders need to listen to their employees and set a <a href="https://theconversation.com/corporate-leadership-why-the-tone-at-the-top-has-moral-consequences-172134">tone</a> that is supportive, shows empathy and is not merely rhetoric. Words have to be followed by actions to ensure the work environment fits the <a href="https://hbr.org/2023/03/to-curb-burnout-design-jobs-to-better-match-employees-needs">needs of employees</a>.</p>
<p>Paying employees more isn’t sufficient. Having a good work-life balance is often <a href="https://thewalrus.ca/canada-vacation-days/">more important than higher salaries</a>. </p>
<p>There are signs that some workplaces are serious about addressing the root causes of burnout. They are concerned with reducing workload. For instance, they can offer prolonged, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/parents-burnout-leave-1.6767710">or even unlimited</a>, paid leave. They can provide more <a href="https://thewalrus.ca/canada-vacation-days/">days off</a> to allow employees to <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/adv/article-best-workplaces-in-canada-2023-1000-employees/">recharge</a>.</p>
<p>A growing number of businesses are also embracing <a href="https://www.4dayweek.com/">four-day work weeks</a> as a way of boosting employee morale. Other workplaces give their employees the flexibility to <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/adv/article-best-workplaces-in-canada-2023-1000-employees/">work onsite and remotely</a>. </p>
<p>Flexibility is essential for employees who also shoulder care work. Care work in many households is still done by women more than men. Women with young children take time away from their paid work for family responsibilities and miss more than twice as many days at work than men, leaving <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/parents-burnout-leave-1.6767710">many mothers drained</a>. </p>
<p>More than one third of working mothers in Canada say it is <a href="https://www.pollara.com/burnout-is-the-new-threat-to-canadas-economy-especially-for-women/">difficult for them to arrange child care</a>. Mothers are about 20 per cent more likely than fathers to consider leaving their job because they struggle to find child care. </p>
<p>Employees need accommodating and flexible workplaces that understand their needs. Workplaces need to be mindful of that flexibility and should not view employees who seek it <a href="https://claudinemangen.com/les-structures-organisationnelles-sont-elles-faites-pour-les-femmes-aussi/">as less reliable</a> than those who can work in offices for longer hours.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207289/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Claudine Mangen receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. </span></em></p>Many Canadians are still feeling burned out at work. Companies can help by being more accommodating of their workers’ needs and addressing some of the root causes of burnout.Claudine Mangen, RBC Professor in Responsible Organizations and Associate Professor, Concordia UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2067612023-06-04T20:05:15Z2023-06-04T20:05:15Z10 Australian companies have embraced the 4-day week. Here’s what they say about it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529737/original/file-20230602-15-v1dr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C278%2C4765%2C2468&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Most of us look forward to a rare long weekend. But some Australians now enjoy a four-day week every week.</p>
<p>They’re lucky enough to work for the small number of organisations that are trialling or have permanently adopted what is known as the 100:80:100 model, in which employees keep 100% of what they were paid for five days while working 80% of their former hours – so long as they maintain 100% productivity.</p>
<p>This model has been attracting significant global attention. There have been glowing reports in the past few years about the success of trials <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-success-of-icelands-four-day-week-trial-has-been-greatly-overstated-164083">in Iceland</a>, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Some of this reporting, however, has exaggerated the findings or failed to consider the complicating factors that may not make the model scalable.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/4-day-work-week-trials-have-been-labelled-a-resounding-success-but-4-big-questions-need-answers-201476">4-day work week trials have been labelled a ‘resounding success’. But 4 big questions need answers</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<p>To get a better sense of the reality, we’ve surveyed ten Australian organisations that have embraced the model. </p>
<p>We interviewed senior managers in each organisation about the benefits and challenges experienced. So our results do reflect a management perspective. But what they told us suggests the four-day work week can successfully deliver positive outcomes for both employers and employees across a range of different industries.</p>
<h2>Who we surveyed</h2>
<p>Four of the ten organisations in our <a href="https://doi.org/10.26185/wm6x-tk60">research</a> have adopted the change permanently after trials. The other six have extended their trials, though are still to formally make the move permanent.</p>
<p>We believe these ten organisations represent the bulk of Australian organisations using the 100:80:100 model. There may be others, but we looked hard to ensure our survey was as complete as possible. Four of the companies were part of <a href="https://www.4dayweek.com/">the global studies</a> referred to above. The other six weren’t, designing their own pilot schemes. </p>
<p>All are private-sector businesses. Two are management consulting firms, with the others being a shipping/logistics company; recruitment agency; marketing agency; mental health coaching company; software development company; creative design agency; health-care company, and management training company.</p>
<p>Six of the companies are small businesses (with fewer than 20 employees). The other four are medium-sized businesses (20-199 employees).</p>
<p>In each case, the initiatives were management-led, as a strategy to tackle employee burnout, increase productivity, and keep and attract talent in a tight labour market.</p>
<p>For example, <a href="https://eescair.com/">EES Shipping</a>, a medium-sized logistics company based in Perth, decided to trial a four-day week in July 2022, at a time of extreme pressure on global and local supply chains.</p>
<p>“We were starting to see cracks within the industry,” said managing director Brian Hack. “People were burning out, truck drivers were just walking out the door, and I really didn’t want to see that happen here.” </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-the-jetsons-got-right-and-very-wrong-about-the-future-of-work-202608">What The Jetsons got right, and very wrong, about the future of work</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<h2>No lost productivity</h2>
<p>Three of the ten managers reported no loss of productivity despite a 20% reduction in hours – so effectively staff were about 20% more productive.</p>
<p>The other seven reported productivity being even higher than before.</p>
<p>Six said improvements in recruitment and retention had been the biggest success of the initiative so far. Five underlined important reductions in absenteeism.</p>
<p>Three companies needed to maintain their previous hours of availability for customers and clients, despite their staff now working 20% less time. This illustrates it is possible for “client-facing” organisations to implement four-day work weeks.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Three 'client-facing' companies maintained opening hours while reducing working hours." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529738/original/file-20230602-19-yiwvx9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529738/original/file-20230602-19-yiwvx9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529738/original/file-20230602-19-yiwvx9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529738/original/file-20230602-19-yiwvx9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529738/original/file-20230602-19-yiwvx9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529738/original/file-20230602-19-yiwvx9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529738/original/file-20230602-19-yiwvx9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Three ‘client-facing’ companies maintained opening hours while reducing working hours.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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</figure>
<h2>Workers’ response</h2>
<p>Based on internal surveys and anecdotal evidence, managers reported the extra day off each week meant workers felt more relaxed and re-energised, and helped avoid the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/three-ways-to-tackle-the-sunday-scaries-the-anxiety-and-dread-many-people-feel-at-the-end-of-the-weekend-187313">Sunday scaries</a>” – the anxiety and dread felt on Sunday night at the prospect of another five-day week. </p>
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<p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/three-ways-to-tackle-the-sunday-scaries-the-anxiety-and-dread-many-people-feel-at-the-end-of-the-weekend-187313">Three ways to tackle the 'Sunday scaries', the anxiety and dread many people feel at the end of the weekend</a>
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<p>These are significant findings, given the <a href="https://www.work-futures.org/publications">record levels of stress and burnout</a> in Australian workplaces.</p>
<h2>Scepticism remains</h2>
<p>But there are also challenges facing any organisation wanting to adopt a four-day work week. Participating managers said the biggest barrier was overcoming scepticism both internally and from external stakeholders such as clients and customers. The biggest point of resistance was people simply not believing fewer hours didn’t have to mean lower productivity. </p>
<p>Overcoming that scepticism is likely to require more evidence from trials – including from larger companies, to see if the benefits reported by these small companies are scalable to the whole workforce. </p>
<p>One such trial is in the pipeline, though it will be of limited value.</p>
<p>Australia’s biggest hardware retailer, Bunnings, last month <a href="https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/bunnings-agrees-to-trial-four-day-week-in-landmark-deal-20230519-p5d9sf">signed an agreement</a> with the <a href="https://www.sda.org.au/">Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association</a> for a four-day work week trial. The company’s 40,000 employees, however, won’t be trialling the 100:80:100 model. They’ll be working the same number of hours over fewer days. So it won’t be possible to draw substantial conclusions from the outcome.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-life-of-long-weekends-is-alluring-but-the-shorter-working-day-may-be-more-practical-127817">A life of long weekends is alluring, but the shorter working day may be more practical</a>
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<p>And while the “client-facing” companies we surveyed managed to maintain their operations, it remains to be seen if that’s the case for all workplaces, such as shops, hospitals and nursing homes where any reduction in hours worked by current employees would probably need to be covered by additional staff.</p>
<p>The only way to be sure will be through trials.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206761/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John L Hopkins does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>New research from Swinburne University suggests the four-day work week really can be win-win for workers and bosses.John L Hopkins, Associate professor, Swinburne University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2055722023-05-21T20:00:18Z2023-05-21T20:00:18ZExhausted, disconnected and fed up – what is ‘parental burnout’ and what can you do about it?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526741/original/file-20230517-19-2lblkm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=31%2C15%2C5275%2C3516&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/tired-mother-trying-work-on-laptop-1709978887">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For many parents, the reality of juggling the demands of caring responsibilities on their time, energy and resources leaves them with little time to take care of their own wellbeing. This can result in “parental burnout”. </p>
<p>Although the exploration of parental burnout is relatively new, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368475304_Parental_burnout_features_and_the_family_context_A_temporal_network_approach_in_mothers#:%7E:text=Results%20suggest%20that%20exhaustion%20contributes%20to%20parental%20burnout%3A,negatively%20connected%20to%20sharing%20positive%20moments%20with%20children.">research</a> has identified it as a prevalent issue across global communities and cultures. It’s reported in countries around the world, with the highest prevalence rates <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42761-020-00028-4">rising to 8%</a> of parents in Poland, the United States and Belgium. </p>
<p>You could be forgiven for thinking there’s a simple solution to this growing concern: relax and get some sleep! But again, the reality can be far different. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-tiger-to-free-range-parents-what-research-says-about-pros-and-cons-of-popular-parenting-styles-57986">From tiger to free-range parents – what research says about pros and cons of popular parenting styles</a>
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<h2>4 signs of parental burnout</h2>
<p><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09637214221142777">Parental burnout</a> is not just a buzzword. It’s a growing syndrome that results from <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368475304_Parental_burnout_features_and_the_family_context_A_temporal_network_approach_in_mothers#:%7E:text=Results%20suggest%20that%20exhaustion%20contributes%20to%20parental%20burnout%3A,negatively%20connected%20to%20sharing%20positive%20moments%20with%20children.">chronic parenting stress</a>. It is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/sjop.12654">characterised</a> by four main symptoms for parents: </p>
<ol>
<li>experiencing physical or emotional exhaustion – or both</li>
<li>feeling shame about their parenting, or that they’re not as good a parent as they used to be</li>
<li>feeling overwhelmed or “fed up” with the role of being a parent</li>
<li>feeling emotionally disconnected from their children. </li>
</ol>
<p>Despite many feeling this way, <a href="https://www.parentingrc.org.au/news/parents-are-under-pressure-and-we-cant-just-blame-the-pandemic/">recent research</a> shows 60% of parents don’t routinely do anything to relax and recharge. This research reports two in five parents feel tiredness impacts their ability to be the kind of parent they want to be, and nearly half of all parents think there’s not enough time in the day to get everything done.</p>
<p>And that’s the conundrum. It can be hugely challenging for caregivers to carve out time and space to look after themselves.</p>
<p>But when they do, it can have a <a href="https://www.parentingrc.org.au/news/parents-are-under-pressure-and-we-cant-just-blame-the-pandemic/">positive impact</a> on their physical and mental health, which can help them to manage the demands of parenting, so children and families benefit too.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526744/original/file-20230517-15-v0f9s4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="woman sits with cup of tea" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526744/original/file-20230517-15-v0f9s4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526744/original/file-20230517-15-v0f9s4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526744/original/file-20230517-15-v0f9s4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526744/original/file-20230517-15-v0f9s4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526744/original/file-20230517-15-v0f9s4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526744/original/file-20230517-15-v0f9s4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526744/original/file-20230517-15-v0f9s4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Self care doesn’t have to be expensive or reserved for ‘special occasions’.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-holding-gray-ceramic-mug-846080/">Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/emotional-abuse-is-a-pattern-of-hurtful-messages-building-parenting-skills-could-help-prevent-it-203556">Emotional abuse is a pattern of hurtful messages – building parenting skills could help prevent it</a>
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<h2>4 positive things parents can do</h2>
<p>So what can parents and carers do to help prevent or reduce burnout when they’re already stretched so thin? Here are four things to explore:</p>
<p><strong>1. Being less critical of yourself</strong></p>
<p>As parents, we can all have days when we don’t feel like we’re doing our best. We may feel disconnected from our children, or emotionally and physically drained. This is where “<a href="https://ccare.stanford.edu/research/wiki/compassion-definitions/self-compassion/">self-compassion</a>” comes in – being a little kinder to ourselves when we feel stressed or experience setbacks. Not only is this <a href="https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12671-016-0528-6">good for parents</a> and carers, it can be a key life skill they can model for their children. </p>
<p>Even though it can be overlooked, or its importance downplayed, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pere.12464">self-compassion</a> is a crucial form of self-care. Moreover, <a href="https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/parental-self-care-and-self-compassion/?audience=practitioner">research</a> has shown parents who are kind to themselves and prioritise self-care have better overall health and well-being. They also feel more confident in their parenting skills and have <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cch.12205">more positive interactions</a> with their children. And parent’s well-being, confidence and positive interactions with their children are strongly linked to better outcomes for children, including those with mental health challenges or <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31267283/">disability</a>.</p>
<p>Even if you make mistakes or your inner critic starts chiming in, try to reframe its voice into a more positive one. Remember, everyone faces challenges and there is no such thing as a perfect parent or child. Adopting this mindset can help.</p>
<p><strong>2. Reframing self-care</strong></p>
<p>As a parent or carer, it’s common to put your own needs last and see self-care as an optional extra – something that takes precious time away from the responsibilities of parenting, or simply so low on the long list of priorities that it slips off. </p>
<p>However, taking care of yourself is the opposite of being selfish. Parents who <a href="https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/parental-self-care-and-self-compassion/?audience=practitioner">prioritise self-care</a> tend to be less self-critical and have better physical and mental health. They also feel more skilled and confident as parents, are able to focus on parenting tasks better – even during stressful times – and are more likely to enjoy parenting.</p>
<p>It can be helpful to remember self-care isn’t just a “nice to have” option. And it’s not selfish to put your needs back into the picture – rather, it’s an important parenting skill that benefits everyone.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1646498650892189697"}"></div></p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/your-kid-is-having-a-meltdown-in-the-supermarket-in-tough-parenting-moments-heres-what-you-can-do-171935">Your kid is having a meltdown in the supermarket. In tough parenting moments, here's what you can do</a>
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<p><strong>3. Remembering small, everyday moments of self-care have a big impact</strong></p>
<p>The concept of self-care is often portrayed as a special treat or occasional, expensive indulgence. However, it can be more about those small, every day, under-the-radar actions that might only take a few minutes, or even seconds, but can set up positive patterns that can help parents to feel more balanced. Something as simple as pausing to take some slow, deep breaths, going for a short walk in the fresh air or chatting with a supportive friend can help.</p>
<p>Even minor actions can add up over time to help parents navigate ups and downs more positively.</p>
<p><strong>4. Asking for help</strong></p>
<p>Parental burnout is one part of a larger conversation around the realities of being a parent or carer. There are often multiple factors at play that can contribute to burn out, such as lack of support, high levels of responsibility, the impact of natural disasters, looking after ageing parents and financial concerns. </p>
<p>It’s important for parents and carers to be mindful of the signs of burnout, and to seek help where needed. By addressing this issue as one important part of the broader parenting and care-giving journey, we can work towards creating more resilient, positive family environments for parents and children alike. </p>
<p>It is important to acknowledge that it is <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/when-it-comes-to-kids-mothers-are-saddled-with-the-mental-load-20220616-p5au46.html">usually women</a> who shoulder more of the caring load. Partners, employers and extended family should be on the look out for signs of burnout and offer help before they are asked. Offering flexible work arrangements may be helpful, especially for those (for example, single parents) who may be doing it tough.</p>
<p>If parental burn out is affecting your day-to-day life, seek help through <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/">Lifeline</a>, <a href="https://parentline.com.au/">Parentline</a>, your GP or an allied health professional. The Australian government has also made an <a href="https://www.triplep-parenting.net.au">evidence-based parenting support</a> program available for free.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CrufkbGuVDZ","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205572/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The Parenting and Family Support Centre is partly funded by royalties stemming from published resources of the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, which is developed and owned by The University of Queensland (UQ). Royalties are also distributed to the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences at UQ and contributory authors of published Triple P resources. Triple P International (TPI) Pty Ltd is a private company licensed by UniQuest Pty Ltd on behalf of UQ, to publish and disseminate Triple P worldwide. Dr Ralph has no share or ownership of TPI but receives royalties and consultancy fees from UQ and TPI. Dr Ralph is an Honorary Principal Fellow at UQ.</span></em></p>There are four signs of parental burnout and four positive things parents can do to take care of themselves as well as their kids.Alan Ralph, Honorary Principal Fellow, School of Psychology, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2036082023-04-30T09:07:59Z2023-04-30T09:07:59ZHealth workers cope with a huge amount of stress - how to build a resilient health system in South Africa<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521573/original/file-20230418-24-zznukr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Brenton Geach/Gallo Images via Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Popular and academic literature is replete with examples of how to cope with daily stresses. Mental health professions have also long researched and implemented strategies to deal with <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-burnout-and-how-to-prevent-it-in-the-workplace-insights-from-a-clinical-psychologist-196578">burnout</a> from workplace stressors.</p>
<p>Coping with stress is not a new phenomenon. But COVID-19 and the responses to the pandemic have increased our attention on how people and systems cope with stress-inducing shocks. </p>
<p>This should not surprise us given the impact of COVID-19 on almost every aspect of our lives. There are indications that many people and countries are still struggling to emerge from its shadow.</p>
<p>Resilience is a relatively new area of study in the health sector and is explained as the ability of an individual to withstand and recover from adversity using their inner strength, optimism, and being flexible and competent.</p>
<p>Everyday resilience is important to ensure health workers can cope with daily stressors, and take action to change their circumstances when they are confronted with challenges. At a health system level, everyday resilience means that health workers can deal with the systemic challenges in their work environment. </p>
<p>We argue that everyday resilience is needed at two levels: healthcare workers – who mostly bore the brunt of the pandemic in their working and personal lives – as well as the health system. </p>
<p>We draw on <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29081995/">research</a> around resilience in the health sector to highlight why it’s important to focus on it for health workers and for <a href="https://healthsystemsglobal.org/news/a-new-era-for-the-who-health-system-building-blocks/">the health system</a> as a whole. </p>
<h2>Health workers</h2>
<p>Health workers face trauma daily. Their line of work often requires them to make life-saving decisions in the face of significant resource limitations as well as high expectations of patients, families, communities and their managers. </p>
<p>The rate of burnout in health workers is high throughout the world. This was exacerbated by the COVID-19 <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.758849/full">pandemic</a> which contributed to alarming levels of anxiety, depression and traumatic stress among <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0266008">South African health workers</a>. </p>
<p>There have been suggestions about how to build <a href="https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-023-09223-y">resilience</a> in health workers, including <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33511272/">medical students</a>, against daily workplace stresses. </p>
<p>There’s an example of how COVID-19 had an impact on the health workforce from clinical associates at the University of Pretoria’s Health Sciences Faculty who supported mining companies. About 100 clinical associates conducted COVID-19 screening, testing, follow up and vaccinations. They performed quarantine or isolation ward duties and provided general healthcare services to miners. </p>
<p>During the peak COVID infections periods the clinical associates worked an average of 18 hours per day. They took huge physical and emotional strain. Many of them also had to deal with severely ill relatives and deaths. They met every evening via a virtual call to discuss their experiences and complex cases. This provided an outlet for their emotional strain and an opportunity to improve their clinical understanding. </p>
<p>Because of the direct access to the emotional support provided by the university staff, these health professionals could readily find support when they felt overwhelmed. Halfway through the pandemic, a team of private occupational therapists conducted an eight-week online group therapy programme with the clinical associates, called the <a href="https://otgrow.co.za/">Unsung Heroes</a> programme. Conducting this form of therapy online was unheard of before the pandemic, and included both group therapy sessions as well as individual consultations. Clinical associates afterwards reported how much these sessions helped them to cope with the burden of COVID. </p>
<p>But the focus on building resilience at the individual level has been criticised as focusing on the symptoms rather than the root causes. For example, studies have argued that building resilience in frontline health workers may hide the <a href="https://gh.bmj.com/content/2/2/e000224">systemic challenges</a>. </p>
<p>These might include a shortage of personnel, inadequate equipment and medicines, and organisational cultures that limit innovation and adaptation. A more comprehensive approach to building resilience would, instead, focus on what some have called everyday <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7538378/">resilience</a>, based on <a href="https://academic.oup.com/heapol/article/38/2/192/6759214">everyday capabilities</a>.</p>
<h2>What does such a focus offer the health system?</h2>
<p>Borrowing from the ideas of colleagues working with the <a href="https://resyst.lshtm.ac.uk/everyday-resilience#:%7E:text=Everyday%20resilience%20is%20the%20ability,of%20constant%20challenge%20and%20strain">London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene</a>, everyday resilience is founded on </p>
<blockquote>
<p>the combination of absorptive, adaptive and transformative strategies that actors in systems adopt in responding to strain. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Transformative <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5553211/">resilience</a> ultimately implies changing the system so that it can continue to change in the face of multiple, future, unpredictable challenges.</p>
<p>The literature suggests the need for further research into the notion of transformative resilience. But we already know a lot about what can be implemented even as the world focuses on the structures, practices and routines needed for pandemic preparedness and control.</p>
<p>There are many <a href="https://gh.bmj.com/content/2/2/e000224">proactive (adaptive) examples</a> from South Africa and Kenya of how primary healthcare workers coped before the COVID-19 pandemic. These examples illustrated personal agency as well as system changes initiated at local level.
