Y2CP - Preventing Burnout - 2011-04-28

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.Yaniv M Benzimra, Ph.D.

Burnout : The Executive Challenge

Épuisement professionnel : Le défi des cadres supérieurs

© Y2 Consulting Psychologists

Presentation Plan

• 1. What is burnout?

• 2. How does burnout develop?

• 3. Group exercise

• 4. Symptoms

• 5. Causes of burnout

• 6. Prevention of burnout

© Y2 Consulting Psychologists 2

The Current Situation• A study by Health Canada reported that 40% of Canadian employees

have difficulty managing their professional and personal obligations.

• Those feeling high levels of stress because of difficulty balancing work and personal lives have absenteeism rates twice as high as those who report little stress in their lives (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2004)

• Women seem more affected by these difficulties; nonetheless 49% of men also report that they have difficulty achieving a balance between their personal and professional lives.

• 3,400,000 Canadian workers suffer from burnout (Statistics Canada, 2004)

• 40 % attributable to individual factors• 60 % attributable to organizational factors

• 48% of absenteeism has a “mental health dimension”

3© Y2 Consulting Psychologists

Worst current stressors / Pires stresseurs actuels

Canadian Senior Executives

• The 4 most frequently reported stressors of executives are:1. Work overload2. Lack of work-life balance3. Managing interpersonal relations at work4. Frequent contacts with clients


The Executive Reality (APEX)

• APEX 2007 study on the Health and Well-Being of Executives – main results:

1. Stress and technology -- 75% of EX-01s, EX-02s;2. Verbal Harassement (and tormented) – 25% of EX-

01s and EX-02s;3. Level of stress seems to decrease as you move up

the corporate ladder – but still high for all levels in general.

When asked if their organization supported their effort to improve their health, only 12 % said yes!



Maslach Burnout Index:• Measures perceptions of accomplishment, emotional

exhaustion, and levels of cynicism.• There were high scores for all dimensions on the burnout

scales• 75% were in the high range for fatigue• Still 84% had high scores for a sense of accomplishment!• Burnout has a tendency to increase turnover, reduce

commitment and engagement and also reduce productivity

• The higher the level the greater the job satisfaction• Main issues of concern remain hours at work and workload• Less than 10% of executives rate their health as poor!



In the last year, 68% of executives have made efforts to improve their health:

• 68 % increased physical activity• 36 % lost weight• 23.5 % drank less• 19 % took vitamins• 8 % changed diet• 10% quit smoking

• When asked if their organization supported their effort to improve their health, only 12 % said yes!

• Problem drinking has gone up slightly from 10.8 % in 2002 to 11.6 % in 2007


Executive health and well-being (APEX)


What is work-life balance?

It is a state of well being that an individual wishes to attain, that allows him or her to efficiently manage

multiple responsibilities (work, home, community) while

maintaining good physical, emotional and family health.

What is stress?

An imbalance between demands and ability to meet those demands in an allotted time frame.


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What is burnout?

• It is generally diagnosed as an adjustment disorder.

• Burnout can be compared to an imbalance in that a high level of stress affects the person both physically and psychologically.

• WHO: “Intense fatigue, loss of control and inability to achieve concrete results at work.”

• According to Schaufeli and Enzman (1998):

“Burnout is a persistent, negative, work-related state of mind in "normal" individuals that is primarily characterized by exhaustion, which is accompanied by distress, a sense of reduced effectiveness, decreased motivation, and development of dysfunctional attitudes and behaviors at work.”


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Qu’est-ce que l’épuisement professionnel ?

Épuisement professionnel

Détresse psychologique nécessairement lié au travail

Manifestation de colère

Aucune idéation suicidaire

Fluctuation de poids négligeable

Dépression

Détresse psychologique qui n’est pas nécessairement lié au travail

Absence de colère

Présence d’idéation suicidaire

Perte de l’appétit


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Processus de développement de l’épuisement

Un processus de désillusion

• L’épuisement professionnel est un processus qui se développe en plusieurs phases. Il s’agit essentiellement d’un cheminement plus ou moins long où le poids de la désillusion est de plus en plus lourd à porter.

