BULLYING & HARASSMENT
DATA PROTECTION
DISABILITY
DISCIPLINE & GRIEVANCE
DISMISSAL
EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNALS
E M P L OY M E N T L AW U P DAT E
diagnosis: burnout By Ruth Gladwell HR Business Partner, Navigator Employment Law
We may be looking forward to hearing less about restrictions, but unfortunately we can expect to continue hearing more about stress, isolation and mental health. In the latest Navigator employment law update, Ruth Gladwell highlights the duty of care for employers and to ensure they signpost employees towards mental health resources.
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urnout is now a medical diagnosis recognised by the World Health Organisation, so be prepared to understand more about this occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workrelated stress. Surveys by Gallup during 2020 and 2021 indicate that Managers are reporting more stress, burnout, worse physical wellbeing and work-life balance than the people they manage, and whilst a slightly higher percentage was noted in 2020 the gap widened considerably in 2021.
focused only on short-term survival: future opportunities and success are not on their agenda and an employer is unlikely to see engagement on longer-term objectives. Email response timescales may provide an indication of unmanageable workloads. There may also be irritation over small problems, displayed in agitated communications and/or absences, and at the opposite end overemphasised presenteeism – all which ultimately leads to reduced professional efficacy. A variety of issues contribute to burnout. These can include a dysfunctional team environment, extremely lean teams surviving after various rounds of restructures, tedious long-term projects, a continuum of tight and last-minute deadlines, a lack of interaction with peers and a lack of recognition from managers, all set against the background of continued uncertainty about when the Covid-19 pandemic will officially end.
A report from the Health and Safety Executive identifies that workplace absences related to stress, depression or anxiety, accounted for 50% of all work-related ill health in 2020/21 . Burnout shows up in a variety of manners within an employees’ interaction and output and it prevents a positive view of the future. A burned out employee is
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