For example the temporary reintroduction of user-fees in Kenya, agreed with local communities, until government funding was again transferred to ensure that primary healthcare services were not disrupted. </p>
<p>In South Africa there are examples of new forms of collaborating across organisations to work towards shared goals. There are also new ways of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7538378/">managing and organising meetings</a> to support learning and enable mutual accountability among colleagues in primary care settings. </p>
<p>Across countries, respectful leadership practices that empowered frontline workers and strengthened relationships were also found to be very important to everyday resilience.</p>
<p>Similarly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Western Cape Department of Health in South Africa introduced the concept of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8250842/">daily huddles</a>. These daily hour-long meetings allowed for key issues to be presented and discussed. They included managers from all levels of the health system – including the private health sector – as well as managers from other sectors of government. As the pandemic receded, they happened less frequently.</p>
<p>The meetings enabled managers to work across silos in the health system across administration and health programmes, for example. Everyone that participated in the huddle could do so freely without sanction. This reduced the hierarchy within the health system. </p>
<p>The presentations in these huddles were evidence-based. They illustrated the importance of real-time information as well as use of evidence for decision making. </p>
<p>Our colleagues who were part of these huddles <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8250842/">reported</a> that they used these to build on long-standing initiatives in the province to strengthen the health system.</p>
<h2>Organic learning systems</h2>
<p>The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted various challenges to health workers and health systems. These are foremost in our minds. But the sector has faced similar challenges over many decades. </p>
<p>There are many examples of how to strengthen resilience that we can learn from, and scale. What is clear is that unless health systems are organic learning systems and continuously focus on building systems for resilience, we may run the risk of learning anew each time health workers and health systems face a catastrophic event. </p>
<p>Building a strong health system that focuses on everyday resilience may be the best way to deal with everyday challenges as well as pandemics.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203608/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>COVID-19 and responses to the pandemic have increased our attention on how individuals and systems cope with stress-inducing shocks.Yogan Pillay, Extraordinary Professor in the Division of Health Systems and Public Health, Stellenbosch UniversityFlavia Senkubuge, Deputy Dean: Health Stakeholder Relations in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of PretoriaLucy Gilson, Professor and Head, Health Policy and Systems Division, School of Public Health, University of Cape TownSaiendhra Moodley, Public Health Medicine Specialist and Senior Lecturer, University of PretoriaSuzi Malan, Manager: Partnerships and Projects at Department of Family Medicine, University of PretoriaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2025132023-04-17T20:03:00Z2023-04-17T20:03:00ZEarly educators around the world feel burnt out and devalued. Here’s how we can help<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520414/original/file-20230412-28-t5cbl5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5184%2C3437&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Anne Nygard/Unsplash</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>South Australia’s royal commission into early childhood education led by Julia Gillard has <a href="https://www.royalcommissionecec.sa.gov.au/publications/interim-report">released an interim report</a>. The key recommendation is <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-17/sa-early-childhood-education-royal-commission-interim-report/102230702">preschool for all three-year-olds </a> (in a move similar to other states). But the report notes one of the critical considerations around this change will be the early education workforce. </p>
<p>SA’s report comes as the Productivity Commission begins a <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/media-releases/productivity-commission-inquiry-consider-universal-early">wide-ranging inquiry</a> into early childhood education and care in Australia. </p>
<p>As part of this, the commission is looking at the workforce. We already know there are high rates of <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/mitchell-institute/early-learning/early-childhood-educators-are-leaving-in-droves-here-are-3-ways-to-keep-them-attract-more">turnover</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-educators-feel-burnt-out-and-undervalued-heres-what-we-can-do-to-help-170091">burnout</a> among early childhood educators. This makes it difficult for people to make a sustainable career in the sector.
It also makes it harder for services to find staff and for families to <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/mitchell-institute/early-learning/childcare-deserts-oases-how-accessible-is-childcare-in-australia">find a childcare place</a> for their children. </p>
<p>Our <a href="http://www.iier.org.au/iier33/ng.pdf">new research</a> looks at why early childhood educators are burning out and how we can fix this. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-1-million-australians-have-no-access-to-childcare-in-their-area-179557">More than 1 million Australians have no access to childcare in their area</a>
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<h2>Educator turnover</h2>
<p>Like <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-great-resignation-didnt-happen-in-australia-but-the-great-burnout-did-201173">other essential sectors</a> the issue of <a href="http://www.iier.org.au/iier33/rogers.pdf">burnout</a> in early education has become <a href="http://www.iier.org.au/iier32/sims.pdf">more pressing</a> since the beginning of the pandemic. </p>
<p>A 2021 a <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/73-of-early-educators-plan-to-leave-the-sector-within-three-years/">union survey</a> of 4,000 educators revealed 73% planned to leave the sector within the next three years due to excessive workload, stress, low pay and status, lack of professional development and career progression.</p>
<p>It <a href="https://bigsteps.org.au/report-shows-early-education-workforce-in-crisis/">also found 82%</a> “always” or “often” felt rushed when performing key caring tasks in the past month. </p>
<p>As of, 2022, educator job advertisements had <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2022/05/31/ecec-job-advertisements-have-doubled-since-covid-19-illustrating-the-depth-of-staffing-crisis/">doubled since the pandemic</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-chaos-has-shed-light-on-many-issues-in-the-australian-childcare-sector-here-are-4-of-them-174404">COVID chaos has shed light on many issues in the Australian childcare sector. Here are 4 of them</a>
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</p>
<hr>
<h2>What is burnout?</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.darlingdowns.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/our-stories/feature-articles/signs-you-might-be-experiencing-a-burnout-and-how-to-regain-balance-in-your-life">Burnout is complex</a> and can involve many things, including:</p>
<ul>
<li>ongoing physical and mental fatigue</li>
<li>low sense of personal achievement</li>
<li><a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/why-cant-we-value-and-pay-for-the-emotional-cost-of-caring/">emotional exhaustion</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/dissociation-and-dissociative-disorders/about-dissociation/">depersonalisation</a>, where you feel separate from your body or true feelings. </li>
</ul>
<p>Burnout matters, because it harms <a href="https://blog.une.edu.au/hasse/2021/12/07/early-childhood-educator-staff-welfare-tales-of-burnout-and-hope/">educators’ wellbeing</a>, the <a href="https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/bitstream/handle/1774.2/62964/grant-journal-article-chaos-and-commitment.pdf?sequence=1">quality</a> of children’s education, leads to <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/224034/">educators leaving</a> and then the ability of parents to work (especially women), and businesses to thrive.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="An educator in a sandpit with children and plastic buckets." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520418/original/file-20230412-28-m6601g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520418/original/file-20230412-28-m6601g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520418/original/file-20230412-28-m6601g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520418/original/file-20230412-28-m6601g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520418/original/file-20230412-28-m6601g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520418/original/file-20230412-28-m6601g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520418/original/file-20230412-28-m6601g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Early educators report feeling rushed and stressed in their work.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Our new study</h2>
<p>We wanted to understand what causes educator burnout, with the aim of helping policymakers and governments plan better support for the sector. </p>
<p>To do this, <a href="http://www.iier.org.au/iier33/ng.pdf">we reviewed</a> 39 studies about the drivers of early childhood educator burnout from 13 countries, including Australia. </p>
<p>This type of a study – called a “<a href="https://www.elsevier.com/connect/authors-update/why-systematic-reviews-matter">systematic review</a>” – is a powerful way for researchers to provide a full and clear summary of what we know about a topic. </p>
<h2>What leads to burnout?</h2>
<p>We found educator burnout can be driven by a range of factors.</p>
<p>Certain personal circumstances make an educator more likely to experience burnout. For example, those with lower household income, or those with increased family responsibility report higher feelings of burnout. This category includes those who are single, widowed, divorced or separated.</p>
<p>Younger, less experienced educators were particularly vulnerable to depersonalisation. Male educators were more likely to experience burnout than their female colleagues. </p>
<p>Educators said poor mental health (particularly depression and mental distress) played a crucial role in their burnout. More socially connected educators who are supported by friends, family and/or their faith were less likely to experience burnout.</p>
<h2>How services treat staff matters</h2>
<p>Educators from services where there was little or no focus on wellbeing were more likely to report burnout. </p>
<p>This included services with scarce emotional support strategies – such as being able to debrief with peers, or access counselling or coaching. These services also showed a lack of respect for educators’ work-life balance – such as demanding they do extra <a href="https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-educators-are-slaves-to-the-demands-of-accreditation-167283">unpaid hours</a> or not being flexible about leave for family reasons. </p>
<p>Educators discussed the fatigue caused by “surface acting”, where they had to pretend they were (or were not) experiencing certain emotions to please children, staff and parents. For example, an educator might be feeling exhausted and overwhelmed due to their workload, but they had to pretend to feel energetic and enthusiastic when engaging with children and families.</p>
<p><a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/09/14/accreditation-effects-on-early-childhood-educator-morale/">Poor professional relationships</a> were associated with feelings of stress. This included feeling undermined by parents, teaching children with behavioural challenges, and negative relationships with colleagues and directors.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-a-canadian-program-that-helps-educators-thrive-not-just-survive-could-help-address-australias-childcare-staff-shortage-193954">How a Canadian program that helps educators 'thrive' not just 'survive' could help address Australia's childcare staff shortage</a>
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<h2>Funding and status</h2>
<p>Our research showed educators experienced stress when they had <a href="https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=11840">few resources</a>, but very high expectations to produce “<a href="https://www.iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/article/view/1447/532">quality</a>” learning environments and experiences for children. </p>
<p>Some work was more likely to <a href="https://educationhq.com/news/managerialism-is-driving-the-crisis-in-early-childhood-education-117618/#">cause exhaustion</a>, such as constantly trying to <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/10/25/bound-for-burnout-early-childhood-educators-are-swimming-against-a-gendered-micromanaged-tide/">prove to authorities</a> they were providing a “quality” service by <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1365480216651519">collecting data</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/smile-and-wave-ladies-the-attempts-to-silence-grace-tame-mirrors-the-plight-of-early-childhood-educators/">Inadequate income</a> can push educators to leave their positions. It can also lead to reduced motivation, and increase the number of sick days.</p>
<p>Educators’ feelings of burnout were also linked to a belief they had a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2020.1836583">low status</a> in society. This was more pronounced if they taught younger children, or if they had been working in the sector a long time. </p>
<p>Both groups reported being affected by a lack of professional development and opportunities for promotion.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman reading to a baby." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520417/original/file-20230412-15-r07o9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520417/original/file-20230412-15-r07o9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520417/original/file-20230412-15-r07o9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520417/original/file-20230412-15-r07o9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520417/original/file-20230412-15-r07o9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520417/original/file-20230412-15-r07o9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520417/original/file-20230412-15-r07o9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Educators who taught younger children were more likely to feel like they had a lower status in society.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Lina Kivaka/Pexels</span></span>
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<h2>How can we reduce burnout?</h2>
<p>Our review showed there are some effective ways to improve educators’ wellbeing, prevent burnout and keep them from leaving their jobs. </p>
<p>These include coaching, so educators can get feedback and develop their careers, <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2022/10/27/the-cost-of-what-the-budget-doesnt-address-will-cost-us-all-in-the-long-run/">peer mentoring</a> so they know they are not alone and counselling, so they have an emotional outlet to reflect on their work.</p>
<p>If we want to keep educators in these <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-96977-6_4">vital roles</a> we need to actively support them to stay. </p>
<p><em>The author acknowledges the work of Joanne Ng (lead researcher) and Courtney McNamara for their research on the systematic review.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/202513/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Marg Rogers is a Research Fellow with the Commonwealth-funded Manna Institute that builds place-based research capacity to improve mental health in regional, rural, and remote Australia through the Regional Universities Network (RUN).</span></em></p>Our review explored what leads to early childhood educator burnout in 13 countries, including Australia.Marg Rogers, Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education, University of New EnglandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2037012023-04-13T14:41:56Z2023-04-13T14:41:56ZJunior doctors: why pay isn’t the only reason thousands are striking<p>More than 36,000 junior doctors across England are on strike from April 11-15. This is the second junior doctor strike this year. The key reason for these strikes is pay, with calls to increase <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/when-are-junior-doctors-striking-why-this-could-be-the-worst-nhs-strike-yet-12854292">junior doctor salaries</a> by 35%.</p>
<p>But this isn’t the only reason many junior doctors are striking. The strain of working through COVID-19, increasing demands on health services, and growing numbers of medical and nursing colleagues leaving the NHS are all causing stress and burnout for junior doctors. Many hope these strikes may bring about much-needed improvements to their working conditions and ability to provide quality care to their patients.</p>
<h2>Mounting pressure</h2>
<p>There are almost <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/-/media/documents/workforce-report-2022---full-report_pdf-94540077.pdf">70,000 junior doctors</a> working in the UK, most of them within the NHS.</p>
<p>While many people may assume a junior doctor is an intern or someone still at medical school, this is actually the label given to any doctor in the UK who has completed their basic medical school education and is continuing medical training. </p>
<p>After medical school, doctors undertake two years of foundation training, then continue training in their chosen speciality under the supervision of a consultant doctor for 3-8 years. This means that, in addition to their 4-7 years of medical school, some junior doctors may be practising for ten years or more.</p>
<p>But not only do junior doctors learn from their supervising consultants, they also conduct much of the day-to-day clinical work of in NHS hospitals and other services. They perform the bulk of diagnoses, clinical procedures, and ongoing management of patients.</p>
<p>They also oversee the medical students and foundation doctors in their teams, and are responsible for running clinical services and departments outside core hours, working overnight and on weekends – with their supervising consultants “on call” for emergencies only. </p>
<p>The pressures on NHS services <a href="https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/an-nhs-under-pressure">continue to worsen</a>. Demand for healthcare is rising as the population grows and ages – but staff and bed numbers aren’t keeping pace. Staff shortages in general practice mean an overflow of patients to hospital emergency departments and long waits for admission, as well as <a href="https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/nhs-backlog-data-analysis">lengthy waiting lists</a> for non-emergency treatment. </p>
<p>These pressures make for a heavy, exhausting and constant workload for staff – particularly junior doctors who must juggle patient care with training. </p>
<p>When workload pressures and poor working conditions affect a doctor’s ability to provide good care, they can <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases">suffer from burnout</a>. Burnout happens <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025619619300680">more often in healthcare professionals</a> compared with the general working population because of the emotionally-taxing, high-energy nature of the job. According to figures from 2022, <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/-/media/documents/national-training-survey-summary-report-2022-final_pdf-91826501.pdf">more than 60% of junior doctors</a> in the UK were at risk of suffering burnout. </p>
<p>Burnout is dangerous for both physical and mental wellbeing. <a href="https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/blog/2019/10/nhs-sickness-absence#:%7E:text=Sickness%20absence%20rates%20in%20the,per%20cent%20in%20April%202019.">Sickness absence rates in the NHS</a> are higher than in any other sector of the economy. The most recent NHS staff survey found almost 46% of NHS staff reported feeling unwell in the last 12 months as a <a href="https://www.nhsstaffsurveys.com/static/8c6442c8d92624a830e6656baf633c3f/NHS-Staff-Survey-2022-National-briefing.pdf">result of workplace stress</a>. </p>
<p>Burnout also increases risks of self-harm and suicide. There have been several <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-64333162">recent high-profile cases</a> of NHS junior doctor deaths by suicide directly linked to working conditions. Globally, doctors have the <a href="https://bjgp.org/content/68/669/168">highest rate of suicide</a> compared with any other profession. </p>
<h2>Leaving the NHS</h2>
<p>The immense pressure and burnout that junior doctors experience in the NHS has seen a growing number choosing to leave their roles – either to move overseas to practice medicine, or leaving the profession altogether. </p>
<p>In 2011, 71% of junior doctors stayed in training from foundation year to specialisation. Eight years later, this figure was down to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hsr2.419">only 37%</a>. Poor salary, reduced training opportunities, unmanageable work schedules and the impact of being short-staffed are all behind <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hsr2.419">this trend</a>. </p>
<p>Around <a href="https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10026.1/18640/Drivers-of-international-migration-research-FINAL-REPORT_pdf-88769526%20with%20Infographic.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y">4,800 doctors</a> leave the UK each year to practice medicine overseas – 70% of whom are under 40. Many move to Australia and New Zealand, which last year launched <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/health/2022/10/13/australian-government-launches-billboard-campaign-to-recruit-irish-healthcare-staff/">large-scale recruitment campaigns</a> for healthcare workers in the UK and Ireland, promoting better salaries, working conditions, and quality of life for doctors.</p>
<p>By 2031, it’s estimated that half a million extra healthcare staff will be <a href="https://www.health.org.uk/news-and-comment/news/over-a-million-more-health-and-care-staff-needed-in-the-next-decade">needed by the NHS</a> to meet the rising demand for healthcare. But with staff including junior doctors leaving at such alarming rates due to poor working conditions, burnout and low pay, the <a href="https://wchh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tre.892">NHS will struggle</a> to attract enough recruits from UK and other medical schools to break the <a href="https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/positions/nhs-workforce#:%7E:text=The%20people%20who%20work%20in,demonstrating%20remarkable%20resilience%20and%20commitment">workforce crisis cycle</a>. This in turn will continue to restrict the NHS’s ability to provide safe and efficient healthcare.</p>
<h2>Will striking help?</h2>
<p>In 2010, NHS staff <a href="https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/2017-01/decade-of-austerity-full-web-final.pdf">budgets were tightened</a> under the UK government’s austerity measures, meaning that pay increments for all staff were capped between 1-2% from 2010-2022. But inflation rates since then have been consistently higher than these pay rises.</p>
<p>So, junior doctors’ salaries haven’t increased as fast as the cost of living. In fact, they’ve experienced a <a href="https://www.bma.org.uk/media/6882/bma-ia-juniors-fact-sheet-for-journalists.pdf">26% real-terms pay cut</a> since 2008. Yet in the same period, the pressures on junior doctors – including from COVID-19, higher numbers of sicker patients, and increased workloads – have only been mounting, influencing their decisions as to whether to <a href="https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/blog/2022/09/workload-issues-affecting-gp-trainees-plans-their-future-careers">stay in the NHS</a>.</p>
<p>Increasing pay may be one solution to improve junior doctor retention. This is likely to increase work satisfaction and morale, which would improve wellbeing and protect against burnout. Higher retention and lower burnout is, in turn, likely to significantly improve working conditions across the NHS – not just for junior doctors but <a href="https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/positions/nhs-workforce">all NHS staff</a>.</p>