• Ce processus de désillusion se décompose en quatre phases

• La phase des attentes irréalistes (Unrealistic expectations phase)

• La phase du désenchantement (Disenchantment phase)• La phase de la morosité (Sulleness phase)• La phase du dépérissement (Despondency phase)


Psychological Well Being

Indicators1. Life satisfaction2. Job satisfaction3. Stress 4. Distress5. Social & Organisational Support6. Stressors (Perceptions)


From Stress to Burnout (Dr. Benzimra, Y.M., 2002)From Stress to Burnout (Dr. Benzimra, Y.M., 2002)

Social support

Family, partner,

friends, etc.

Supervisors

Colleagues

Stress

Coping Strategies

Distress(Burnout)

Stressors


Types of Stress

• Eustress– Desirable results of

stress– Motivational

• Distress– Negative results– Consequences: after

effects/illnesses (emotional/physical)


Exercise :How stressed am I?

On your own, take 5 minutes to:

• Complete the Stress Inventory and to score it.


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Group Exercise

• Split into groups....

• Recognizing Burnout in Self and Staff?


Lack of balance – the signs

• Feeling a loss of control, and a loss of feeling for work, and of being the ideal professional;

• Persistent fatigue (long hours, poor diet, sleep and other problems, illness, interpersonal conflicts)

• Feeling of always being on the run…without reaching your goal;

• Guilt and regret are integral parts of your life;• STRESS builds!• Social life…what social life???


What happens to the body when it is exposed to stress?

Biochemical changes in the body when exposed to stress

• Short term : Adrenaline has a protective function and helps readiness for ‘fight or flight’ response

• Longer term: Adrenalisation has the complete opposite effect when its presence is prolonged in the bloodstream.– Ex: Depresses the immune system Increases risk of heart disease

Increases in back and joint painIncrease in depression/anxiety disorders


Consequences?

• Physical• Behavioural• Psychological• Social• Spiritual


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Symptoms

Physical Symptoms

• Chronic fatigue, exhaustion (most typical symptom)• Trouble sleeping (related to a high burnout score)• Musculoskeletal pain (back pain)• Psychosomatic disorders (ulcers, gastrointestinal upset)• Depressed immune system (frequent and prolonged colds

and flu)• Increased perspiration• Rapid heartbeat • Higher risk for heart attack• Biochemical changes (cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid)


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Symptomatologie

• Les symptômes émotionnels

• Sentiment d’impuissance • Perte de confiance en soi• Perte d’intérêt pour le travail• Sensation d’être pris au piège• Perception négative de soi (incompétence, incapacité,

infériorité)• Perception négative des autres (irritabilité, cynisme,

impatience)• Désespoir


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Symptoms

• Cognitive Symptoms

• Memory loss• Decreased vigilance • Difficulty assessing situations• Indecision• Inability to perform cognitive tasks (calculations)


Signs of distress

• Altered appearance– Lack of care in appearance– Looks tired– Looks nervous, apprehensive, agitated

• Altered habits– Eating more, eating less– Drinking more, smoking more– Increase absence– More accident prone

• Altered Behaviour– Irritability, aggression– Mood swings– Poor concentration, reduced memory– Poor decision-making– Reduced performance


Personal factors leading to distress

Personal factors• According to Lee and Aschfort (1996), 40% of the causes of

psychological distress can be associated with personal factors.

• Responsibilities/stressors outside of work (family, health, etc.)

• Lack of social support• Very involved organizationally• Extrensic motivation (motivated by external factors)• Individual differences:

• Positive or negative perceptions of situations in life • Cognitive distortions (exaggerated or irrational

thoughts)• Personality (Predisposed to idealisation,

perfectionism or pessimism)• Training/teachings (resilience and adjustment or

threatened?)• High personal expectations/self esteem 25© Y2 Consulting Psychologists

Organizational factors leading to distress

Organizational factors (Karasek and Theorell, 1990)

a) Demands (physical and psychological)• Work overload • Incongruence between the values of the organization and

the employee• Role conflict (several bosses, conflicting expectations)• Unclear roles

b) Resources • Ability to meet organizational demands• Lack of control over carrying out tasks• Social support and the quality of alliances/network

relationships• Organizational justice


The cost of stress• Human and commercial consequences• Many of the impacts are not immediately apparent at the

organisational levelCommercial costs: Absenteeism (physical illness versus malingering?);

