Understanding and Addressing Burnout: It's Not Just About Overwork
If you're one of the 8 in 10 workers feeling some level of burnout at work, you're not alone. Burnout is one of the most pressing issues facing today's workforce, so much so that the World Health Organization identified burnout as an occupational phenomenon in 2019. Over half of employees are watching for or actively seeking a new job due to problems with burnout. And unfortunately, vacations don’t fix that sense of burnout.
While every case of burnout is different (and therefore so are the individual solutions) many workers do not realize that a possible cause to their burnout is a being in the wrong role.
What is Burnout?
Burnout is emotional and physical exhaustion. It’s the feeling of spinning your wheels and not making progress. You might find yourself saying:
“I feel like I’m drowning at work.”
“I feel I can never keep up.”
“Every little thing seems like too much.”
“All I see are the negative aspects of my job.”
“I don’t feel engaged with my co-workers anymore.”
Common Causes of Burnout
The number one cause of burnout is being treated unfairly at work. This can mean feeling a lack of equity with others or acknowledgment. An unmanageable workload and unreasonable time pressures are also significant contributors. Another major driver of burnout—one that is easily fixable—is unclear communication from managers. Many workers also feel a lack of managerial support, such as a manager not having their back.
The Often Overlooked Cause: Job Fit
However, there's one more critical cause of burnout that is often overlooked: being in the wrong role. In some cases, the job you are in is the wrong fit for you. What the job requires may not align with your strengths, values, and interests. When people are asked to perform tasks that do not resonate with their core competencies and personal values, they are more likely to experience burnout. This is a matter of job fit.
When you're in a role that doesn't suit you, it's not about you having a weakness. It's about recognizing that job fit matters. Misalignment between your role and your abilities can lead to frustration, decreased performance, and ultimately, burnout.
engagement matters
Research on fulfillment at work reveals that when people have an opportunity to engage in their strengths, they are six times more likely to love work. Similarly, when people have an opportunity to craft their work around their strengths, interests, and values, they are empowered and feel greater energy at work.
Unfortunately, many roles call on workers to deploy their work in such a way that doesn’t engage their strengths, align with their values, or allow them to focus on interests. When this happens, there is a mismatch between a person and the role.
When there is a lack of a good job fit, it doesn’t mean a worker needs to quite their job. Indeed, there are many things an employer or employee can do to create a greater job fit. Job crafting is something available to employees and managers right away.
But sometimes, what a role calls for is a fundamental misalignment with an employee’s strengths, values, and interests. And in those cases, it might be best for a worker to seek a new role.
Strategies to Address Burnout
Regardless of the circumstances, the good news is there are effective strategies to tackle burnout:
Incorporate Well-Being into Your Workday: Embrace holistic well-being strategies in your work days, weeks, and months.
Evaluate Workload: Ensure your workload is manageable. Prioritize tasks if there's too much on your plate.
Engage Your Manager: Have productive conversations with your manager about managing workload and timelines.
Seek Manager Support: Work with your manager to clarify expectations, remove barriers, and ensure you are supported.
Assess Job Fit: If you suspect you’re in the wrong role, carefully evaluate if your job aligns with your strengths, values, and interests. You might be able to craft your role to better fit you.
If you’re curious about job crafting, job changes, or pivoting to a new role, consider joining my group program.
Burnout is a significant challenge, but there are solutions. There are clear pathways when you don’t feel your career is working for you. Understanding and addressing the true causes of burnout can lead to a more fulfilling and sustainable work life.