Mental Health and Burnout: A Guide for Managers

How is burnout defined?

Burnout results from chronic workplace stress that has not been
successfully addressed.

The three factors of burnout

• Feelings of exhaustion or energy depletion
• Negative or cynical feelings toward work
• Reduced performance at work

What is the impact of burnout in the workplace?

Burnout impacts the workplace in the following ways:

• Decreased productivity
• Job dissatisfaction
• Absenteeism/high turnover
• Risk to health and well-being

What is the impact on mental health?

Chronic workplace stress increases the risk of developing mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and others.

What does NAMI’s data say?

Tips for preventing burnout in the workplace

• Manage workload:
  • Invite dialogue to make sure workloads are reasonable.
  • Tasks should be suited for the position.
  • Listen to your team and set realistic expectations.
• Give autonomy and control:
  • Support team members in identifying areas where they can make decisions about their work tasks. Even small ones matter.
  • Regularly discuss goals and expectations so people feel a sense of control.
• Recognize achievements:
  • Reward and acknowledge success, no matter how small.
  • Build time into regular meetings to celebrate wins.
• Build community and a sense of belonging:
  • Promote collaboration and teamwork by actively encouraging communication.
  • Set aside time for coworkers to connect on a personal level, especially when some members of the team are remote.
• Promote fairness:
  • Delegate projects based on workloads.
  • Ensure team members have equal opportunity for advancement.
  • Seek training on how to avoid unconscious bias.
• Emphasize purpose and value of work:
  • Remind team members about the value of their work to the organization.
  • Help people understand how their contributions align with the work of the organization.