<p>But at the same time, attention also needs to be placed on making improvements at an organisational level for junior doctors. Basic things such as rest areas and shower facilities, access to food and drink on shift, safe security and car parking, regular breaks and adequate equipment are all <a href="https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/fronting-up-to-the-problems-what-can-be-done-to-improve-the-wellbeing-of-nhs-staff">often missing</a> for junior doctors (and all staff) at work. </p>
<p>Alongside pay, these fundamentals should be prioritised – along with introducing much needed <a href="https://theippo.co.uk/rapid-evidence-review-economic-analysis-nhs-staff-wellbeing-and-poor-mental-health/">system-wide approaches</a> to improve the psychological wellbeing of junior doctors and all NHS staff. </p>
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<p><em>An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that junior doctors in Scotland and Wales were also on strike. This has now been corrected to reflect that only junior doctors in England were striking during this time.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203701/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kate Kirk has been previously by Health Education England (HEE) / NIHR for some of the research underpinning this article. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR, NHS or the UK Department of Health and Social Care.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jennifer Creese has previously been supported by funding from the Health Research Board of Ireland (HRB-EIA-2017) for some of the research underpinning this article.</span></em></p>Junior doctors face immense pressure at work – and a growing number are choosing to leave the NHS as a result of these poor working conditions.Kate Kirk, Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour in Healthcare, University of LeicesterJennifer Creese, Lecturer in the Department of Population Health Sciences, University of LeicesterLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2033102023-04-12T17:37:55Z2023-04-12T17:37:55ZEmployee resilience isn’t the magic bullet solution to adversity that organizations think it is<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520085/original/file-20230410-26-v9516q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=28%2C14%2C4667%2C3435&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Employee resilience has recently become a must-have employee characteristic against the current background of volatility and rapid change in the workplace.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The combination of <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/230220/dq230220d-eng.htm">supply chain issues, rising inflation and labour challenges</a> has had wide-ranging impacts on businesses. In order to deal with these obstacles, many organizations have turned to employee resilience to the weather the storm.</p>
<p>Studies have found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12191">managers respond to business turbulence by emphasizing employee resilience in the workplace</a>. <a href="https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-sources-of-resilience/">Employee resilience</a> is an individual’s ability to adapt to and cope with stressors and challenges in the workplace. The better an individual is at bouncing back from adversity, the more resilient they are.</p>
<p>Employee resilience can be cultivated in two ways. First, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbostick/2022/10/04/recruiting-for-resilience-in-business/?sh=140e7833211e">businesses can recruit for resilience</a> by asking potential employees questions about overcoming obstacles in the interview process. Second, resilience is a skill that can be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12123">shaped through resilience development programs at work</a>. </p>
<p>While employee resilience seems appealing — especially in <a href="https://www.uschamber.com/international/top-6-global-business-trends-to-watch-in-2023">such uncertain and unpredictable times</a> — it isn’t a cure-all for adversity. Rather than being beneficial, the overuse of employee resilience can actually jeopardize an organization’s effectiveness. </p>
<p>My research on employee resilience in the wake of the pandemic reveals three serious issues that orgnizations need to be aware of when it comes to resilience.</p>
<h2>The hurdle of discordance</h2>
<p>The first issue is what I have called the hurdle of discordance. This occurs when employee resilience is presented as a substitute for other important workplace-related outcomes, like well-being.</p>
<p>While employee resilience <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/resilience-training/in-depth/resilience/art-20046311">can help individuals cope with stress and adversity</a>, it cannot heal well-being issues on its own.</p>
<p>Organizations need to ensure resilience isn’t used as a substitute for other types of support by <a href="https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/building-resilience-in-diversity-and-inclusion-programs/">offering employee resilience programs separately from employee well-being interventions</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/commit-to-a-wellness-streak-to-help-manage-work-stressors-174592">Commit to a 'wellness streak' to help manage work stressors</a>
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<p>Employers <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2021.02.037">play an essential role in supporting employee well-being</a>. They should foster employee decision-making, provide social support at work, make sure employees’ voices are heard and listened to, provide well-being resources and offer health management programs. </p>
<p>There is another benefit to doing this: by prioritizing employee well-being, organizations could also end up cultivating employee resilience as a side-effect. Research has found that introducing well-being interventions can actually <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21306">improve employee resilience</a>.</p>
<h2>The hurdle of incompatibility</h2>
<p>Employee resilience has recently become a <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/resilience-must-have-characteristic-todays-ecosystem-rashmita-pradhan/">must-have employee characteristic</a> in our current era of volatility and rapid change. </p>
<p>But there is a dissonance between how organizations <em>expect</em> their employees to react to adversity and how employees <em>actually</em> react to adversity. This is what I have called the hurdle of incompatibility.</p>
<p>In a post-pandemic world, it’s normal for employers to want employees to demonstrate a certain level of resilience at work. The issue arises when there is a gap between expectations and reality. </p>
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<img alt="A man in a white dress shirt and tie pinching the bridge of his nose. He is seated at a desk in front of a computer screen." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520086/original/file-20230410-18-nb9ug0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520086/original/file-20230410-18-nb9ug0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520086/original/file-20230410-18-nb9ug0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520086/original/file-20230410-18-nb9ug0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520086/original/file-20230410-18-nb9ug0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520086/original/file-20230410-18-nb9ug0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520086/original/file-20230410-18-nb9ug0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Employees will react to adversity in different ways. Organizations need to be prepared to meet employees where they are to help them overcome workplace challenges.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<p>Individuals <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0156279">react differently to stressful situations in the workplace</a>. Some employees become fearless and unemotional, while others become volatile and unstable. </p>
<p>Organizations are often not prepared to help employees that don’t react predictably to adversity. When this happens, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jm.2004.04.001">employee turnover</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2021.02.037">incidences of burnout</a> increase and negatively affect the employee-organization relationship. To mitigate this, organizations need to be prepared to meet employees where they’re at.</p>
<h2>The hurdle of glut</h2>
<p>The last hurdle — known as the hurdle of glut — cautions organizations against over-relying on employee resilience. Too much of a good thing can have negative consequences, as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206311410060">one study about management processes demonstrated</a>. </p>
<p>The study found that too much conscientiousness — another desirable trait at work — is negatively related to job performance. The same study also found that too much job enrichment (a source of employee motivation) was negatively related to psychological outcomes, like decreased motivation and increased emotional exhaustion. </p>
<p>Moderation and balance are crucial for ensuring that useful job traits, like resilience, aren’t used to the point of detriment. When resilience is overused, it can lead to what organizational psychology experts Tomas Chamorro-Premuzik and Derek Lusk call <a href="https://hbr.org/2017/08/the-dark-side-of-resilience">the dark side of employee resilience</a>.</p>
<p>An organization that relies excessively on resilience for daily operations <a href="https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/so-we-adapt-whats-the-downside">wastes valuable resources that should be reserved for actual threats</a>. Organizations that spend too much time and energy adapting to challenges that don’t really exist can lead to a decline in an organizations capacity to maintain crucial operations. </p>
<h2>Best practices in employee resilience</h2>
<p>For resilience to be effective, it must be used intelligently. Managers must separate themselves from the discourse around resilience and offer more practical solutions to tackle organizational difficulties. </p>
<p>If employers do want to cultivate resilience in their employees, they need to realize that it’s a learned skill and, like any skill, it must be taught. It’s contradictory for organizations to demand resilience from their employees without teaching it or creating an environment that cultivates resilience.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two women sitting at a desk and having a discussion" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520084/original/file-20230410-22-hmravd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520084/original/file-20230410-22-hmravd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520084/original/file-20230410-22-hmravd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520084/original/file-20230410-22-hmravd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520084/original/file-20230410-22-hmravd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520084/original/file-20230410-22-hmravd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520084/original/file-20230410-22-hmravd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">One way for organizations to play a better, more active role in the resilience process is by implementing one-on-one meetings with employees.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Best practices in employee resilience require organizations to play an active role in the resilience process. Organizations must not only encourage, but also help employees withstand hardship and bounce back from adversity). </p>
<p>As argued by <a href="https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/stop-telling-employees-to-be-resilient/">Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy</a>, <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/672976/big-feelings-by-liz-fosslien-and-mollie-west-duffy">who have written extensively</a> about <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/564051/no-hard-feelings-by-liz-fosslien-and-mollie-west-duffy/9780525533832/">managing emotions at work</a>, using one-on-one meetings, ensuring employees feel emotionally supported and taking the time to reflect on successes with your team are best practices for preparing employees to meet challenges head-on.</p>
<p>Another way organizations can build resilience in their employees is by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2017.08.002">helping them effectively manage stress and anxiety</a>. Encouraging employees to get regular physical exercise, and teaching them relaxation techniques and effective coping mechanisms are all effective ways to decrease stress and build long-term resilience.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203310/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kevin Sevag Kertechian does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>While employee resilience seems appealing — especially in the current uncertain and unpredictable time we are living in — overusing it can actually jeopardize an organization’s effectiveness.Kevin Sevag Kertechian, Associate Professor, School of Management, ESSCA School of ManagementLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2011732023-03-19T19:04:47Z2023-03-19T19:04:47ZThe ‘great resignation’ didn’t happen in Australia, but the ‘great burnout’ did<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514574/original/file-20230309-20-lxz6u2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6016%2C4014&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">pexels/tara winstead</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>You’ve probably heard about the “<a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/01/us-workers-jobs-quit/">great resignation</a>” which saw large numbers of people resigning from their jobs in the US in 2021 and 2022. </p>
<p>We didn’t see resignations over and above what is normal in Australia. However, we did see workers resisting the post-COVID return to the office. </p>
<p>To better understand these trends, we conducted a <a href="http://www.work-futures.org/publications">study</a> of 1,400 employed Australians in 2022 to see how they were faring two years after the start of the pandemic.</p>
<p>And the answer is: not great.</p>
<p>Australian workers are in poorer physical and mental health since the pandemic across all ages and stages. And prime-aged workers – those between 25 and 55 – are reporting the greatest burn-out. </p>
<p>Some 50% of prime-aged workers in our survey feel exhausted at work. About 40% reported feeling less motivated about their work than pre-pandemic, and 33% found it more difficult to concentrate at work because of responsibilities outside of work.</p>
<p>They also see fewer opportunities for advancement than older workers and are more likely to feel like they don’t have enough time at work to do everything they need to do.</p>
<p>It’s perhaps no surprise 33% of this prime-aged workforce is thinking about quitting. These workers may be showing up to their jobs but they are definitely burnt out. They are the “<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/2022-in-review/the-year-in-quiet-quitting">quiet quitters</a>” and they are sounding the alarm bell. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/extinguished-and-anguished-what-is-burnout-and-what-can-we-do-about-it-90452">Extinguished and anguished: what is burnout and what can we do about it?</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<h2>Why are workers burnt out?</h2>
<p>The pandemic, particularly lockdowns, took a significant toll on the mental health of the Australian workforce. Although we’ve been desperately waiting for life to return to “normal”, pandemic-related disruptions remain.</p>
<p>Our previous research during the pandemic showed <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2378023120947997">women</a> and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1097184X21990737">parents</a> were particularly vulnerable. We found <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1097184X21990737">mothers</a> stepped into the added childcare and housework driven by pandemic lockdowns. We discovered fathers also did more <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gwao.12497">housework and child care</a> over the first year of the pandemic. </p>
<p>The consequence of all of this added work was <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-forced-australian-fathers-to-do-more-at-home-but-at-the-same-cost-mothers-have-long-endured-154834">poorer mental health</a> – worse sleep, less calm, more anxiety. </p>
<p>We also showed this <a href="https://opal.latrobe.edu.au/articles/report/The_worsening_of_Australian_women_s_experiences_under_COVID-19_a_crisis_for_Victoria_s_future/13565480">intensified</a> women’s economic precarity, leading to reduced contributions to superannuation and fear of jobs being lost without the skills to re-enter employment. </p>
<p>Women are increasingly <a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-women-are-largely-doing-the-same-jobs-theyve-always-had-latest-data-shows-195014#:%7E:text=We%20believe%20in%20the%20free%20flow%20of%20information&text=Women%20are%20participating%20in%20the,from%2032%25%20to%2042%25.">concentrated</a> in industries such as nursing, childcare workers and primary school teachers, all of which were particularly impacted by the pandemic. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gwao.12563">Young prime-aged women</a> were particularly impacted during the early period of the pandemic and lockdowns. </p>
<p>The pandemic was unforeseen, severe and detrimental to our working lives. Many Australia workplaces and workers continue to be impacted as the pandemic continues. Higher numbers of workers are taking <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/hours-worked-fall-more-people-sick-or-leave">sick leave</a>, which may in part be driven by exhaustion and other COVID-related reasons. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514576/original/file-20230309-27-ak0c82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Mother and child on their devices next to eachother" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514576/original/file-20230309-27-ak0c82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514576/original/file-20230309-27-ak0c82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514576/original/file-20230309-27-ak0c82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514576/original/file-20230309-27-ak0c82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514576/original/file-20230309-27-ak0c82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514576/original/file-20230309-27-ak0c82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514576/original/file-20230309-27-ak0c82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Women took on more of the housework and care burden during the pandemic.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">pexels/kampus production</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Where do we go from here?</h2>
<p>Australian workers in our survey have some clear solutions. They found access to flexible work particularly valuable for their working lives. In our <a href="http://www.work-futures.org/publications">study</a>, we found flexible workers had more energy for their work and a greater motivation to do their jobs. They reported more time to complete their tasks.</p>
<p>Around 40% of all flexible workers reported feeling more productive since the start of the pandemic, compared to around 30% of non-flexible workers.</p>
<p>And 75% of workers under the age of 54 reported that a lack of flexible work options in their workplace would motivate them to leave or look for another job.</p>
<p>Flexible work is working for many in the Australian workforce. Australian employers would do well to identify ways to expand its reach to a larger segment of the workforce or risk suppressed productivity and loss of their workers.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/were-all-exhausted-but-are-you-experiencing-burnout-heres-what-to-look-out-for-164393">We're all exhausted but are you experiencing burnout? Here's what to look out for</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>2 important take-aways</h2>
<p>As we rush to return to pre-pandemic “normal”, our report identifies two critical points.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The Australian workforce is burnt-out and exhausted. We need to acknowledge the trauma of the pandemic is lingering and identify clear solutions to support this exhausted, fatigued and overexerted workforce.</p></li>
<li><p>We must understand pre-pandemic ways of working didn’t work for many. It especially didn’t work for mothers. It didn’t work for caregivers. It didn’t work for people living with chronic illness. It didn’t work for groups vulnerable to discrimination at work. It didn’t work for people forced to commute long distances. So, going “back to normal” means continued disadvantage for these groups.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>This means creating new ways of working, including flexible work, is essential to ensuring the Australian workforce has the energy for tomorrow and the next major challenge we will face.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/are-you-burnt-out-at-work-ask-yourself-these-4-questions-118128">Are you burnt out at work? Ask yourself these 4 questions</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201173/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Leah Ruppanner receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Brendan Churchill receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>David Bissell receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>Workers in Australia didn’t resign from their jobs in the wake of COVID, but they did burn out. A new survey found some solutions.Leah Ruppanner, Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of The Future of Work Lab, The University of MelbourneBrendan Churchill, ARC Senior Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Sociology, The University of MelbourneDavid Bissell, Professor of Human Geography, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2007402023-03-13T19:55:30Z2023-03-13T19:55:30ZThe rise of the irate customer: Post-pandemic rudeness, and the importance of rediscovering patience<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513829/original/file-20230306-16-2zfru3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=155%2C8%2C5021%2C3415&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Toxic customers are causing customer service employees to reach their breaking point.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Freepik/DCStudio)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you find yourself being more impatient than ever before when interacting with people in customer service roles — or if you’ve noticed other people having a shorter fuse and snapping more quickly — you’re not alone. </p>
<p><a href="https://hbr.org/2022/11/the-emotional-toll-of-frontline-labor">Recent news stories</a> have shed light on how <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/01/business/customer-service-pandemic-rage.html">toxic customers</a> are causing employees to reach their breaking point. The resulting epidemic of “<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/quiet-quitting-worker-disengagement-1.6560226">quiet quitting</a>” and resignations is further fuelled by a post-pandemic <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-not-just-that-canadian-restaurant-workers-have-left-many-have-yet-to-arrive-178593">labour shortage in the service/hospitality industry</a>. </p>
<p>The shortage of staff perpetuates this cycle of frustration, with remaining employees experiencing the further impatience and uncontrolled emotional reactions of customers. How can we break this unhealthy cycle?</p>
<p>Understanding the underlying causes of our decreased patience, and why our emotions are heightened, is essential. </p>