• Bulk of the gap are employees who are under-recognised, under-supported, ignored, overburdened or bored;

• Frequent short-term absences versus prolonged long term;• Musculo-skeletal conditions and stress-related absence

account for 80% of lost work days Staff turnover Accidents Employer liability Litigation (personal injury as a result of work stress)


The invisible costs of stress

Wellbeing, motivation and performance:• Poor work quality and productivity• Presenteism• Lower customer satisfaction• Poor decision-making/concentration• Lack of innovation• Difficult working relations and low morale• Lower employee goodwill


A Comprehensive Approach

• Looking at the Individual

• Looking at the Organisation (what is working well; what can be improved)

• Individual changes + Organisational changes = enhanced individual and organisational well being


Frame of Mind

• Once we took stock of our current state of mind, we then must realize the importance of our well-being – by putting aside our guilt and our oversensitivity;

• Need to focus on your development: Managing work-life balance as a competency

• Willingness to experiment and to try new things, even if you make mistakes.

• ‘I found 5000 ways how not to make a light bulb work’ (Thomas A. Edison)


Levels of Intervention

• Primary Intervention– Remove or moderate the effects of stress by tackling the

source of the problem• Secondary Intervention

– Does not tackle the source of the problem but seeks to moderate or remove the impact on the employee by enhancing capacity to cope (i.e., developing ability to adapt and become resilient to pressure)

• Tertiary Intervention– Deals with the treatment of someone who is already

suffering from stress (i.e., heal the individual and increase coping; EAP)

Best practice in stress management OFTEN involves

a combination of all three levels of intervention


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Prévenir le burnout

• Stratégies individuelles

• Stratégies organisationnelles


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Preventing burnout

Info:

• Work stoppage is often required. The duration may vary from person to person.

• It is important to limit the rest period. Spending too much time away from the workplace could hinder the re-entry process.

• Drugs (antidepressants) can also be prescribed. This must be discussed with the person’s doctor.

• Rest is needed, but it is not the only solution.

• Habits and attitudes towards work also need to be changed.

• Consulting a health care professional (guidance counsellor, psychologist) can be a big help in identifying causes of burnout.


Gestion préventive de la détresse

Accroître votre résistance par:1. Nutrition2. Exercice (et saines habitudes de vie)3. Sommeil4. Soutien social (positif!)5. Contrôle (lâcher prise)6. Suivre conseils médicaux (médicaments, suivis

réguliers, dépistages)7. Relaxation (respirations profondes,

décontraction musculaires)


Relaxation Strategies

Different types:1. Deep breathing2. Progressive muscular relaxation3. Mental Imagery

Relaxation will help you:1. Better manage your emotional reactions2. Diminish your overall level of stress3. Rest rapidly4. Deeper sleep (feel rested and energetic in

the morning!)


Coping strategies

Direct Coping Strategies:1. Identify and specify stressor2. Generate different potential solutions3. Try and adapt solutions

Social Support: 1. Don’t underestimate the power of social support2. Seek and provide support (instrumental and

emotional)

Perceptions and Attitude:1. Choose your attitude 2. Challenge your negative perceptions



Managing the way we interpret or perceive

• The way we visualize the link between work and family life is important because our way of seeing (perceiving) a situation influences the way we resolve problems…


+ +

- -

Managing our interpretations

A B C DEvent

SituationThoughts

Interpretation

Emotion

Feeling

Action

Consequence

Gesture

Self-esteem

Past experiences

Beliefs, values

Desires

Other individual strategies

1. Establish your priorities (career, family, finances) by setting realistic objectives and setting realistic plans for achieving them

2. Get moving (stop wishing and hoping)3. Don’t try to do everything (work in a team, delegate,

share/rotate responsibilities, accept that not everything will get done exactly as you would do it or when you might want it to get done)

4. Hire someone (numerous advantages!)5. Make room for the unexpected (break out of your

routine to socialize)6. Let go (don’t try to control things over which you have

no control)


Organisational strategies

• Need to analyse and identify the organisational sources of stress and tackle them

