It is not a phenomenon that arose from the pandemic, but it has undoubtedly contributed to making it worse: insecurity and changes in the work environment, along with the use (and abuse) of telecommuting, have further distilled the divide between the personal and the professional. fade. people’s lives, to the point that nearly three in four Spaniards admit they are unable to finish their job and nearly half of them (45%) suffer from work stress, according to a survey by health insurance company Cigna on the global impact of the coronavirus. When that stress becomes chronic, it can lead to burnout or burnout worker syndrome, a condition recognized by the WHO since 2019 that, if left untreated, can develop into physical, emotional and even behavioral disorders.
Regardless of the group it belongs to, “the pandemic has increased stress levels in all professions (…). The drastic change in routines and habits and the decrease in personal and collective means of coping have caused an emotional drain that is not only due to burnout work, but also on anxious, depressive or anxious-depressive images that can often overlap, ”explains Andrés Córdoba, psychologist at BluaU in Sanitas. A phenomenon that has occurred with greater intensity “in those professions with greater treatment of the public, such as nursing, medicine, psychology, teachers or social work”, even before the Covid-19.
Where does the ‘burnout’ start?
This condition originates from long-term exposure to stressful situations due to, among other things, excessive work pressure, lack of motivation and recognition and toxic colleagues or a toxic work environment. Circumstances that translate “into a feeling of physical and emotional fatigue, job dissatisfaction and loss of commitment in relation to the company,” said Carmen Rodríguez, director of Affor’s psychological intervention area, specialists in psychosocial well-being. Symptoms that are more common in those who are mainly involved in the business because they feel that their dedication is not being adequately rewarded.
The lack of concentration and weakening of routines as a result of the pandemic can cause high levels of stress “which can manifest itself in greater intolerance, problems with social communication or in aspects related to health, such as sleep disorders, nutrition or fitness,” says Roel. Koppens, general manager of the company in Spain e-learning Goodhabitz. The now exacerbated phenomenon is affecting the majority of workers to a greater or lesser extent, to the point where it does 67.58% of the active population in Spain shows symptoms of anxiety such as nervousness, irritability and tension (present in 86% of employees); sleep disturbances (84.7%); headaches (68.8%) and feeling overwhelmed (61.5%), according to a recent study by Affor. All this is also reflected in the use of anxiolytic and antidepressants, which saw an increase of 4.8% in 2020 (with peaks of up to 14% during incarceration), more than double the previous year (when they increased by 2 % grew).
“At Goodhabitz we have seen a greater consumption of courses related to stress and uncertainty, so we developed an interactive course so that in just over three hours someone can learn what the burnout, knows how to recognize the signals and what to do about them, ”says Koppens. In just over two months, more than 50,000 Spanish employees have gained access to this training through their respective companies and sectors. “As Human Resources and as companies, we have a social responsibility to ensure the well-being of the employees, but also to ensure the productivity and continuity of your organization,” he adds.
However, stress can be good when experienced in a controlled way: “When kept at the right level, stress responses help us to focus better and even be more productive. But if we exceed those levels – either in intensity or duration – they have the opposite effect: they become blockers, generators of discomfort, ”says Rodríguez. It should be remembered that work stress causes almost 30% of absenteeism in Spain, and that incapacity for work for this reason (6% of the total) lasts an average of 83 days, according to the National Institute for Social Security.
Under the 2030 Strategy, some governments are already implementing actions aimed at caring for the mental health of their citizens. For example, the Protocol for the Monitoring of Psychosocial Risks at Work, which has been in use in Chile since 2013 and which considers additional contributions for those companies with an absenteeism rate above the national average, stands out and recognizes it as an indicator of psychosocial risk. A very different situation than, for example, in Spain, where the percentage of psychologists per 100,000 inhabitants (6) is three times lower than the European average (18). As early as January 2020 (before the start of the pandemic), the Ombudsman asked for an increase in resources for psychological care in the National Health System.
How to Prevent Burnout
As this syndrome develops in the work environment, its prevention by the organizations themselves seems essential to strengthen employee commitment and motivation, promote constant communication between company and employee, and develop emotional disorders (low self-esteem, depression, anxiety or inattention), behavioral (such as impulsivity and aggressiveness) or physical (headache, gastrointestinal or sleeping problems or cardiovascular disease) that affect your quality of life and productivity. Some actions that Goodhabitz experts summarize in six areas:
- Workload according to the employee’s abilities, so that he does not feel overwhelmed.
- Check: the company must promote autonomy with the necessary tools so that the employee does not distract his attention.
- Reward: a job well done deserves proper recognition.
- Community: whether physically or via video conference, it is the company’s responsibility to create a community with a positive environment.
- Justice: establishing a fair work system is an important factor.
- Values: the company should know the values of its employees, talk to them and check that they align with those of the company.
Good management of human resources in the company (from the leadership style to the existence of a career development plan and access to training programs) provides guarantees for well-being and minimizes the risk of burnout in the template. Teleworking, for example, requires a different type of leadership; one focused more on achieving results and objectives than on management by activity or time. And while Hispanic employees recognize that they have good relationships with their colleagues (79%) and executives (67%), only half (49%) enjoy training and professional development opportunities within their company. “You still have to teach people how to organize a day of remote work wherever it is. It requires different skills, and very few people use them … Many of our clients speak of a fifth wave that does that. will not be caused by the virus, but by mental wear and tear, burnout and stress from everything we leave behind, ”Koppens warns.
What is Occupational Psychology?
This branch of psychology specializes in the work environment, both with regard to the person in the performance of their professional work and their relationships with the rest of the team and the work environment. They are often integrated within the personnel departments of companies, with all that that entails, and usually participate in personnel selection tasks, coaching or career management, and the field of action includes the development of so-called soft skills (or soft skills) and the leadership processes to the dynamics of the teams and the organization.
The most common training for psychologists specializing in this field is the master’s degree programs in Human Resources, as trainer of trainers and as headhunters. (headhunters), “But it’s important for them to have a knowledge of emotional management, which is becoming increasingly decisive within the scope of the company,” explains Rodríguez, while “health training remains essential for the psychologist, no matter where they work.”
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