<h2>Perpetuating a cycle of frustration</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="photo man at a cafe speaking angrily to a waiter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514729/original/file-20230310-797-6e6geh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514729/original/file-20230310-797-6e6geh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514729/original/file-20230310-797-6e6geh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514729/original/file-20230310-797-6e6geh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514729/original/file-20230310-797-6e6geh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514729/original/file-20230310-797-6e6geh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514729/original/file-20230310-797-6e6geh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Decreased patience and increased emotionality are real problems for service-based organizations and employees.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>First, as a society, the pace of change and the speed with which we get information and answers has rapidly increased. We want everything faster: answers, service and our problems to be solved. This ultimately sets up challenging, and sometimes unrealistic, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2019/12/09/16-ways-to-handle-a-client-who-has-unrealistic-expectations/?sh=7f5bbc56192b">expectations for those who are trying to serve us</a>.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the widespread transition to remote work during the pandemic resulted in reduced face-to-face interaction. And with a decrease in this time spent with our fellow humans, it has likely been <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042435">more difficult to develop empathy and patience</a>. Too much <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/07/03/the-negatives-of-digital-life/">screen time</a> may have caused “keyboard courage” to bleed into our day-to-day conversations, leaving us more abrupt and <a href="https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/anti-empathy-machine">even rude in our communications.</a></p>
<p>Another cause of heightened emotions is the overall challenges people in the world are facing, including polarization, war, the underlying stress of inflation, supply chain issues or looming economic uncertainty. All of these factors are pushing people to their limits and resulting in an <a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/01/special-burnout-stress">increase in burnout</a>, frustration, and impatience in their interactions with others. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/news/20220310/americans-report-overwhelming-stress-poll">Uncertainty breeds stress</a>, and both are at <a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/06/news-pandemic-stress-decision-making">all-time high levels</a>, as evidenced by the American Psychological Association <a href="https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2021/october-decision-making">2021 Stress in America Survey</a> and more recent <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/394025/world-unhappier-stressed-ever.aspx">Gallup polls</a>.</p>
<h2>Stress and burnout</h2>
<p>The field of <a href="https://www.csiop-scpio.ca/">industrial-organizational psychology</a> seeks to apply psychological concepts and theories to the workplace to enhance the well-being of employees, leaders and organizations. As industrial-organizational researchers working in applied settings, we strive to bring best practices to the workplace. </p>
<p>When it comes to this topic of heightened emotions, and decreased patience and tolerance of customer service post-pandemic, we know that a greater understanding and awareness are key to better mitigating our behaviours and their impact.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman with her hands on her hips and a paper bag over her head with an angry face drawn on it" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514730/original/file-20230310-449-8sjocj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514730/original/file-20230310-449-8sjocj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514730/original/file-20230310-449-8sjocj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514730/original/file-20230310-449-8sjocj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514730/original/file-20230310-449-8sjocj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514730/original/file-20230310-449-8sjocj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514730/original/file-20230310-449-8sjocj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Too much screen time may have caused ‘keyboard courage’ to bleed into our day-to-day conversations, leaving us more abrupt and even rude in our communications.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Decreased patience and increased emotionality are real problems for service-based organizations and employees, along with the quiet quitting, “great resignation” and ensuing shortage of talent they fuel. The impact on those who remain in customer service roles is harmful, increasing their stress and <a href="https://www.consulting.ca/news/2889/nearly-4-in-10-workers-reporting-increased-burnout">potential for burnout</a> due to increased work demands. </p>
<p>Impatient, rude and abrupt behaviour is not only exhausting but unsustainable for workers’ emotional health and well-being. It’s also been found that when employees suppress their emotions and are forced to engage with complaining customers, this is related to <a href="https://doi.org/10.2486/indhealth.2016-0069">an increase in depression and anxiety symptoms</a>.</p>
<p>Employees feel that they are <a href="https://hbr.org/2022/11/frontline-work-when-everyone-is-angry">punching bags</a> for customers’ anxieties and frustrations, which has been found to <a href="https://thebftonline.com/2022/08/08/thats-rude-effects-of-customer-incivility-on-front-line-employee-performance/">affect employees’ internal self-worth</a>. And what’s worse is that employees believe that bad behaviour from customers is now a much more <a href="https://hbr.org/2022/11/frontline-work-when-everyone-is-angry">common occurrence</a>. </p>
<p>A poll conducted by <a href="https://www.instituteofcustomerservice.com/employees-facing-increased-customer-hostility-as-lockdown-eases/">The Institute of Customer Service</a> of 1,000 customer service workers and 1,000 members of the public, found that half of the employees in customer service industries experienced increased hostility from customers during the early onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is particularly problematic, as according to <a href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/468173/workplace-findings-leaders-need-navigate-year.aspx">Gallup’s Trends that Leaders Need to Navigate in 2023</a>, quiet quitting in the workplace ultimately threatens customer retention. </p>
<h2>Implications for businesses</h2>
<p>The implications of this are severe. Not only are business owners struggling to find employees to fill these roles, but customer service employees are <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/20/1016081936/low-pay-no-benefits-rude-customers-restaurant-workers-quit-at-record-rate">refusing to re-enter the workplace</a>. This lack of service workers further feeds into supply chain issues, an increase in rising costs of products, and general fear and uncertainty. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Angry woman speaking on a smart phone" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514731/original/file-20230310-20-gwypth.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514731/original/file-20230310-20-gwypth.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514731/original/file-20230310-20-gwypth.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514731/original/file-20230310-20-gwypth.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514731/original/file-20230310-20-gwypth.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514731/original/file-20230310-20-gwypth.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514731/original/file-20230310-20-gwypth.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Employees feel that they are punching bags for customers’ anxieties and frustrations.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In another survey analyzing the <a href="https://www.thehrdirector.com/how-to-survive-the-new-era-of-the-great-resignation-in-customer-service/">state of health and well-being</a> of contact centre employees, research indicated that 96 per cent of employees felt acute stress on a weekly basis. Employees do not feel like they are being treated with the <a href="https://time.com/6099906/rude-customers-pandemic/">respect and dignity that they deserve</a>, and the toll is too much for them.</p>
<p>Although it seems that these toxic customer behaviours are here to stay, this trajectory is reversible. This new pattern of behaviour must change, otherwise, we risk not having a customer service industry. In this chicken-or-egg situation, customers need more compassion and empathy for employees, while employees must recognize that customers may be lashing out for reasons outside of their scope.</p>
<h2>Here are some practical strategies to consider:</h2>
<p>Reversing this important trend requires first looking at our own behaviours as customers and how we may be inadvertently contributing to this problem. Where can we soften our approaches, and in turn, positively influence others around us? </p>
<p>1) Take the challenge of smiling at the person (for example, a cashier, teller or server), asking how they are doing and genuinely making a human connection with them.</p>
<p>2) When you feel impatient or frustrated, put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Taking a moment to pause, breathe and give them the benefit of the doubt. Most customer service people want to help you, but they are likely dealing with high pressure and a lack of resources and support. Kindness towards them goes a long way.</p>
<p>3) Lastly, think about how you would want to be treated. Consider the implications of how your words will impact not only this employee’s day, but perhaps their feelings of self-worth. Ask yourself if what you’re about to say will have a positive or negative impact, and whether you can potentially bring some hope and optimism into this person’s day.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/200740/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Decreased patience and heightened emotions have created a cycle of frustration, with rude customers having abrupt interactions with stressed out service workers.Laura Hambley, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of CalgaryMadeline Springle, MSc student in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, University of CalgaryLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1981922023-01-24T16:25:03Z2023-01-24T16:25:03ZJacinda Ardern resignation has people wondering when to quit – but that’s the wrong way to think about burnout<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/506131/original/file-20230124-20-x2f473.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=327%2C237%2C5136%2C3399&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/brussels-belgium-25th-january-2019-zealands-1294621507">Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Jacinda Ardern’s resignation as New Zealand prime minister has sparked discussions about burnout and when is the “right time” to leave a job. Some have written <a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/quickfire/2023/01/jacinda-ardern-resign-political-leaders">admiringly</a> about Ardern’s decision to leave, saying she is being kind to herself and not overstaying her welcome – in contrast to many other world leaders.</p>
<p>One of the youngest holders of public office, Ardern had become an international symbol for how to integrate work and personal life. She famously <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/25/jacinda-ardern-makes-history-with-baby-neve-at-un-general-assembly">held her infant daughter</a> while addressing the UN general assembly. But now this narrative is marking her departure with misogynistic headlines such as <a href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/bbc-faces-backlash-over-staggeringly-sexist-jacinda-ardern-headline-160541842.html">“Can women really have it all?”</a>.</p>
<p>This attitude suggests that Ardern didn’t know her limits, and maybe bit off more than she could chew. This is part of a larger misrepresentation of the phenomenon of burnout, which equates it with the need for people to take better care of themselves. Even Arden herself may have inadvertently reinforced this focus on the individual aspect of burnout with her parting words, urging people to “be strong, and be kind”.</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Quarter life, a series by The Conversation" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption"></span>
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<p><em><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/quarter-life-117947?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">This article is part of Quarter Life</a></strong>, a series about issues affecting those of us in our twenties and thirties. From the challenges of beginning a career and taking care of our mental health, to the excitement of starting a family, adopting a pet or just making friends as an adult. The articles in this series explore the questions and bring answers as we navigate this turbulent period of life.</em></p>
<p><em>You may be interested in:</em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-about-quiet-quitting-heres-why-and-how-you-should-talk-to-your-boss-instead-189499?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Thinking about quiet quitting? Here’s why – and how – you should talk to your boss instead</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-philosophy-behind-the-japanese-art-form-of-kintsugi-can-help-us-navigate-failure-193487?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">How the philosophy behind the Japanese art form of kintsugi can help us navigate failure</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-disagree-without-making-enemies-in-the-age-of-the-pandemic-tips-from-a-psychologist-187826?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">How to disagree without making enemies in the age of the pandemic – tips from a psychologist</a></em></p>
<hr>
<p>Many people (<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213058614000084">especially healthcare professionals</a>) wear burnout like a badge of honour. Burnout is evidence that they have worked hard, putting everything into their job. </p>
<p>But in her resignation speech, Ardern said she “no longer had enough in the tank” to continue, suggesting that she felt continuing in the job was unsustainable. This is a necessary reminder that burnout starts with the work environment. Instead of asking why Ardern could not continue in her post, we should be asking what factors in her job contributed to her feeling this way. </p>
<p>The world is full of people like Ardern who would love to leave their jobs but can’t, due to their <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001879120301160?casa_token=1aI0XI4vCyUAAAAA:UoJTyp3-6Dh5Z4vQvHMIH5tOh7PZl1-ErsQtS0s26qRu1Yq_8h2jKkqehZhMhBPkC5i3pcdD">economic and social circumstances</a>. As a prime minister, Ardern would have had many resources at her disposal. If even someone in her position can reach this point, it’s clear we need to be thinking more about how organisations treat people – not what people themselves can do to avoid getting burnout.</p>
<h2>Recognising burnout</h2>
<p>According to the <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases">World Health Organization</a>, burnout is characterised by three elements, which can reinforce each other and create a <a href="https://www.theburnoutchallenge.com/">vicious cycle</a>: </p>
<ul>
<li>I feel continuously exhausted;</li>
<li>I feel more cynical about my work;</li>
<li>I feel less capable about my performance at work.</li>
</ul>
<p>If you are experiencing these feelings, remember that burnout is not an individual failing but is driven and maintained by <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l4774.long">working conditions</a>. </p>
<p>There is no doubt that individual level “solutions” (yoga, therapy, mindfulness, leaving your job) can offer some respite, but they will do nothing to address the organisational elements driving burnout. More importantly, they reinforce the dangerous narrative that employees simply need to be more resilient.</p>
<p>Much of today’s working culture rewards going the extra mile, often at personal cost. This mindset is particularly dangerous for new and younger employees, who want to prove their worth through overwork. </p>
<p>Some may feel they are expendable if they fail to perform, and that there are others waiting in the wings to replace them. This helps explain why people wait until it’s too late before a quitting a job that is <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0267837031000149919?casa_token=NQLwYDQty90AAAAA:bU3HdjPMl0A6yDO0AnU9iFeIn00NmnysdAqCh51GGdyIKrsKeMVoXuWk3iDpqMwXTDk7xrP9gQ">toxic and bad for their health</a>. It’s important to avoid becoming a martyr to your job, whereby you continuously ruminate about what you need to do to perform better, and hope that your sacrifices will be appropriately rewarded.</p>
<p>If you are stretched to your limits, take a look at how your workplace functions generally. If overwork is the organisational norm, you are likely not the only person suffering from burnout.</p>
<h2>Preventing burnout</h2>
<p>There are strong economic arguments for employers to address burnout. <a href="https://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/CMS/Portals/0/IPPO%20NHS%20Staff%20Wellbeing%20report_LO160622-1849.pdf">Evidence shows</a> that poor staff health and wellbeing in the NHS is costly, with estimates in excess of £12 billion per year. Improvements in staff mental health could lead to initial savings of up to £1 billion per year.</p>
<p>Successfully <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-017-9867-9_4">addressing burnout is all about prevention, not intervention</a>. But each industry has different demands – there is no one size fits all solution. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A bunch of unused matches arranged in diagonal, parallel lines on a blue background, with one match completely scorched" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505911/original/file-20230123-25-ewoq4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505911/original/file-20230123-25-ewoq4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505911/original/file-20230123-25-ewoq4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505911/original/file-20230123-25-ewoq4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505911/original/file-20230123-25-ewoq4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505911/original/file-20230123-25-ewoq4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505911/original/file-20230123-25-ewoq4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Thinking of burnout as an individual-level responsibility is missing the bigger picture.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/burnout-syndrome-exhaustion-concept-matches-one-1869767392">Vitalii Vodolazskyi / Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A career is a marathon, not a sprint. You need to know about the conditions of the race, not just your personal fitness. We approach jobs wanting to know what the rewards and perks are, but we should be more interested in how employers will treat us if we break down.</p>
<p>Take an audit of how much your employer understands (or actually cares) about what is really driving burnout. Find out whether your organisation (or future employer) has a detailed plan on how to support your wellbeing. This should include when you are doing well, and when you are suffering due to the demands of your job.</p>
<p>Burnout <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00284/full?fbclid=IwAR2a7Cpq9sEcWK6z-Pv7QZzox3fUAp5vsLo_fLTKzMKEfAOEn_1s-1K28uQ">can be related to</a> feelings of anxiety and depression – find out whether your employer offers support for these issues, or resources if you need to seek outside help. </p>
<p>Ultimately, the best way to know if an organisation is equipped to prevent burnout is the degree to which it acknowledges and supports you with the unavoidable demands of your job, makes you feel competent about yourself as an employee, and encourages meaningful relationships and collaborations between colleagues.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/198192/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anthony Montgomery does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Burnout prevention needs to start with the organisation, not the employee.Anthony Montgomery, Professor in Occupational & Organisational Psychology, Northumbria University, NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1956092022-12-27T09:06:19Z2022-12-27T09:06:19ZHoliday burnout: why it happens – and three research-proven ways to help you recover<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499265/original/file-20221206-11-jc80ii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=53%2C0%2C6000%2C3979&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The constant stress of the holidays can leave some people feeling burnt-out when they're over.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/frustrated-depressive-sad-sick-woman-pajamas-2071286675">Ilona Kozhevnikova/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Although Christmas only lasts a few days each year, many of us spend months planning for it. But as enjoyable as all the parties and festivities might be, many people find they feel a bit burnt-out once the holidays have come and gone. This feeling has even been termed “festive burnout” or “holiday burnout”. Here’s why this happens – and what you can do to recover after the holidays are over. </p>
<p>Many of us are exposed to numerous stressors over a very short period of time throughout the holiday season – whether it’s queuing for presents, sitting in traffic on the way to visit friends or family, worrying about money or even the stress of seeing family.</p>
<p>As soon as your brain perceives a stressor, it ignites your sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body’s “fight or flight” reaction. It does this to prepare your body to stay alert and get you through a stressful situation.</p>
<p>When the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1959222/">sympathetic nervous system is activated</a>, the body produces adrenaline and begins working harder – with more blood being pumped through the heart, the lungs increasing their air intake, and eyesight and hearing being enhanced. You may experience these changes as feeling more sweaty or having a pounding chest.</p>
<p>But as we face up against repeated stressors during the holidays, this can lead to lasting changes within the body systems connected to this stress response – ultimately leaving you feeling <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15622975.2021.1907713">burnt-out</a>.</p>
<p>Specifically, it can make the sympathetic nervous system more prone to activation and dampen the effects of the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps your body balance out stress responses. Add to that the increased production of cortisol, a hormone essential in controlling your energy levels, and you may find it difficult to sleep at night, become irritated for no reason, or feel over-excited and <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2015/431725/">unable to relax</a>.</p>
<p>At the same time, when your cortisol activation lasts too long because of a cascade of small stressful events leading up to Christmas, your body may start producing lower daily cortisol levels, leaving it <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022399914003833?casa_token=GKQSTWzDEF0AAAAA:DuT_SjZHSRAqoqwHQCY5GAs0mJa7yu6DCt8m0EayulFcKNqBv4sURW0RmoWExbhMseJO0WsjY16p">feeling drained</a>. Eventually, the constant activation of the sympathetic nervous system inhibits your body’s ability to recover from stress and feel energised throughout the day, contributing to feelings of festive burnout. </p>
<p>If you’re finding you feel burnt-out after the holidays, here are a few things you can do to feel better and recover.</p>
<h2>1. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-005-3889-4">Reminiscence</a></h2>
<p>One way to reduce the negative impact of stress is to experience <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1693418/pdf/15347528.pdf?inf_contact_key=9944754ba1372fa9ce5ee1421d8427bc">positive emotions</a>. Reminiscing can also help you get a <a href="https://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/bitstream/handle/document/22355/ssoar-timesoc-2008-1-drake_et_al-time_perspective_and_correlates_of.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y&lnkname=ssoar-timesoc-2008-1-drake_et_al-time_perspective_and_correlates_of.pdf">new perspective</a> on your experiences, which helps you see your life in a more balanced way.</p>
