By Asanka Gunasekara and Melissa Wheeler

We often feel exhausted towards the end of the year as we are working tirelessly at work while social commitments and Christmas tasks expand.  

Burnout is the feeling of exhaustion, disengagement, ineffectiveness, cynicism, and a sense of moving with no motivation or meaning. 

It has negative psychological, relational, and physical consequences and can be devastating for many if not managed appropriately. 

Even though the end-of-year burnout could be a result of chronic workplace stress that has not been managed, or something in our personal lives, it’s difficult to separate ourselves from the different domains that we belong to – work, family, community, private self. 

It’s time people started to take control of their well-being and take steps to make burnout a thing of the past.  And HR has an important role to play in the process.

Challenge self-victimisation 

We often experience and partake in burnout “one-upping” in chats with friends and colleagues. Bragging about how burnt out you are and how hard/late/long you are working perpetuates the need to always seem busy or to always be doing more. It puts pressure on others to compete with these norms and match these hyperbolic narratives. Instead, challenge this bragging or self-victimisation by encouraging our friends and colleagues to seek self-care opportunities and to role model healthy work-life balance in our own lives. 

Take a total leadership approach  

This encourages us to value all parts of our lives (not just work). As our research has shown, augmenting one aspect, such as self-care, creates a spillover effect to other domains, such as work. Employers should support self-care for the betterment of the employee and business. 

Have agency over your well-being 

Starting afresh in 2024, not from a point of deficit, starts with ourselves. Take that break, use mindfulness practices, and pay attention to how you feel. Deep breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, spending time outdoors, and prioritising sleep can help manage that burnout feeling.    

Mind over matter 

Be realistic with expectations; it’s okay to be good enough and not to achieve perfection in everything we do. Accepting our limits will help us readjust our goals and attitude toward life. Stop and celebrate the wins instead of dwelling on what didn’t get done.  

Question that sense of urgency 

Urgency has become a norm in the modern world – whether it be to respond to a text message or to complete an urgent job task making us feel overwhelmed. Enforce a digital detox by unplugging technology over a selected period for our well-being and the well-being of everyone around us. We deserve it.

What can HR do to stop employee burnout?

HR needs to genuinely consider flexible work requests, whether that be flexitime or remote working arrangements. Allowing people to be productive and to better engage with the domains in their life outside of work, including family, friends, community, and self-care, provides the best chance that employees will bring their best selves to the work domain.

Most flexible work requests can be accommodated to some degree, starting with the question: what would make this impossible instead of simply, is this feasible? Most people are shifting away from the ideal worker norm and recognising there’s more to life than work.

HR can also ensure the goal-setting process is managed in a way that employees aren't expected to perform at peak all the time; let them ride the wave and support them through it. Sometimes it is okay to be good enough.

What are the first signs of burnout?

Withdrawal is often an early sign. When employees engage in quiet quitting behaviours, doing the bare minimum and sometimes holding a grudge, they may be trying to protect themselves from the always-on culture. Finding ways to re-motivate employees and help them to re-engage, and having dialogues about boundaries and expectations, are valuable tools for preventing burnout.

Other signs of burnout include when employees don't show any interest in taking up new roles/tasks, or miss deadlines due to disengagement and ineffectiveness.

How to approach an employee who is showing signs of burnout?

Leaders and supervisors who role model healthy work-life practices set the norm for workplace culture and burnout prevention. Perhaps before confronting individuals, HR and leaders should evaluate the culture and look to make organisational changes that would benefit everyone.

Asanka Gunasekara is a lecturer in human resource management/people analytics at RMIT University and Melissa Wheeler is a senior lecturer in business administration.