Acknowledge and address this
The effects of burnout and work-related stress are an issue that both employers and employees should acknowledge and address.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, organisations have a clear obligation to prevent harm not only to their employees’ physical health, but also their mental health.
What is burnout?
‘Burnout’ is the result of chronic workplace stress that is not successfully managed. The World Health Organization has stated burnout is an occupational phenomenon and it is not classified as a medical condition. Although burnout is not depression, it is recognised as a major risk factor for depression and anxiety.
Burnout affects people differently and the symptoms of burnout are varied. Some common symptoms include:
- Exhaustion: Feeling drained and emotionally exhausted
- Low productivity: Negativity about work or being unable to concentrate. This can affect the ability to carry out normal, everyday tasks at work
- Increased mental distance from one’s job: Becoming cynical about work and distancing from one’s colleagues, and
- Physical issues such as insomnia, headaches or stomach aches.
Employers’ obligations
You must be aware of your obligations to manage health and safety risks, including supporting any of your employees who are struggling mentally, and take steps to address the issues.
Prevention, as they say, is always better than cure, and in terms of preventing burnout you have a great deal of influence in setting the culture of your workplace. Burnout is often the result of an unhealthy workplace culture. Workplaces that have unmanageable workloads, unreasonable deadlines and lack of support can all contribute towards burnout. You should therefore proactively consider the following:
- Are your employees given achievable goals?
- Are there established processes to enable your employees to raise any issues and concerns they might have?
- Is training provided to both your managers and employees on how to deal with mental health issues?
If a staff member discloses that they are struggling with burnout, you should take proactive steps to understand what is causing the issue and what is required to address it. It may be necessary to get advice from a medical professional (it is important to maintain confidentiality in line with your employee’s wishes and any privacy requirements).
In addressing your employee’s burnout, you should look for a solution that works for you both. It is prudent that all decisions and any agreements between you both are recorded in writing as evidence of the steps that have been taken.
Aside from the legal considerations of your health and safety duties, from a business perspective there is strong evidence that investing in the health and wellbeing of your staff provides a substantial return on investment. This is not surprising, given that burnout reduces productivity and is associated with high staff turnover. Taking steps to avoid employee burnout is good for business.
Feel burnt-out as an employee?
It is important you talk to someone at work as soon as possible. Although it may be difficult to talk about stress and burnout, it is vital that your workplace becomes aware of it and is given an opportunity to stop the situation from getting worse. By asking for help and support, it enables your employer to make necessary adjustments. This may include rebalancing the demands and responsibilities of your role, cutting back on unnecessary tasks or establishing a set of objectives to work towards.
A recent court case
Burnout was the issue in an Employment Relations Authority (ERA) case[1] in which an employee successfully argued that he was constructively dismissed because his employer had failed to provide him with a safe working environment.
The employee had raised concerns about his work-life balance and even informed his manager that he was ‘burnt out’ and could not continue due to being ‘broken by the workload.’ When his employer did not take prompt action to address these issues, the employee resigned.
The ERA held that it was reasonably foreseeable that the employee would resign unless his burnout concerns were addressed, and ruled that his employer should have taken more formal and proactive steps to understand their employee’s mental health situation. As a result, significant financial remedies were awarded to the employee, including $25,000 as compensation for hurt and humiliation.
Employers take note
Employers have a duty to protect their employees in health and safety issues, and this includes their mental health. A person’s work environment can have a significant impact on their mental wellbeing and, as a result, employers must take prompt, meaningful action should staff burnout arise.
If someone on your staff is struggling with burnout, it is important that they communicate this to you or their manager. For some guidance on steps to help avoid employee burnout, please contact us. We are here to help.
[1] Perry v The Warehouse Group Limited [2023] NZERA 773.
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Copyright, NZ LAW Limited, 2022. Editor: Adrienne Olsen. E-mail: [email protected]. Ph: 029 286 3650