<p>You can do this activity on your own or, better yet, with your loved ones. Reminisce about the good times using prompts such as photographs. Discuss them with family and friends. If you’re on your own, close your eyes and think about your memories carefully, or write them down. The more effort you put into this activity, the better your results. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A couple smile while looking at something on a smartphone." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499267/original/file-20221206-12-5p722p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499267/original/file-20221206-12-5p722p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499267/original/file-20221206-12-5p722p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499267/original/file-20221206-12-5p722p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499267/original/file-20221206-12-5p722p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499267/original/file-20221206-12-5p722p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499267/original/file-20221206-12-5p722p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Remembering happy memories may help you get over burnout.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cheerful-couple-using-mobile-phone-home-1765856462">Tijana Simic/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Trying to re-experience the positive emotions you had during the holiday season will help <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-017-0093">remind your body</a> what it feels like to feel good. </p>
<h2>2. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8455907/">Listen to music</a></h2>
<p>If you find it difficult to relax, have difficulty sleeping or feel tired even after sleeping for many hours following the holiday season, try bringing more music into your life. This is especially important <a href="https://cjmt-rcm.musictherapy.ca/index.php/cjmt-rcm/article/view/28">before you go to sleep</a>. Music is associated with <a href="https://meridian.allenpress.com/jmhc/article-abstract/25/3/204/83168/Using-Music-Therapy-Techniques-to-Treat-Teacher">stress reduction</a>, and reducing stress will help ease symptoms of burnout.</p>
<p>It can be any music you like, so long as it does actually <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02044/full">make you feel better</a>. It you want to maximise the positive effect of music, listen to it throughout the day or try <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0197455612001104">dancing to it</a> – either on your own or with loved ones. </p>
<h2>3. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17439760902992365">Anticipate a good day</a></h2>
<p>For the next week, before going to bed, try to vividly imagine four positive events that could happen to you the next day. They might be as simple as receiving a text from someone you care about, going for a walk, or doing one of your favourite things.</p>
<p>Try to use all your senses when imagining this – then as soon as you are ready, go to bed. This technique will help you get a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17439760902992365">good night’s sleep</a> – and sleep is important for helping you to rebuild all your depleted resources and recover from burnout after the festive season.</p>
<p>Although Christmas can certainly be a stressful time for many of us, remembering why we choose to celebrate with friends and family can help us to overcome any stress and burnout that we may now be experiencing.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/195609/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Justin Laiti receives funding from the U.S. Fulbright Program and the RCSI. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jolanta Burke does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Remembering why we choose to celebrate with friends and family can help us overcome any stress we may now be experiencing.Jolanta Burke, Senior Lecturer, Centre for Positive Psychology and Health, RCSI University of Medicine and Health SciencesJustin Laiti, Fulbright/StAR PhD Student, Centre for Positive Psychology and Health, RCSI University of Medicine and Health SciencesLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1965782022-12-19T06:04:17Z2022-12-19T06:04:17ZWhat is burnout and how to prevent it in the workplace – insights from a clinical psychologist<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500970/original/file-20221214-503-u73s9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">FG Trade/GettyImages</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As the year begins, managing our stress levels is one thing we should all keep in mind as we move forward.</p>
<p>The definition of stress is the bodily, psychological, and social-spiritual reaction to a demand or stressor. The stressor could be a deficiency (like unemployment), a danger to one’s physical or mental health, or a deadline at work. A certain amount of stress is necessary for performance and is even pleasurable at times, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5915631/">according to</a> Hans Seyle, the “father” of stress research. </p>
<p>As social beings at our core, humans rely on others to organise both our internal and external environments. Although we cannot survive without interpersonal relationships, engaging with others in high-stress situations (such as lengthy patient care) can be emotionally draining and lead to the onset of stress symptoms. As with everything human, too much stress or the wrong kind of stress can suppress the immune system, leading to illness and discomfort.</p>
<p>Burnout is a vague term and can be communicated in a variety of ways, usually as being more complicated and harmful than stress. The scientific literature <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1997-09146-011">defines it as a</a> combination of emotional weariness, depersonalisation and reduced functioning. </p>
<p>Depersonalisation is the state of feeling disconnected from oneself, as though one were viewing oneself from the outside. Cynicism, a loss of empathy, as well as harsh and insensitive behaviour, may occur due to this. </p>
<p>There is little doubt that stress and burnout are related experiences. But it’s crucial to focus on the distinctions between them. Stress is tied to pressures that people face on a daily basis, and may also be beneficial. Burnout and stress begin to overlap when stress becomes protracted and chronic, causing distress and negative effects. But burnout distinguishes itself from stress in significant ways.</p>
<p>In a work context, some of the clear warning signs that someone may be close to or experiencing burnout – or a level of distress that is beyond that of stress – is when they begin to doubt their self-competence. Despite being capable, a burnout staff member may progressively feel inadequate or ineffective. The fatigue reported may be described as an inner depletion or of being completely worn out and overextended. Furthermore, this usually caring and considerate person may display a lack of concern towards others, or an out of character “I don’t care” attitude. </p>
<p>It should come as no surprise that employees in human services – including those in healthcare, mental health, and correctional services – frequently experience burnout. Exhaustion, a lack of empathy, and doubting one’s self-competence are just a few symptoms that can result from long-term, unrelieved exposure to other people’s problems and toxic, unfavourable work settings.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/its-like-being-in-a-warzone-aande-nurses-open-up-about-the-emotional-cost-of-working-on-the-nhs-frontline-194197">'It's like being in a warzone' – A&E nurses open up about the emotional cost of working on the NHS frontline</a>
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<p>The effects of burnout can have an impact on the person who experiences it as well as others in their environment. Consider instances in which there are acts of frustration, where a door gets slammed shut or kicked. Burnout may be accompanied by unhealthy interpersonal relationships at work and at home.</p>
<h2>Stress, burnout and the meaning of life</h2>
<p>Although it is typically thought of as a psychological process, burnout is more complex than that. Despite the fact that some people experience higher levels of stress than others, their stress is less likely to lead to burnout because they are more frequently connected with what is significant in their lives. </p>
<p>Some opinions on burnout neglect the primal human quest for significance in life. A meaningful existence involves having strong social ties, positive pride in our complicated identities rooted in “where we are from,” feeling purposeful, and the conviction of living a life that matters.</p>
<p>One of the major issues facing modern civilisation right now is loneliness and isolation, which naturally frustrates desires for authentic connection and meaning. Belonging and interpersonal connections are key components of meaning both inside and outside of the workplace. </p>
<p>In modern times, people frequently transfer their desire for significance and purpose into their professional lives. Some people may yearn to see that their labour has significance beyond its purely economic usefulness. How their service or product “fits” with societal needs and wants is something they are interested in. Employees may be motivated by knowing that someone depends on and benefits from their contributions at work. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1467-8551.12056">According to research</a>, even in situations of extreme professional stress, the perceived meaning of the work may prevent burnout.</p>
<h2>Preventing burnout</h2>
<p>There are a variety of self-help and community tools, as well as advice, available for the prevention of burnout. I recall the stress management workshops I used to facilitate. Understanding how the body-mind is constructed to withstand stress and being able to manage stress are enlightening and crucial to mental health care. </p>
<p>For instance, parental burnout – where a new parent feels unable to continue carrying out basic tasks like bathing small children or doing the dishes – can happen. And so, aiding a stressed-out mother in obtaining social support will allow her to take the required “me-time” and break from the constant demands for nurturing. This will protect both the mother’s sanity and the children’s wellbeing.</p>
<p>In my practice as a psychologist, over and above the application of stress reduction techniques, I deem it important that time is set aside to consider and take action on systemic and personal alignment with purpose and values. Contemplating whether our personal and work lives are worth living is itself a stress reduction exercise. </p>
<p>Regular intimacy with our higher values is nurturing, boosts our vitality and make us feel part of some interwoven meaning frame. Alternately, creating a home or work environment where modest acts of kindness, generosity, and helpfulness are frequently displayed might prevent the build up of chronic stress and anxiety.</p>
<p>Therefore, unless actions are taken to make work a place where employees can engage meaningfully with their duties, even the best workplace stress management programmes won’t be able to lower the risks of burnout. Employers may need to understand the advantages of attempting to create a strong network of secure interactions among employees in the company. </p>
<p>For employees to feel heard, recognised, and valued, it would be necessary to foster a genuine sense of belonging through the deliberate nurturing of social cohesion, and the strategic advancement of the paradoxes of sameness, unity and diversity. Creativity at work thrives in a setting of socio-spiritual visibility and safety. A tranquil and secure work or home environment is the cornerstone for the prevention and control of stress and burnout.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/196578/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shahieda Jansen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Though some people experience higher levels of stress than others, they may be less likely to burnout because they are more frequently connected with what is significant in their lives.Shahieda Jansen, Clinical Psychologist and Acting Regional Director, University of South AfricaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1904892022-11-17T20:40:01Z2022-11-17T20:40:01Z5 ways to create a compassionate workplace culture and help workers recover from burnout<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495481/original/file-20221115-23-xns9l3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=112%2C0%2C3147%2C1471&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Creating a compassionate workplace culture involves acknowledging people's challenges,
even related to apparently small matters, in professionally appropriate ways. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/5-ways-to-create-a-compassionate-workplace-culture-and--help-workers-recover-from-burnout" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>We live in tumultuous times which can create an added layer of uncertainty for employees who need to build relationships with students, patients or clients. Providing calm, confident and warm <a href="https://www.edcan.ca/articles/teacher-emotional-well-being/">emotional labour</a> can be difficult for people experiencing burnout, grief or compassion fatigue. </p>
<p>I have been studying the <a href="https://doi.org/10.18848/2156-8960/CGP/v13i01/31-55">impact of compassion fatigue and burnout</a>, as well as the nature of emotional labour, in educational settings. </p>
<p>Workplace culture has emerged as a critical element to prevent burnout and support employees experiencing emotional distress.</p>
<p>Organizations that promote a sense of <a href="https://doi.org/10.2189/asqu.51.1.59">collective compassion</a> — by supporting noticing, feeling and acting on the suffering of others at the workplace — may see improvements in both <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199734610.013.0021">employee performance and job satisfaction</a>. </p>
<h2>Compassionate work culture</h2>
<p>The emotions of sympathy, empathy and compassion play an important role in developing a compassionate work culture, by helping us pay attention, in professionally appropriate ways, to the suffering of our students, patients, clients, colleagues, managers and leaders. </p>
<p>Sympathy — the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0269216316663499">superficial recognition of the distress of another individual</a> — is the first step towards developing a compassionate workplace. It helps us notice the suffering of others. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://cmha.ca/empathy-a-skill-you-can-learn/">emotion of empathy</a> compels us to take the time and attention to investigate and understand the response of the individual in distress. Compassion is noticing, <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/pspi0000010">feeling and then acting on the suffering of others</a>. </p>
<p>Workers’ acknowledgement and response to these emotions vary according to their professional duties and boundaries. But compassionate action can make the difference at the workplace, whether through small moments of kind interpersonal interaction or sustained collective effort to address complex and multifaceted challenges. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A figure seen with arrows pointing to a cloud or a heart." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495457/original/file-20221115-12-mtcg5a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495457/original/file-20221115-12-mtcg5a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495457/original/file-20221115-12-mtcg5a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495457/original/file-20221115-12-mtcg5a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495457/original/file-20221115-12-mtcg5a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495457/original/file-20221115-12-mtcg5a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495457/original/file-20221115-12-mtcg5a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Sympathy helps us notice the suffering of another human being.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<h2>Responding to co-workers</h2>
<p>An example of how these emotions help to create a compassionate workplace would be the familiar case of a person struggling with a new software program, such as an expense reporting system. </p>
<p>A sympathetic response by a colleague would be to notice that a co-worker is spending too much time inputting their expenses into the management system, and to say, “The new system is tricky! Good luck!” and then walk away.</p>
<p>Empathy would prompt the colleague to seek to understand what the co-worker was already doing (rather than jumping in with an immediate solution) so that the colleague can figure out the origin of the frustration. Empathetic listening takes time.</p>
<p>Having felt similarly frustrated, the colleague may feel compassion and feel compelled to act by scheduling time during the next reporting period to sit with and help the co-worker complete their expense submission. If, through empathetic listening and compassionate action, further action is warranted, the colleague may offer to raise the problem as a larger systemic issue related to software training with management.</p>
<h2>Compassion in action</h2>
<p>Building an organizational culture that encourages compassion requires employers and employees to create time and space for listening. The <a href="https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma">cause of a person’s distress</a>, whether displayed in the workplace or not, can be complex, multi-faceted and not easily solved.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.academia.edu/19886190/Figley_C_R_1995_Compassion_Fatigue_Toward_a_New_Understanding_of_the_Costs_of_Caring">Compassion satisfaction</a>, or the joy and pleasure of providing care to others, provides the caregiver with the long-term fortitude to help others. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/commit-to-a-wellness-streak-to-help-manage-work-stressors-174592">Commit to a 'wellness streak' to help manage work stressors</a>
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<p>While compassion is <a href="https://www.drshanesinclair.com/blog/sympathy-empathy-and-compassion">not itself limited or easily extinguished</a>, acting on it can be slowed or stopped by burnout or compassion fatigue. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A heart made of lego has some of the pieces flying away." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495464/original/file-20221115-13-url2je.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495464/original/file-20221115-13-url2je.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495464/original/file-20221115-13-url2je.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495464/original/file-20221115-13-url2je.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495464/original/file-20221115-13-url2je.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495464/original/file-20221115-13-url2je.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495464/original/file-20221115-13-url2je.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Acting on compassion is interrupted when people are living with compassion fatigue or burnout.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<h2>Moral distress</h2>
<p>The symptoms of compassion fatigue include <a href="https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351030021">a changed worldview to negative, helplessness, hopelessness and disassociation from the individual in distress</a>. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/job.4030020205">main symptoms of burnout</a> are physical fatigue, mental and emotional exhaustion, feeling unacknowledged or unimportant and viewing the people one serves and one’s colleagues with apathy or a lack of care. </p>
<p>These symptoms can hinder a compassionate individual from acting on their emotions, creating <a href="https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=ruCrBwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA246&dq=burnout,+compassion+fatigue,+and+moral+distress&ots=J9JcX_tkIl&sig=pOhCGRdLWz4IHh19W_Ww1ZjtqEU&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=burnout%2C%20compassion%20fatigue%2C%20and%20moral%20distress&f=false">moral distress</a> for employees who want to be helpful, but do not have the time, energy or fortitude to act on their sympathy. </p>
<p><strong>Employers can ignite sympathy, empathy and compassion by:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li><p>Encouraging rest for fatigued or burned-out workers. Rest is not only related to following a <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/sleep">healthy sleep schedule</a>. It also includes actions like choosing a hard stop time for answering emails or thinking about clients’ needs each day, using allotted personal days, de-stigmatizing personal leaves for mentally or emotionally exhausted employees and having a judgement-free return to work plan. </p></li>
<li><p>Educating employees and managers about how to access organizational and local resources, such as benefits plans, crisis hotlines and mental health clinics. Rarely are individuals equipped — nor should they be — to take on the emotional and mental work of healing people who have experienced traumatic events, so knowing where help is provided can lighten the workers’ and leaders’ role. </p></li>
<li><p>Ensuring that leaders (both formal and informal) model the importance of rest by scheduling, <em>and taking</em>, breaks throughout the workday. A break could be a ten-minute solo walk around the workplace or an energizing breakfast with colleagues in the local coffee shop. </p></li>
<li><p>Managing the valuable resource — employee and manager time — thoughtfully. Every organization likely has busier and slower times in the day, week or year. Consider how your organization regards time, as <a href="https://ijoh.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijoh/article/view/130">workload is strongly related to employee burnout</a>. For example, in schools, September and June are extremely busy as the year ramps up and slows down. Avoiding implementing new innovations at this time can help educational workers focus on building strong relationships with students and colleagues.</p></li>
<li><p>Supporting work check-in practices that provide options for leaders and employees to self-reflect on their own <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2019.07.001">mental and emotional states of mind</a>. Such reflection can include asking oneself: “Am I compelled to look away or <em>act</em>?” Are leaders or employees able to shift focus <em>from</em> hopeless worry about all the suffering they can’t relieve <em>to</em> hopeful impact by doing what they can do for each other? </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Meanwhile, if resting, taking daily breaks and investigating and accessing workplace benefits and other resources do not help with recovery from compassion fatigue or burnout, consider a longer leave of absence <a href="https://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/effective-successfull-happy-academic/what-to-do-when-you-feel-just-done/">or investigate other career, job</a> or workplace options. </p>
<p>The embers of sympathy, empathy and compassion are not extinguished by compassion fatigue or burnout, but they may be temporarily muffled by stress and circumstance. These emotions can be re-ignited through finding daily actions that can support a compassionate workplace culture.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/190489/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Astrid H. Kendrick receives funding from SSHRC, is a member of the Board of Directors for PHE Canada, and is the Co-Chair of the Heath Promoting Schools Collaborative for southern Alberta. </span></em></p>It’s important that employers and employees understand sympathy, empathy and compassion, and consider these emotions’ roles in both job performance and employee relations.Astrid H. Kendrick, Director, Field Experience (Community-Based), Werklund School of Education, University of CalgaryLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1941742022-11-16T19:04:12Z2022-11-16T19:04:12ZJunior staff are finding better contracts, senior staff are burning out: the arts are losing the war for talent<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495223/original/file-20221115-22-huku2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=26%2C0%2C3514%2C1534&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">National Museum of Warsaw</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>In 1997, consulting firm McKinsey & Company coined the term “<a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/34512/war-talent">the war for talent</a>” to define increasing labour shortages that had significant potential to impact organisational performance. </p>
