Burnout’s consequences are multiple : for example it can lead to absenteeism, increased job turnover within a company, and physical health impediments ( Awa, Plaumann and Walter, 2010 ).
There are ways to deal with someone who suffers from burnout, and there also are ways to prevent from it. From an organizational point of view, companies have to incorporate mental health at work ( Zawieja, 2015 ). For example it can be done with a change in the management or in the work organization. Like the job demands/resources model supposes ( Demerouti, Bakker and Schaufeli, 2001 ), the goal is to increase the worker’s resources and to reduce the workload.
There is three types of prevention : primary prevention, first, aims to reduce or remove burnout causes, in order to prevent from burnout’s appearance. Secondary prevention, then, aims to spot early symptoms and prevent from burnout’s aggravation or spreading. In this case the worker is already suffering from burnout and needs psychological support. At last, there is tertiary prevention, in case the worker is seriously suffering from burnout. They need psychological treatment and then work readjustment.
We can now look at a review of intervention programs in burnout prevention ( Awa, Plaumann and Walter, 2010 ). These programs can be person-directed, like cognitive behavioral measures : it refers to improvement of job competence and enhancement of social support and coping skills; or relaxation exercises, communication and stress management trainings. The programs can also be organization-directed : it is about changing work procedures. For example a new management, which participate to decrease job demands for the worker and contributes to the workers’s empowerment by allowing them to participate in decision-making. This type of program can also involve a conflict mediation within the company. At last, it can be a combination of both of these approaches. The review shows that these intervention programs are helpful in reducing burnout ( 80% of these being successful ). These intervention programs can be considered as secondary prevention.
Primary prevention is more about an ethic reflection the companies have to conduct, about organizational roles for example. The balance between a worker’s professional life and private life is linked to burnout’s appearance. The employees should have the possibility to completely disconnect from work, that would allow them to reduce roles conflicts. Therefore, it is up to the company to decide if and how they consider the worker’s privacy. The companies also have to set, in the work organization, the worker’s possibilities to participate in decision-making that concerns them. Also, primary prevention can be a reflection on the work environment. Indeed, organization like open spaces or teleworking can have impacts on psychological health and productivity.
Sources :
Awa, W. L., Plaumann, M., & Walter, U. (2010). Burnout prevention : A review of intervention programs. Patient Education and Counseling, 78(2), 184‑190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2009.04.008
Demerouti, E., Bakker, A. B., Nachreiner, F., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2001). The job demands-resources model of burnout. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(3), 499‑512. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.86.3.499
Zawieja, P. (2019). Burn out. Érès. https://www.cairn.info/load_pdf.php?ID_ARTICLE=ERES_VANDE_2019_01_0092&download=1