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by Anna Dorsey - Headlight

Burnout. Burn-out. Burn out.

However you spell it, it’s a word that should be top of mind for every people leader this month. Why? Firstly, because it’s Mental Health Awareness Week (23 - 29 September) but also because there is increasing evidence that people are feeling the burn, the after effects of post-COVID pressures and the cracks are starting to show.

How do we know? We asked local people-leaders to pick what the most pressing mental wellbeing issue was for their workplace right now. The answer was loud and clear: burnout.

This echoes the latest findings from the wellbeing@work research led by Massey Business School’s Professor Jarrod Haar. Their April 2024 report reveals that one in two employees, (57% of the workforce), fall within the high burnout risk category. This indicates a doubling since December 2023, when the rate was 25%, and exceeds the previous highest score of 43% from November 2021.

Job burnout is a type of stress linked to work and can affect your physical and mental health. Professor Haar says: “Those in the burnout risk category are far more likely to experience mental health issues like anxiety and depression, as well as higher levels of insomnia … Burnt out workers are 16.5 times more likely to seriously consider quitting their job. They are also 28.5 times more likely to engage in poor work behaviours often, including slacking off and not trying. Both of these issues can translate into high costs for employers.”

One of our local residents Derek remembers what burnout felt like: “For at least two years, every day, I would awaken with a feeling of doom. I felt like an electronic device with an old battery. I’d start the day on between ten and twenty percent charge. I was shuffling my way into the office early, usually in the dark, like a zombie … I felt hollow and drained on every level.”

The good news is that you can do something to reduce the risk and impact of burnout. Derek was able to get help from his family, his workplace and make changes that supported his ongoing wellbeing. There are ways to control how you cope with stress, like talking with your boss to make changes or solve problems, or talking with trusted friends, family or an employee assistance programme. There are also activities that can help with stress such as meditation or regular exercise and having good sleep patterns.

Queenstown charity Headlight is running a fundraising workshop during Mental Health Awareness Week to help people-leaders to reduce risk of burnout and support the wellbeing of staff and themselves. Visit www.headlight.org.nz to learn more.