<p>The war for talent significantly impacted corporations at the time, creating a scarcity mindset and encouraging a wave of employee-focussed initiatives designed to attract and retain staff. </p>
<p>For the most part, the arts and cultural sector have been sheltered from the war for talent over past decades. Global growth in creative oriented higher education coupled with the “<a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2016/04/26/book-review-be-creative-making-a-living-in-the-new-culture-industries-by-angela-mcrobbie/">romance of being creative</a>” has led to a steady stream of workers willing to enter the sector on low pay. </p>
<p>However, in 2022 things have changed.</p>
<p>Faced with labour shortages, arts and cultural organisations increasingly find it challenging to operate. In 2021, it was reported screen productions in Australia were <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-24/high-demand-creates-film-skill-shortage/100479392">being jeopardised</a> due to lack of technical skills. </p>
<p>Now, summer festivals are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/nov/07/will-australias-festivals-survive-a-wet-chaotic-expensive-summer">struggling to find</a> frontline workers, including security, stage crew, ticketing and transport. </p>
<p>It’s not just entry-level positions that remain empty. </p>
<p>After <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/may/11/australias-culture-of-ideas-suffers-when-we-starve-our-creative-institutions-of-funding">a decade</a> of funding cuts and policy neglect, followed by the stresses induced by COVID-19, I am observing arts leaders leaving to find secure, better paid and sustainable work elsewhere. </p>
<p>In Australia’s increasingly tight labour market, the arts are finally facing a war for talent. </p>
<h2>A culture of burnout</h2>
<p>If we consider the role of the “arts manager”, it becomes easy to recognise why arts leaders are abandoning the industry.</p>
<p>Arts leaders do not just support the creation of art. They are marketers, customer service specialists, supply chain and logistics experts, grant writers, human resources managers and – increasingly – risk managers. </p>
<p>They are trying to bring back audiences post-COVID while juggling a contentious funding landscape that balances the need for revenue with audience, staff and artist <a href="https://overland.org.au/2021/09/the-arts-in-australia-need-to-break-up-with-fossil-fuels/">expectations</a> arts organisations do not partner with corporations that fail to align with organisational values. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495217/original/file-20221114-18-huku2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=14%2C0%2C4884%2C3266&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="An empty office" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495217/original/file-20221114-18-huku2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=14%2C0%2C4884%2C3266&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495217/original/file-20221114-18-huku2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495217/original/file-20221114-18-huku2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495217/original/file-20221114-18-huku2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495217/original/file-20221114-18-huku2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495217/original/file-20221114-18-huku2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495217/original/file-20221114-18-huku2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Staff are increasingly burnt out.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Annie Spratt/Unsplash</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>I am increasingly seeing young people leaving arts jobs for opportunities that recognise their skills and provide secure, better paid work. Art workers are highly valuable in today’s economy where creativity and innovation are seen as <a href="https://australiacouncil.gov.au/news/speeches-and-opinions/creative-skills-in-times-of-crisis-how-the-arts-can-help/">keys to success</a>.</p>
<p>This lack of younger workers increases the workloads of senior staff, causing them to be burnt out and leave the sector, too.</p>
<p>Staff shortages jeopardise the sector’s ability to get back on its feet after the brutal impact of COVID-19. Those that remain in our arts companies are exhausted, left trying to rebuild programs and audiences with fewer resources. </p>
<p>While “<a href="https://theconversation.com/quiet-quitting-why-doing-less-at-work-could-be-good-for-you-and-your-employer-188617">quiet quitting</a>” gets media airtime, others in the sector are asking arts workers to embrace the mantra of “<a href="https://larsenkeys.com.au/2022/09/26/post-covid-or-post-burnout-less-is-necessary/">less is necessary</a>”.</p>
<p>Individuals need to take action to address their wellbeing. Still, it is also necessary to consider the systems and structures that underpin our arts organisations and how they impact workers. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/quiet-quitting-why-doing-less-at-work-could-be-good-for-you-and-your-employer-188617">Quiet quitting: why doing less at work could be good for you – and your employer</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Structural issues</h2>
<p>One way to address the war for talent is to increase the labour supply. </p>
<p>Higher education providers who develop creative talent are lobbying for more resources to expand programs and are pushing for changes to the Job Ready graduate scheme that <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-inequity-of-job-ready-graduates-for-students-must-be-brought-to-a-quick-end-heres-how-183808">imposes higher costs</a> on arts and humanities graduates. </p>
<p>The latest <a href="https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=14754">Graduate Outcome Survey</a> shows that the employment outcomes of creative arts and arts and humanities graduates have increased over 20% since 2019. The high rates of graduate employability aligns with Australia’s historically low unemployment rate, but also demonstrates the value creative skills now hold in the broader economy. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-inequity-of-job-ready-graduates-for-students-must-be-brought-to-a-quick-end-heres-how-183808">The inequity of Job-ready Graduates for students must be brought to a quick end. Here's how</a>
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<p>What these positive statistics do not tell us, however, is the working conditions of those employed. </p>
<p>The arts are the original gig economy. Of the over 80% of arts and humanities graduates employed six months after graduation, how many earn a living wage? How many work in the arts? How many recent creative arts graduates are juggling multiple short-term contracts simultaneously to build skills, grow networks and cope with cost of living increases? </p>
<p>As Australia’s labour market tightens, arts workers are realising they can take their skills to better paid jobs with secure contracts, in fields such as health, technology and management consulting. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495220/original/file-20221114-19-3w8mbe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A staff meeting" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495220/original/file-20221114-19-3w8mbe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495220/original/file-20221114-19-3w8mbe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495220/original/file-20221114-19-3w8mbe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495220/original/file-20221114-19-3w8mbe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495220/original/file-20221114-19-3w8mbe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495220/original/file-20221114-19-3w8mbe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495220/original/file-20221114-19-3w8mbe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Arts workers are finding their skills are in demand in other industries.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jason Goodman/Unsplash</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Unless arts organisations respond by providing similar security and career paths, the departure of talented workers will only continue. </p>
<p>This loss of staff will not only impact the ability of organisations to operate today, but will also influence the make-up of arts organisations in the future. </p>
<p>When only those who can afford to work under precarious conditions remain, the ability of the sector to attract and retain leaders from diverse communities <a href="https://www.artshub.com.au/news/features/how-do-we-stop-losing-artists-from-the-sector-2578669/">decreases</a>. </p>
<h2>Decent work</h2>
<p>Arts leaders eagerly await the launch of a new <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-national-cultural-policy-is-an-opportunity-for-a-radical-rethinking-of-the-importance-of-culture-in-australia-188720">National Cultural Policy</a>, hoping for significant change in how the arts are valued. </p>
<p>Yet arts organisations need to also get their own house in order. </p>
<p>Sustainable arts careers mean <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-crisis-of-a-career-in-culture-why-sustaining-a-livelihood-in-the-arts-is-so-hard-171732">decent work</a>. This means structural changes in how arts workers are employed, a shift away from the reliance on volunteers and <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/why-is-a-major-sydney-arts-festival-working-with-google-to-offer-an-unpaid-internship-20220516-p5als1.html">incorrect appointment of unpaid interns</a>, low-wage casual or fixed-term roles to more secure and fairly paid employment. </p>
<p>Many in the sector are championing change. The National Association for the Visual Arts is campaigning to <a href="https://visualarts.net.au/news-opinion/2022/recognise-artists-workers/">recognise artists as workers</a>, highlighting the need for an award to support this group that often falls under the industrial relations radar. The music sector has made similar calls for minimum wages for artists, <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/paying-musicians-a-minimum-wage-would-kill-live-music-tote-owner-20220923-p5bkgw.html">yet face critics</a>. </p>
<p>The pandemic showed us how important the arts are to our lives. For the arts to continue to play a vital role in our national identity and represent our diverse communities, the sector must be funded appropriately. </p>
<p>It is also essential organisations create safe, secure and viable jobs for arts workers. </p>
<p>If the industry can only exist by systematically exploiting workers, then the war for talent will be lost. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/tony-burkes-double-ministry-of-arts-and-industrial-relations-could-be-just-what-the-arts-sector-needs-183623">Tony Burke's double ministry of arts and industrial relations could be just what the arts sector needs</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194174/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kim Goodwin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>For a long time, arts organisations retained staff attracted to the ‘romance of being creative’. That’s no longer enough.Kim Goodwin, Lecturer, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1942362022-11-10T22:26:20Z2022-11-10T22:26:20ZOntario education strike fallout: Workers’ anger about economic inequalities and labour precarity could spark wider job action<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494506/original/file-20221109-11077-oeqabb.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=111%2C190%2C2830%2C3116&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">CUPE members and supporters join a demonstration outside the office of Parm Gill, Member of Provincial Parliament for the riding of Milton, Ont., on Nov. 4, 2022. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Labour strife in Canada <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63503334">grabbed international attention</a> after the Ontario government passed a law that made an education workers’ strike <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2022/11/03/ontario-legislation-imposing-contract-on-education-workers-set-to-pass-today.html">illegal</a> and set fines for striking workers, invoking a clause in Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms that allowed it to bypass constitutional challenges.</p>
<p>After the 55,000 workers went on strike anyway, with multiple labour unions and some of the public <a href="https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/with-several-schools-closed-during-cupe-strike-some-parents-are-scrambling-to-find-child-care-while-supporting-striking-education-workers">rallying against the move</a>, the government has since <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-lecce-education-contract-negotiations-1.6644075">promised to repeal</a> the legislation, ending the walkout.</p>
<p>But these events may mark what is likely just the beginning of pronounced resistance <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/education-unions-concern-notwithstanding-clause-1.6641575">from education workers over upcoming months</a>.</p>
<h2>Previous unsettled bargaining</h2>
<p>The effects of previous bargaining in 2019 in Ontario left many in the education sector unsettled. </p>
<p>Throughout the pandemic, media coverage has largely focused on student outcomes — with concerns over social isolation, <a href="https://www.camh.ca/en/camh-news-and-stories/majority-of-ontario-students-surveyed-report-feeling-depressed--about-the-future-because-of-covid-19">mental health</a> and students <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/students-falling-behind-pandemic-1.6014355">falling behind academically</a> — and rightly so. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/mike-harriss-common-sense-attack-on-ontario-schools-is-back-and-so-are-teachers-strikes-130190">Mike Harris’s 'common sense' attack on Ontario schools is back — and so are teachers' strikes</a>
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<p>However, over the past few years, education workers have themselves faced similar challenges with pandemic fatigue, limited government support <a href="https://theconversation.com/4-steps-to-teacher-recovery-from-compassion-fatigue-and-burnout-during-covid-19-and-beyond-151407">and occupational burnout</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://abacusdata.ca/ford-education-workers-november-2022/">Public opinion</a> appears <a href="https://www.cp24.com/news/poll-finds-6-in-10-ontarians-blame-ford-government-for-education-workers-job-action-1.6141215">to be on the side of educators</a>: Six in 10 Ontarians “blamed the Ford government for the ongoing labour disruption involving tens of thousands of education workers that … forced schools to close for in-person learning,” according to an Abacus Data poll conducted Nov. 4 and 5.</p>
<p>This most recent strife may well represent the feelings of those in the middle <a href="https://www.macleans.ca/longforms/the-working-class-has-had-enough/">or working classes today</a> who are also angry about effects of social austerity. These <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-ontario-can-recover-from-doug-fords-covid-19-governance-disaster-159783">have come into sharp focus through the pandemic</a>, especially in health care and long-term care for seniors.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1587240753306210308"}"></div></p>
<h2>Anger about insecurity and its effects</h2>
<p>Anger relates to <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2004/09/113782">workers’ economic insecurity</a>. According to economist Guy Standing, those who lack employment protections are increasingly frustrated by the lack of opportunity, <a href="https://www.hse.ru/data/2013/01/28/1304836059/Standing.%20The_Precariat__The_New_Dangerous_Class__-Bloomsbury_USA(2011).pdf">employment security, as well as the promise of social mobility</a>. </p>
<p>In my own research with unemployed and underemployed teachers in Ontario, many described their overall feelings towards work and employment experiences negatively. This includes the inability to <a href="https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/cjeap/article/view/43150">secure employment and expectations about unpaid work</a>, as well as feeling a lack of community, supports and career progression. </p>
<p>Teachers of course are only one group of education workers. There are thousands of early childhood educators, education assistants, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/school-caretakers-custodian-cupe-strike-1.6640986">custodial staff and others</a> who are <a href="https://theconversation.com/precarious-employment-in-education-impacts-workers-families-and-students-115766">employed precariously in the field of education.</a></p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/children-across-canada-deserve-a-professional-early-childhood-education-workforce-181124">Children across Canada deserve a professional early childhood education workforce</a>
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<p>This isn’t limited to workers in schools. Precarious forms of employment have increasingly been the norm for labourers <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-rich-helped-create-2016s-angry-populism-57710">across sectors, while the division between the “haves” and the “have nots” widens</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="People seen in fog with picket signs." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494507/original/file-20221109-16873-o5zngv.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494507/original/file-20221109-16873-o5zngv.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494507/original/file-20221109-16873-o5zngv.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494507/original/file-20221109-16873-o5zngv.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494507/original/file-20221109-16873-o5zngv.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494507/original/file-20221109-16873-o5zngv.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494507/original/file-20221109-16873-o5zngv.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Education workers seen at a demonstration in Milton, Ont., on Nov. 4, 2022.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Falling behind?</h2>
<p>Concerns <a href="https://pepso.ca/documents/pepso-glb-final-lores_2018-06-18_r4-for-website.pdf">about “falling behind” are also front and centre</a> for many workers at this time. </p>
<p>Inflation is a pressing issue for citizens and families. Workers often not only contend with rising prices for goods and services, but in a context of historic under-investment in public services, they also often feel as <a href="https://theconversation.com/an-economist-explains-what-you-need-to-know-about-inflation-188959">though inflation is even more pronounced than the numbers suggest</a>. </p>
<p>For education workers in the province, this has been compounded by public sector wage ceilings largely imposed in 2019. </p>
<p>Ontario’s wage cap bill (Bill 124) remains a <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/bill-124-court-challenge-ontario-1.6579655">controversial and perhaps unconstitutional law, and is currently under a court challenge</a>. </p>
<p>Similarly, the use of the Charter’s <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-ford-cupe-notwithstanding-canadian-unions/">notwithstanding clause</a> by the Ontario government demonstrated another potential misuse of <a href="https://theconversation.com/ontario-school-strike-governments-use-of-the-notwithstanding-clause-again-is-an-assault-on-labour-relations-193824?">power — again seeking to push workers further backwards</a>. </p>
<h2>Privatization agenda</h2>
<p>Many are also concerned that the Ford government’s pandemic policies have accelerated a pre-pandemic privatization agenda. For example, in the spring of 2021, the province revealed it was considering <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/permanent-online-school-1.5964008">making virtual school an option beyond the pandemic</a>.</p>
<p>Education researcher Paul Bocking notes that <a href="https://tvo.me/tvo-partners-with-ministry-of-education-to-launch-the-ontario-online-course-preview/">Ontario’s introduction of e-learning courses through TVO/TFO</a> serves to make these courses more marketable for international revenue. </p>
<p>Heavy-handed labour negotiations in this context serves to further alienate workers and voters from the political centre. </p>
<p>Indeed, it could also potentially fuel more extreme <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/08969205211063131">forms of populism</a>.</p>
<h2>Pandemic fatigue</h2>
<p>Years of COVID-19 and public health measures, including masking, lockdowns and vaccination campaigns, appear to have <a href="https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/2xvbr">left citizens exhausted</a>.</p>
<p>The so-called freedom convoy that descended upon Canada’s Parliament Hill in Ottawa earlier this year demonstrated the outright <a href="https://theconversation.com/freedom-convoy-protesters-anger-is-misdirected-176969">anger of citizens</a>, both those who <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/29/world/americas/canada-trucker-protest.html">oppose vaccine mandates</a> as well as <a href="https://www.blogto.com/city/2022/02/angry-ontario-man-asks-freedom-convoy-truckers-go-speak-doug-ford/">those impacted by the protests</a>.</p>
<h2>Burnout leading to resistance</h2>
<p>Additionally, educator burnout has been a serious issue across Canada. American media have also reported education workers quitting in droves, <a href="https://fortune.com/2022/06/15/teachers-burnout-workers-quitting-great-resignation/">typically citing burnout</a>, low pay and lack of support as the primary drivers of <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2022-america-teachers-great-resignation/?leadSource=uverify%20wall">quitting extremely demanding jobs</a>. </p>
<p>The pandemic experience was, <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-educational-assistants-make-it-possible-for-children-to-learn-for-that/">overall, a negative one</a> for education workers. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-largely-female-teaching-force-is-standing-up-for-public-education-130633">A largely female teaching force is standing up for public education</a>
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</em>
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<p>It should come as no surprise then, when workers feel emotions <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/support-staff-feeling-anxious-1.6304194">such as burnout, fatigue and disrespect</a>, they may begin to resist the imposition <a href="https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2022/11/03/doug-ford-is-turning-public-education-into-a-combat-zone.html">of further unreasonable demands placed upon them and their work</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A person with a sign that says 'we won't work for peanuts.'" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494510/original/file-20221109-11121-bui6fr.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494510/original/file-20221109-11121-bui6fr.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494510/original/file-20221109-11121-bui6fr.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494510/original/file-20221109-11121-bui6fr.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494510/original/file-20221109-11121-bui6fr.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494510/original/file-20221109-11121-bui6fr.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494510/original/file-20221109-11121-bui6fr.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Education workers strike on the picket line in Kingston, Ont., Nov. 4, 2022.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A better future?</h2>
<p>Examining current labour strife in Ontario provides us with a glimpse of what the future might entail. </p>
<p>Issues impacting education workers are <a href="https://policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/no-safe-harbour">the same</a> as those impacting most workers today — including precarious forms of employment that leave workers economically insecure, emotionally frustrated and angry.</p>
<p>Collective action and solidarity — whether through a formalized labour group or not — remains the best way to improve the economic lives of all workers. </p>