• Conduct a comprehensive ‘Workplace Stress Audit’Three-point framework: 1. Awareness2. Responsibility (duty of care towards employees)3. Taking action


A number of organizational strategies can be put in place tofacilitate work-life balance for employees:

1. Realistic workload/expectations for the unit 2. Fill vacant positions with qualified individuals3. Analyze current resources and make changes4. Foster positive organizational culture and a good work

climate5. Teamwork/networking 6. Workplace flexibility (flexible hours, telework,

compressed work weeks)


Organisational strategies

From Distress to Happiness

A matter of TIME MANAGEMENTA matter of ENERGY MANAGEMENTA matter of BEING EFFICIENT

And HAPPINESS???


The Quest for Success and Today’s Reality

• Achievement oriented society

• Pursuit of professional success (often defined by $$$)

• Increase in percentages of distressed individuals

• Towards emotional bankruptcy


Are you also on the differed life-plan?


Summary: a little reminder

• We are the authors of our lives: live your life in line with YOUR values and YOUR principles!!!

• Don’t forget: the goal is to achieve a sense of well-being!

• Frame of mind is important.• What works for one individual does not

necessarily work for another;• What has worked for 3, 4 or 5 years might not

work today;• Be prepared to adapt along the way.


Supporting direct reports• Services through APEX:• You can access the Service by contacting Paulette Panzeri at

613.992.5592 or by email at [email protected]. She is there to listen to your concerns or issues and to assist you in any way she can. She will provide:

• http://www.apex.gc.ca/en/services/advisory-service.aspx

• Employee Assistance Program• Short-term counselling, crisis counselling and critical incident

stress management – 1-800-268-7708 (TDD 1-800-567-5803)• For you and your family, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

Health Canada Employee Assistance Services


mailto:[email protected]

http://www.apex.gc.ca/en/services/advisory-service.aspx

http://hr.hq-ac.prv/hrb/wellness/faq.asp#q16

http://hr.hq-ac.prv/hrb/wellness/EAP.asp

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Exercices

Tests gratuits sur la santé mentale et le burnout (la validité scientifique n'a pas été démontrée)

• http://pages.globetrotter.net/consultrapae/evaluations.

•http://questionnaires.sympatico.ca/msn/tests/sante/epuisement/

• http://www.cmq.org/DocumentLibrary/UploadedContents/CmsDocuments/Bulletin-2007-hiver-

dossier-questionnaire.pdf


http://pages.globetrotter.net/consultrapae/evaluations.http://questionnaires.sympatico.ca/msn/tests/sante/epuisement/



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Ressources additionnelles/Additional Resources

A Guide for Managing the Return to Work, Canadian Human Rights Commision, 2007En ligne/Online: chrc-ccdp.ca

Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace -- Manager’s Guide, Canada Revenue Agency,En ligne/Online: managers-gestionnaires.gc.ca

Mental Health Works (useful information on burnout – both for managers and employees)Liens/Links: mentalhealthworks.ca/employees - mentalhealthworks.ca/employers

Other documents:What You Need to Know About Mental Health: A Tool for Managers,The Conference Board of Canada, 2005Les points importants/Highlights: conferenceboard.ca

Livre/Book:Le Burn out : Comprendre et vaincre l’épuisement professionnel,Suzanne Peters et Dr Patrick Mesters, Edition MARABOUT (Hachette Livre) 2008


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Ressources additionnelles/Additional Resources

Work/Life Balance (and Work/Life Balance Quiz), Canadian Mental Health AssociationLien/Link: cmha.ca

Burnout: An Introduction, Mind Tools Limited, LondonLien/Link: mindtools.com

Public servants have highest absentee rate: study, Canwest News Service – July 24, 2009Lien/Link: nationalpost.com

Guide pour une démarche stratégique de prévention des problèmes de santé psychologique au travail, Université Laval, juin 2009Lien/Link: cgsst.com

Évaluation de la santé mentale au travail; une analyse des pratiques de gestion des ressources humaines, Jean-Pierre Brun, Université Laval, août 2003Lien/Link: R-342.pdf (irsst.qc.ca)


Questions ?To reach us: y2cp.com - 819.777.7744


Health & Medicine

Y2CP - Preventing Burnout - 2011-04-28