Burnouts are rapidly increasing and HRM are often berefted when it comes to this topic. What does burnout mean? How to prevent it? How to raise awareness on first warning signs among managers? What preventive measures should organisations implement? In Luxembourg, burnout is indeed the first medical reason of professional redeployment, before depression.

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This hot topic is a priority for the POG who decided to organise a specific workshop bringing together medical evidence, opinions from experts and victims, all offering different views on the subject. Dr Patrizia Thiry, General Director of the Association for Occupational Health in the Financial Sector (ASTF), has thus defined a burnout as “a syndrome of professional exhaustion, a decreased job motivation, especially with our most motivated and committed employees who are no longer able to achieve the ambitious objectives they often set themselves”. Burnout can be divided into a twelve-phase cycle making it a harmful syndrome because it is first translated into a stronger motivation and commitment but then leads to a loss of confidence, consciousness of his/her own needs, an inner emptiness, a depression or even a desire to commit suicide.

A hardly detectable syndrome…

The first medical signs are often hardly detectable by both professional and personal relations. The alert should be raised when the commitment and availability at work prevail over social and family life leading to unease, insecurity and tensions among employees. When insomnia, headache, social withdrawal appear, it is usually too late.

Moreover, people suffering from burnout are often helpless to diagnose it themselves. As such, there can be a rapid fall as the road to recovery is always long and hazardous. Diagnosed individuals will need several months or even several years to rebuild themselves and to regain a taste for work. Indeed, the acceptance of this status by employees is long and complex and is often followed by a feeling of guilt, which does not make personal reconstruction easier. Two thirds of people experiencing burnout will not be able to come back to their original function or even their organisation.

How to prevent burnouts, this modern-day illness?

Some organisations launch awarenessraising campaigns, organise “warning sensor” trainings for all employees, and particularly for HR and proximity managers who play key roles, as they must be able to identify symptoms as well as to facilitate dialogue.

First of all, we need to put some sense back into work, recognise everyone’s efforts, acknowledge successes, and develop human-centered organisations. The relational aspect and genuine interest for others are key to success! Take it into consideration…

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To be read also in the dossier "The Burnout: breaking the taboo": 

• Patrick Mesters : “Organisations that dare to face burnouts will grow”
• Practices from Around the World
• Prevention and Diagnostic in Companies