<p>Could this look like <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/9079265/union-power-organizing-efforts-starbucks-labour-movement/">more unionization drives</a> across various sectors? A recent American study found that being unionized “throughout one’s career is associated with a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00197939221129261">$1.3 million mean increase in lifetime earnings</a>” — more than a post-secondary degree. </p>
<p>As Standing notes:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“There has been a systematic dismantlement of institutions and mechanisms of social solidarity time-honoured zones of empathy, in which ethics and standards of conduct are passed from one generation to another. Such institutions <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-commentary/a-new-class-canada-neglects-the-precariat-at-its-peril/article24944758">stand against the market, protecting their members</a>.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Education workers appear to be on the front lines of the continued <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780199283262.001.0001">struggle against neoliberalism</a> and forms of privatization and <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-inequality-is-growing-in-the-us-and-around-the-world-191642">extreme economic inequalities</a> witnessed across the globe. </p>
<p>Perhaps workers have finally had enough, and will continue to stand their ground until their voices are heard.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194236/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michael Mindzak does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Frustration about unsettled bargaining that predates the pandemic could get channelled into pronounced resistance from educational workers during the coming months.Michael Mindzak, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, Brock UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1927402022-10-20T21:38:28Z2022-10-20T21:38:28ZBurnout and isolation: Why employees and managers can’t ignore the social and mental health impact of working from home<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490917/original/file-20221020-20-55pft3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=213%2C44%2C4699%2C3226&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The pandemic made many people more aware of the impossibility of severing work from life.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/burnout-and-isolation--why-employees-and-managers-can-t-ignore-the-social-and-mental-health-impact-of-working-from-home" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred on a variety of workplace maladies, including “<a href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/351545/great-resignation-really-great-discontent.aspx">the great resignation</a>,” “<a href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/398306/quiet-quitting-real.aspx">quiet quitting</a>,” “<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/two-jobs-pandemic-1.6577522">overemployment</a>,” <a href="https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/subjects-start/labour_/labour-shortage-trends-canada">labour shortages</a> and conflicts between managers and employees over <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2022/02/16/covid-19-pandemic-continues-to-reshape-work-in-america/">returning to in-person work</a>. </p>
<p>Employee burnout and well-being may be at the heart of several of these issues. </p>
<p>Two new studies highlight the importance of social connection in the workplace and illustrate why working from home may not be the optimal workplace arrangement. Hybrid work-from-home schedules may help prevent burnout and improve mental health.</p>
<h2>So, what is burnout?</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en#/http://id.who.int/icd/entity/129180281">International Classification of Diseases</a> describes burnout as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” </p>
<p>As a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/karlynborysenko/2019/05/29/burnout-is-now-an-officially-diagnosable-condition-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-it/?sh=54b94c62b99b">diagnosable condition</a>, burnout consists of three symptoms: </p>
<ol>
<li>physical exhaustion, </li>
<li>disengagement with work and colleagues, and </li>
<li>cynicism for one’s job and career. </li>
</ol>
<p>For many who have experienced burnout, it can feel just like the metaphor that describes it: something akin to a burnt-up shriveled match stick, cold to the touch. </p>
<h2>What causes burnout and how can it be stopped?</h2>
<p>According to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/edwardsegal/2022/10/15/surveys-show-burnout-is-an-international-crisis/?sh=7d4422ed7cf7">global research</a>, approximately 50 per cent of employees and 53 per cent of managers are burnt out in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Workplaces are clearly not thriving. </p>
<p>As a social epidemiologist studying contemporary emotional distress within the context of public health crises, I’ve been keen to understand what factors contribute to burnout and how it can be successfully managed — particularly given the ongoing challenges created by COVID-19. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A row of matches with red tips, with one burnt up match" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490930/original/file-20221020-24-zk0f61.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490930/original/file-20221020-24-zk0f61.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490930/original/file-20221020-24-zk0f61.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490930/original/file-20221020-24-zk0f61.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490930/original/file-20221020-24-zk0f61.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490930/original/file-20221020-24-zk0f61.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490930/original/file-20221020-24-zk0f61.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Burnout can feel just like the euphemism that describes it: something akin to a burnt-up shriveled match stick.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>You might think researchers would know everything there is to know about burnout at this point. After all, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1176/ps.29.4.233">burnout has been studied</a> since at least the late 1970s. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28903843/">Many of the studies conducted since</a> then have focused on workplace conditions, such as pay, hours, management styles and the nebulous “workplace culture.” </p>
<p>As such, management of burnout has often focused on reshaping work environments and reforming bad managers. While these are of course necessary, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/1348-9585.12360">it’s not immediately clear that they’re enough</a>. </p>
<p>With the emergence of the pandemic, many people have new levels of awareness of the impossibility of severing work from life. For some, that awareness comes from how tired they are when they get home from a shift. For others working from home, it may come from the disappearing divide between home and office. </p>
<p>In any case, our emotional and psychological well-being is with us whether we’re at work or at home. As such, it makes sense that we take a holistic view of burnout. Social connection is a key driver of burnout.</p>
<h2>The social costs and benefits of working from home</h2>
<p>In a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/1348-9585.12360">recent study</a> by my lab at Simon Fraser University, we sought to identify the most important risk factors for burnout. We looked at a range of variables, including the classic factors of workload, satisfaction with pay, dignity in the workplace, control over one’s work, and pay adequacy, as well as more novel variables such as home ownership, an array of demographic factors, social support and loneliness.</p>
<p>In conducting this study, we found that loneliness and lack of social support come out as leading contributors to burnout, perhaps just as important — if not moreso — than physical health and financial security. In summary, the study contributes to a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/09/opinion/burnout-friends-isolation.html">growing understanding</a> of burnout as a social problem driven by isolation. </p>
<p>One potential and evolving source of isolation is the emerging trend of working from home. As many people have had the privilege to learn, there are many benefits of working from home. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/15/pet-time-and-power-naps-working-from-home-during-the-covid-crisis">It enables people to save time on their commutes and have more freedom to get chores done around the house or take a quick nap on their breaks</a>. This means they have more time and energy for friends and family at the end of the day. </p>
<p>On the other hand, <a href="https://hbr.org/2021/03/remote-workers-need-small-talk-too">working from home means losing out on those water cooler conversations and casual collisions with coworkers</a> — which have a <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2120668119#sec-2">surprisingly profound</a> impact on well-being. Furthermore, considering <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/11/friends-relationships-work-productivity-career/">how important workplaces and schools are for finding and building friendships</a>, a loss of these spaces could have serious long-term consequences for people’s social health — especially if the time spent with others at work is now spent at home alone.</p>
<h2>The importance of social connection to health and happiness</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Three people having a discussion while gathered around a laptop" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490934/original/file-20221020-13-hip9f8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490934/original/file-20221020-13-hip9f8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490934/original/file-20221020-13-hip9f8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490934/original/file-20221020-13-hip9f8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490934/original/file-20221020-13-hip9f8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490934/original/file-20221020-13-hip9f8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490934/original/file-20221020-13-hip9f8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Research highlighted the importance of social connection to workplace well-being.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Pexels/Kampus Production)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>To understand the impacts of working from home on mental health, my team conducted a <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811588">second study</a> to look at differences in self-rated mental health across individuals who work only from home, only in person, or who worked partially in-person and partially at home. We controlled for potentially important factors such as income, hours of work, occupation, age, gender, and ethnicity.</p>
<p>Our results showed that 54 per cent of those who worked only in person and 63 per cent of those who worked only at home reported good or excellent mental health. From these results, you might conclude that working from home is best for mental health — a finding contrary to a <a href="https://www.uprightpose.com/the-health-dilemma-of-the-work-from-home-era/">growing number of studies that highlight the disadvantages and challenges of working from home</a>. </p>
<p>However, there’s a catch: a whopping 87 per cent of those who reported a hybrid work arrangement — meaning they worked partially in-person and partially at home — had good or excellent mental health. </p>
<p>While the type of work done at home and in-person certainly shapes these trends, our findings nevertheless point to the possibility that hybrid work might give employees the best of both worlds — especially within the context of our first study, which highlighted the importance of social connection to workplace well-being. Indeed, hybrid work arrangements may allow employees to maintain those positive connections with colleagues while also providing a better balance between work and life. It really may be the best of both worlds — at least for those who can work this way.</p>
<p>As employees and employers continue to adapt to the new normal in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, our research provides a strong reminder for us to all remember the importance of social connection. It’s all too easy to forget that <a href="http://ccare.stanford.edu/press_posts/good-social-relationships-are-the-most-consistent-predictor-of-a-happy-life/">strong social relationships and communities are the foundation of health and happiness</a> within and outside the workplace.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/192740/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kiffer George Card receives funding from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Canadian Research Coordinating Committee, Michael Smith Health Research BC, and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. He is affiliated with Simon Fraser University’s Faculty of Health Sciences, The Pacific Institute on Pathogens, Pandemics and Society, The Institute for Social Connection, The Community-based Research Centre, the GenWell Project, The Island Sexual Health Society, and the Mental Health and Climate Change Alliance.
</span></em></p>Two new studies highlight the importance of social connection in the workplace and illustrate why working from home may not be the optimal workplace arrangement.Kiffer George Card, Assistant Professor in Health Sciences, Simon Fraser UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1905122022-10-11T14:26:49Z2022-10-11T14:26:49ZHow many work projects are too many? Here’s why you should tell your boss to stop at five<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/488618/original/file-20221006-20-w7baag.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=69%2C57%2C7624%2C5075&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Too many projects.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/women-men-office-being-tired-frustrated-388613971">Kzenon / Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Working across several projects is the norm for most jobs these days. In fact, more than <a href="https://hbr.org/2018/09/research-when-employees-work-on-multiple-teams-good-bosses-can-have-ripple-effects">80% of employees</a> juggle multiple work projects at once, according to recent research. </p>
<p>Such arrangements are <a href="https://rebelsguidetopm.com/project-management-statistics/">pervasive</a>, with 59% of employees working on between two and five projects, 11% on six to ten projects, and 15% on more than ten at a time. The rationale behind allocating employees to multiple projects is often billed as increasing productivity, but it’s simply a way to save time, money and resources for firms.</p>
<p>So are these working practices actually beneficial for firms, not to mention employees and the projects they work on? In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, as we continue to debate excessive work demands, career pressures and job satisfaction (you’ve almost certainly heard about the phenomenon of “<a href="https://theconversation.com/quiet-quitting-why-doing-less-at-work-could-be-good-for-you-and-your-employer-188617">quiet quitting</a>”, when employees do the bare minimum to stay on the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-62638908">payroll</a>) this is an important issue to discuss.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/quiet-quitting-why-doing-less-at-work-could-be-good-for-you-and-your-employer-188617">Quiet quitting: why doing less at work could be good for you – and your employer</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>And in fact, our <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/smj.3443">new research</a> shows that working on too many projects actually harms performance and is not beneficial for employees, projects or firms. We came to this conclusion after collaborating with a world-leading hydraulic pump manufacturer that has around 20,000 employees in more than 50 countries. </p>
<p>We looked at detailed records of this company’s projects, including monthly key performance indicators (or targets), employee responsibilities and time allocation information. Next, we studied the company’s human resource records and other work registries to gather additional information on its employees. The people we studied varied in rank, experience, gender, role and location. With the use of statistical modelling, we discovered why and how you can reach the optimum workload when assigned to multiple projects.</p>
<h2>Five-project limit</h2>
<p>After observing hundreds of employees at this large multinational over several years, we found that juggling more than five simultaneous projects can be detrimental to meeting project deadlines. But working on less than five projects can prevent people from achieving maximum productivity.</p>
<p>When working on fewer projects, there is more chance that time will be lost in being idle. For example, if other team members do not deliver their input on time, you can switch over to work on a task for different project while you wait.</p>
<p>Working on multiple projects can help all kinds of workers to develop more effective work practices. For instance, engineers might deploy automated queuing processes and surgeons can develop flexible priority schemes when working with <a href="https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/abs/10.1287/mnsc.1090.1037">multiple patients</a>. In other words, employees benefit from creative solutions when working on multiple projects, allowing them to get more done in less time.</p>
<p>So having too few projects is not good. How about too many? We found that employees with more than five projects might experience lack of focus and stretched brain capacity. For example, such employees might have difficulties being present in the moment. This is called “attention residue” and it has been shown to be pervasive in <a href="https://www.calnewport.com/books/deep-work/">everything we do</a>. So, next time your boss asks you to jump on another Zoom call to discuss a new project, our research shows you should think twice before accepting.</p>
<h2>Ideal conditions</h2>
<p>While having five projects might be ideal, not all employees and firms have a choice. The good news is that our research also points to three key conditions for better handling of multiple work projects.</p>
<p><strong>1. Who you are</strong></p>
<p>Research shows that deep specialisation in a task can allow employees to work more efficiently. Think of a logistics specialist who has a combination of relevant education and work experience in supply chains. She can utilise the same practices across all projects without needing to “reinvent the wheel”. Similarly, an engineer who knows everything about a certain type of software can more quickly grasp the requirements of each new project related to that system.</p>
<p><strong>2. Which projects you work on</strong></p>
<p>Similar projects might require almost identical solutions that can be repeated time and again. For example, if a writer works on three or four projects catered toward a similar audience, they can use the same templates or tools to execute certain tasks.</p>
<p><strong>3. Who you work with</strong></p>
<p>Seeing familiar faces across multiple projects saves time on lengthy introductions, misunderstandings and clarifications, according to our research. Colleagues that know each other can rely on shared experiences and use best practices from the past.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Group of colleagues, high five, desk, windows." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/488620/original/file-20221006-18-gyp904.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/488620/original/file-20221006-18-gyp904.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488620/original/file-20221006-18-gyp904.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488620/original/file-20221006-18-gyp904.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488620/original/file-20221006-18-gyp904.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488620/original/file-20221006-18-gyp904.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488620/original/file-20221006-18-gyp904.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Teamwork makes the dream work … if your employer creates the right conditions for working on multiple projects.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/teamwork-power-successful-meeting-workplace-concept-497569099">Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In the end, working on too many projects harms employees, projects and firms. It affects employee productivity and morale and can lead to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/10/26/too-many-projects-14-clear-signs-of-overload-and-how-to-dial-back/?sh=79c5efa83d7e">burnout</a>. So, rather than overburdening employees, managers should improve how they allocate their time.</p>
<p>This creates a win-win situation for employees and firms. Companies can still have people work across multiple projects. But to balance productivity and employee demands, they can allocate more specialised workers to simultaneous projects involving familiar faces and similar demands. And that’s how <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Teamwork_Makes_the_Dream_Work/A4eszQ17LdMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover">teamwork</a> makes the dream work.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/190512/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>How to be more productive and efficient when working on multiple projects.Anatoli Colicev, Chair in Marketing, Strategy and Analytics, University of LiverpoolTuuli Hakkarainen, Lecturer (Assistant professor) in Human Resource Management, University of LiverpoolLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1911132022-10-06T12:15:21Z2022-10-06T12:15:21Z‘Great resignation’? ‘Quiet quitting’? If you’re surprised by America’s anti-work movement, maybe you need to watch more movies<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/487564/original/file-20220930-26-b5vjfk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=115%2C168%2C4900%2C3179&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The 1994 movie 'Clerks' was one of many 'Slacker films' that were made in the 1990s.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/actors-jeff-anderson-and-brian-ohalloran-on-set-of-the-news-photo/459830921?adppopup=true">Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>A <em>femme fatale</em> who tries to con thousands through her lover’s insurance company. Jobless bikers on drug-fueled adventures in New Orleans. People smashing printers at work.</p>
<p>Watching movies like “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036775/">Double Indemnity</a>,” “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064276/">Easy Rider</a>” and “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151804/">Office Space</a>,” you might think Americans had never heard of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/sep/11/pain-gain-work-ethic-burkeman">Protestant work ethic</a> – the spirit of sacrifice and delayed gratification that helped build capitalism. </p>
<p>Films like these reveal that many Americans’ current <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/antiwork/">anti-work sentiments</a> may not be all that new. <a href="https://medium.com/@zdochter">As someone</a> who has researched and taught world literature and cinema for over a decade, I believe some of the most fascinating movies make viewers ask, “What if all that hard work isn’t really worth it?” </p>
<h2>The pandemic and the ‘Great Resignation’</h2>
<p>Since the pandemic, more Americans than ever have been asking that same question. </p>
<p>During what some have termed the “<a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/06/24/1007914455/as-the-pandemic-recedes-millions-of-workers-are-saying-i-quit">Great Resignation</a>,” many Americans changed careers, quit bad jobs or refocused on life away from work. More recently, the trend of “<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/02/how-quiet-quitting-became-the-next-phase-of-the-great-resignation.html">quiet quitting</a>,” or doing only what one is paid for, has blown up on social media. The phrase is a bit misleading, as one does not quit one’s job. Instead, workers refuse to hustle in the workplace, especially since going “above and beyond” often means working for free.</p>
<p>The recent wave of quiet quitting comes from a deeper, more long-term disengagement with <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nazbeheshti/2022/06/22/new-gallup-workplace-report-says-employee-stress-is-at-an-all-time-high/?sh=1726be2335ca">stressful work</a> environments, unfulfilling roles and, despite <a href="https://fortune.com/2022/09/08/goodbye-standard-3-percent-raise-employers-increase-next-year/">recent wage hikes</a>, the inability of paychecks to keep up with the <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/02/great-affordability-crisis-breaking-america/606046/">cost-of-living crisis</a> for many working and middle-class families.</p>
<p>Ironically, the drive to <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/office-space/the-frustration-with-productivity-culture">hyperproductivity</a> that some argue is a <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-would-aristotle-do/202209/the-myth-productivity-in-america">central feature of capitalism</a> is at an all-time high. Workers are told that if they “<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/08/do-what-you-love-work-myth-culture/399599/">do what they love</a>,” work should never feel like a burden. Some theorists compare modern forms of work culture, especially in Silicon Valley, <a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691219080/work-pray-code">to a religion</a> in their attempts to instill people with passion and meaning. </p>
<p>These developments have created a pushback, especially among younger generations, toward work-life balance, flexible schedules and a deeper focus on <a href="https://www.axios.com/2021/08/16/mental-health-is-the-next-big-workplace-issue">mental health</a>.</p>
<p>But some people have gone even further, with philosophers questioning the very foundations of an <a href="https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=25725">achievement-based society</a> that lends itself to rampant burnout and depression. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inventing_the_Future:_Postcapitalism_and_a_World_Without_Work">Political theorists</a> and the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220126-the-rise-of-the-anti-work-movement">anti-work movement</a> are asking how it might be possible to create more free time for everyone, not just those who can afford to quit or take a job where they’ll earn less money.</p>
<h2>Crime as an alternative to work</h2>
<p>Yet such anti-work sentiments are nothing new to American culture. </p>
<p>It was arguably Charlie Chaplin’s characters that first expressed the anti-work ethos, most famously in the 1936 film “Modern Times,” in which his character works too slowly at an assembly line and gets caught in the <a href="https://photo.charliechaplin.com/categories/6/images">cogs of a giant machine</a>. </p>
<p>Around World War II, crime became an allegory for an anti-work ethos: little effort, big payoff. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/film-noir">film noir</a> genre often explores the existential and psychological factors that drive people to crimes of passion. </p>
<p>Many noir films feature a <em>femme fatale</em> – that is, a woman who seduces men as part of a larger criminal plot for her to get ahead financially. This character type often speaks to a cultural fear around what women might do to remedy their domestic and workplace dissatisfaction. </p>
<p>For instance, in “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036775/">Double Indemnity</a>” (1944), Phyllis Dietrichson, who’s unhappily married to an older, wealthy man, seduces insurance salesman Walter Neff. They concoct a plot to stage her husband’s murder as an accident and collect his life insurance money. A similar crime of passion against a wealthy husband also takes place in “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038854/">The Postman Always Rings Twice</a>” (1947). </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman about to kiss man on a couch." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/487553/original/file-20220930-6015-lqs7p9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/487553/original/file-20220930-6015-lqs7p9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=445&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/487553/original/file-20220930-6015-lqs7p9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=445&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/487553/original/file-20220930-6015-lqs7p9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=445&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/487553/original/file-20220930-6015-lqs7p9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=559&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/487553/original/file-20220930-6015-lqs7p9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=559&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/487553/original/file-20220930-6015-lqs7p9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=559&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In ‘Double Indemnity,’ actress Barbara Stanwyck assumes the role of <em>femme fatale</em> Phyllis Dietrichson.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/kino-frau-ohne-gewissen-double-indemnity-frau-ohne-gewissen-news-photo/1262757201?adppopup=true">Film Publicity Archive/United Archives via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Joseph H. Lewis’ “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042530/">Gun Crazy</a>” (1950) charts the story of Bart and Laurie, who “can’t live on 40 bucks a week.” They embark on a string of robberies that allows them to live job-free for a time. After Bart learns that Laurie killed two people, he turns remorseful, exclaiming, “Two people dead – just so we can live without working!” </p>
<h2>Youth rebellion and the counterculture</h2>
<p>With the arrival of the 1950s, the anti-work ethos becomes associated with youth culture. </p>
<p>A new generation of “hoodlums,” hippies and dropouts is a poor fit for the traditional workplace, beginning with the leather-jacket clad, motorcycle-riding Marlon Brando in “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047677/">The Wild One</a>” (1953) and James Dean in “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048545/">Rebel Without a Cause</a>” (1955). </p>
<p>“<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064276/">Easy Rider</a>” (1969) follows two unemployed bikers who, after a lucrative drug deal, stop at a New Mexico commune and admire the self-sustaining economy there. They continue toward New Orleans and meet Jack Nicholson’s George Hanson, who tells them, “It’s real hard to be free when you are bought and sold in the marketplace.” </p>
<p>Hanson goes on to contrast America’s world of work to the freedom of a hypothetical alien species with no leaders and no money. The counterculture is crystallized.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two men ride motorcycles on the highway." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/487552/original/file-20220930-26-g9syux.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/487552/original/file-20220930-26-g9syux.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=432&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/487552/original/file-20220930-26-g9syux.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=432&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/487552/original/file-20220930-26-g9syux.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=432&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/487552/original/file-20220930-26-g9syux.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=543&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/487552/original/file-20220930-26-g9syux.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=543&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/487552/original/file-20220930-26-g9syux.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=543&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Actors Dennis Hopper, left, and Peter Fonda starred in ‘Easy Rider.’</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/kino-easy-rider-easy-rider-easy-rider-easy-rider-dennis-news-photo/1262757770?adppopup=true">Film Publicity Archive/United Archives via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Slackers and sabotage</h2>
<p>In 1990s popular culture, a “slacker” ideal took hold. </p>
<p>The apathetic, unemployed or underemployed young person appears in films such as “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106677/">Dazed and Confused</a>” (1993), “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110950/">Reality Bites</a>” (1994), “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113118/">Friday</a>” (1995) and “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118715/">The Big Lebowski</a>” (1998). </p>
<p>Richard Linklater’s “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102943/">Slacker</a>” (1990) follows a series of unemployed people, hustlers and moochers around Austin, Texas, in their nonworking time. One of these men says, “To hell with the kind of work you have to do to earn a living. … I may live badly, but at least I don’t have to work to do it.” He ends with the rousing proclamation: “To all you workers out there – every single commodity you produce is a piece of your own death!”</p>
<p>However, the slacker doesn’t merely try to work as little as possible. Some seek to actively sabotage the workplace. In “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109445/">Clerks</a>” (1994), two workers are intentionally rude toward customers. They play hockey on a rooftop and go to a friend’s wake during work hours. </p>
<p>“<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151804/">Office Space</a>” (1999) follows three workers, who, frustrated with their company’s malfunctioning printer, decide to take a baseball bat to it before infecting the office computers with a virus. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N9wsjroVlu8?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Workers destroy a printer in ‘Office Space.’</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>And in “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137523/">Fight Club</a>” (1999), Tyler, played by Brad Pitt, sneaks pornographic clips into family films while working as a projectionist. The narrator, played by Edward Norton, describes Tyler as a “guerrilla terrorist of the food service industry” after Tyler “seasons” plates of food at a fancy hotel with his various bodily fluids.</p>
<h2>Recent cinema shifts to overt anti-capitalism</h2>
<p>The 21st century has witnessed the rise of a whole series of foreign films and TV shows with explicitly <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/sep/17/down-with-the-rich-class-rage-fuels-new-wave-of-us-v-them-films-and-plays">anti-capitalist themes</a>, with dramas like “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6468322/">Money Heist</a>” (2017) “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6751668/">Parasite</a>” (2019) and “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10919420/">Squid Game</a>” (2021) centered on the characters’ fight against economic inequality.</p>
<p>This trend is evident in American cinema, too. </p>
<p>In “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5688932/">Sorry to Bother You</a>” (2018), workers are so desperate for economic security that they <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/aug/19/sorry-to-bother-you-is-this-the-most-anti-capitalist-film-ever">sell themselves</a> into slavery at a company called “WorryFree.” The satire follows Cassius Green, an African American telemarketer who, in his desire to rise up the corporate ladder, cuts deals with international companies to use WorryFree’s slave labor. While not as explicitly anti-capitalist, Chloé Zhao’s “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9770150/">Nomadland</a>” (2020) paints a portrait of America where jobs are increasingly seasonal, temporary and insecure, leaving people adrift as “nomads.”</p>
<p>Americans have long had a vexed relationship to work, seeing it as alienating, exploitative or simply without real payoff. </p>
<p>Hustle culture and “grinding” might still dominate in America. However, more theorists are now arguing that technological automation and major social change could lead to <a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/A_World_Beyond_Work.html?id=uAZbzQEACAAJ">a world beyond work</a> with more free time for all. </p>
<p>It is therefore more important than ever to pay attention to what these films say: Perhaps work does not hold the key to happiness, fulfillment and the good life.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/191113/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Zen Dochterman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A range of films spanning different eras confronts viewers with the same question: ‘What if all that hard work isn’t really worth it?’Zen Dochterman, Lecturer of Writing, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and SciencesLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1914292022-10-05T03:13:09Z2022-10-05T03:13:09ZHealth worker burnout and ‘compassion fatigue’ put patients at risk. How can we help them help us?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/488199/original/file-20221005-25-pyxbmk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=11%2C5%2C3888%2C2598&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/tired-female-african-scrub-nurse-600w-1766425187.jpg">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The toll of COVID on our health-care workers has been <a href="https://human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12960-022-00764-7">brutal</a>, with many saying they want to quit their jobs. </p>
<p>The World Health Organization <a href="https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/14-09-2022-ticking-timebomb--without-immediate-action--health-and-care-workforce-gaps-in-the-european-region-could-spell-disaster">says</a> burnout, coupled with an ageing workforce, is a “ticking time bomb” that could lead to “poor health outcomes across the board, long waiting times for treatment, many preventable deaths, and potentially even health system collapse”. </p>
<p>The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ just released annual survey reported some <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/general-practice-health-of-the-nation-2022/executive-summary">three-quarters of GPs</a> say they feel burnt out.</p>
<p>With burnout <a href="https://360info.org/the-research-on-reducing-health-worker-burnout/">characterised</a> in part by a “depersonalisation” or a sense of detachment, it can be tough to care for others. “Compassion fatigue” can set in. So how can we help health workers so they can continue to help others?</p>
<h2>A worldwide workforce shortage</h2>
<p>Workforce <a href="https://www.nursingreview.com.au/2021/10/no-nursing-workforce-shortage-in-australia-but-why-it-doesnt-it-feel-like-it/">projections predict</a> health workforce shortages worldwide. Retention is a major factor and burnout the major contributor. During the pandemic, studies from the United States and Singapore reported unprecedented turnover in the health-care sector, and again burnout was the <a href="https://human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12960-022-00764-7">biggest factor</a>. </p>
<p>In Australia, a <a href="https://www.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/4085194/katelyn_mannix_report.pdf">report</a> found that during the first wave of COVID, nurses experienced high rates of anxiety and depression. COVID disruptions meant less access to social supports. Less social support affects a person’s ability to cope. </p>
<p>Workplace culture was seen as negative. There were safety concerns about working with patients with COVID. A fear of transmitting the virus to their families and friends led to increased anxiety. There was inadequate, inappropriate and often <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36177495/">limited</a> or unavailable personal protective equipment (PPE) for health-care workers and carers. When it was available, workers felt PPE and physical distancing constraints prevented them providing the compassionate care required. </p>
<p>Health-care workers experienced increased violence and aggression from patients and the public when enforcing <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9195416/#:%7E:text=According%20to%20the%20International%20Committee,before%20the%20COVID%2D19%20pandemic">government-mandated restrictions</a>. They also faced significant increases in <a href="https://human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12960-022-00764-7">workloads</a>. </p>
<p>New models of care were introduced, often with little preparation or training. Staff shortages resulted from COVID isolation and staff were <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34864791/">redeployed</a> to areas of high need in health care, which left shortages in other areas.</p>
<p>Health-care workers also identified a lack of support from leadership and organisational culture compromised their <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jan.15442">psychological safety</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/488200/original/file-20221005-16-ra8m36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="tired doctor" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/488200/original/file-20221005-16-ra8m36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/488200/original/file-20221005-16-ra8m36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488200/original/file-20221005-16-ra8m36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488200/original/file-20221005-16-ra8m36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488200/original/file-20221005-16-ra8m36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488200/original/file-20221005-16-ra8m36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488200/original/file-20221005-16-ra8m36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A large proportion of health-care workers are considering quitting.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/tired-doctor-mask-dark-background-600w-96933794.jpg">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/moral-injury-what-happens-when-exhausted-health-workers-can-no-longer-provide-the-care-they-want-for-their-patients-185485">Moral injury: what happens when exhausted health workers can no longer provide the care they want for their patients</a>
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<h2>Burnout and clinical mistakes</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-doctors-sleeping-under-desks-because-they-re-too-tired-to-drive-20220922-p5bk5i.html">Australian Medical Association</a> reports almost half the junior doctors in New South Wales are overworked and exhausted, and burnout could be putting patients at risk. Of 1,766 doctors surveyed, 76% reported making a fatigue-induced clinical error. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/29/health/doctor-burnout-pandemic.html?unlocked_article_code=NpRnXp_u852yYbGnEE6G-iDynSZtnYygVMInJkl63qF_7LMp4RszuR0t2AaN_dWDmJjBGdeu7Envy2WAFOltDNV9FUueEx1bEA9B8aod6bn7gLeMxGwEAUi36kcP4UC3uoQrA31xciJA0Luelh4WgyiLUvKRH53bdn5D44SL2hj956DIjhEUYhsfNw11NuDueyXrE_ig2aTtfJkyeGD5KSWADwz6IpRmAl72JpDNWyXNY6LBbD_ZHnko1WWHWRH89iBr9mSZy_agLovQC5aQD89ucBse9aSfXzoeunIBP92H1TidpHMi75bAyl9OzluJfBIM6WzrATkvKSYKzHGsoQ&smid=share-url">US study reported</a> increases in physician burnout was associated with increased medical errors and worse patient outcomes. </p>
<p>And <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35493392/">an international study</a> reveals nurses reporting “missed care”, “care at improper times” and “unfulfilled care” due to excessive job demands.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-burnt-out-health-workforce-impacts-patient-care-180021">A burnt-out health workforce impacts patient care</a>
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<h2>When caring for others is too much</h2>
<p>“<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4924075/">Compassion fatigue</a>” means health-care workers are unable to carry out their roles. Compassion fatigue can result from repeated exposure to others’ suffering in high stress environments and the constant giving of self. </p>
<p>It leads to complete physical and emotional exhaustion, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4924075/">depleting health-care</a> workers of their ability to cope. Crucially, it disconnects them from their patients, making unable to be empathetic and provide compassionate care. Usual coping strategies aren’t effective and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4924075/">negative coping strategies</a> such as alcohol or substance abuse can follow. Ultimately, workers feel a diminished sense of satisfaction in their work and burnt out. </p>
<p>Health-care workers can mitigate against compassion fatigue by <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30462717/">making time for themselves</a>, enforcing work boundaries, and creating a better work-life balance. </p>
<p>Strategies such as mindfulness meditation have been shown to be <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01683/full">effective</a>. So have employer <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30884198/">support programs</a> such as counselling services and advocating for organisations to provide healthy and nurturing workplaces. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1574315232926711808"}"></div></p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-health-care-leaders-can-foster-psychologically-safer-workplaces-190745">How health-care leaders can foster psychologically safer workplaces</a>
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</em>
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<h2>Rejecting the health hero narrative</h2>
<p>Compassion fatigue and burnout also occur when <a href="https://theconversation.com/burned-out-heroes-why-bedside-nurses-should-not-have-to-be-martyrs-to-be-valued-184505">health-care workers are not valued</a>. </p>
<p>During the pandemic, health-care workers have been increasingly portrayed as angels and heroes, who appear to be able to swoop in and save the day. Nurses and other health-care workers have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10376178.2020.1827964">argued this narrative</a> is outdated and fails to recognise their complex roles. </p>
<p>Instead of being given hero status, nurses and other health-care workers are seeking opportunities to highlight the <a href="https://sigmapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jnu.12591">complex skills</a> and compassion required to undertake their roles. This could prove transformative for media reports, fictional <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jan.12244">portrayals</a> of doctors and nurses on screen, and even how hospitals and health centres represent health-care workers in recruitment and retention campaigns.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/nurses-dont-want-to-be-hailed-as-heroes-during-a-pandemic-they-want-more-resources-and-support-167763">Nurses don't want to be hailed as 'heroes' during a pandemic – they want more resources and support</a>
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<h2>A time to re-evaluate</h2>
<p>The pandemic has brought the <a href="https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/14-09-2022-ticking-timebomb--without-immediate-action--health-and-care-workforce-gaps-in-the-european-region-could-spell-disaster">predicted shortages</a> in the health-care workforce into sharp focus. The role of burnout and compassion fatigue are <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2207252">important factors</a>. </p>
<p>While resilience is a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8448586/">key protective factor</a> – and one that health-care workers are encouraged to develop – it isn’t enough. Health-care leaders have an ethical and legal obligation to ensure all workers have access to work environments that are psychological safe and free from violence and aggression. And health needs to be adequately resourced so patient care is prioritised and workloads are safe. </p>
<p>After all, if we don’t care for our health workforce, who will care for us?</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/overseas-recruitment-wont-solve-australias-aged-care-worker-crisis-189126">Overseas recruitment won't solve Australia's aged care worker crisis</a>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Burnout and ‘compassion fatigue’ can compromise patient safety and signal health worker exhaustion. And they are a ticking time bomb for health care.Sue Dean, Lead Lecturer Practitioner, Nursing, Faculty of Health., Southern Cross UniversityDeb Massey, Associate Professor, Faculty of Health, School of Nursing, Southern Cross UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.