Y2CP - Preventing Burnout - 2011-04-28

. 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

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”

Worst current stressors / Pires stresseurs actuels Canadian Senior Executives
The 4 most frequently reported stressors of executives are:
Work overload
Lack of work-life balance
Managing interpersonal relations at work
Frequent contacts with clients

The Executive Reality (APEX)
APEX 2007 study on the Health and Well-Being of Executives – main results:
Stress and technology -- 75% of EX-01s, EX-02s;
Verbal Harassement (and tormented) – 25% of EX-01s and EX-02s;
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
S till 84% had high scores for a sense of accomplishment!
B urnout 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) © Y2 Consulting Psychologists

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.

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 i n "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 .”

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

Processus de d éveloppement 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
Indicators
Life satisfaction
Job satisfaction
Stress
Distress
Social & Organisational Support
Stressors (Perceptions)

From Stress to Burnout (Dr. Benzimra, Y.M., 2002) Social support Family, partner, friends, etc. Supervisors Colleagues Stress Coping Strategies Distress (Burnout) Stressors © Y2 Consulting Psychologists

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.

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 pain
Increase in depression/anxiety disorders

Consequences?
Physical
Behavioural
Psychological
Social
Spiritual

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 )

Symptomatologie
Les sympt ômes émotionnels
Sentiment d’impuissance
Perte de confiance en soi
Perte d’intér êt pour le travail
Sensation d’être pris au piège
Perception négative de soi ( incompétence, incapacité, infériorité)
Perception négative des autres ( irritabilité, cynisme, impatience )
Désespoir

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

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 level
Commercial 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

Prévenir le burnout
Stratégies individuelles
Stratégies organisationnelles

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:
Nutrition
Exercice (et saines habitudes de vie)
Sommeil
Soutien social (positif!)
Contrôle (lâcher prise)
Suivre conseils médicaux (médicaments, suivis réguliers, dépistages)
Relaxation (respirations profondes, décontraction musculaires)

Relaxation Strategies
Different types:
Deep breathing
Progressive muscular relaxation
Mental Imagery
Relaxation will help you:
Better manage your emotional reactions
Diminish your overall level of stress
Rest rapidly
Deeper sleep (feel rested and energetic in the morning!)

Coping strategies
Direct Coping Strategies:
Identify and specify stressor
Generate different potential solutions
Try and adapt solutions
Social Support:
Don’t underestimate the power of social support
Seek and provide support (instrumental and emotional)
Perceptions and Attitude:
Choose your attitude
Challenge your negative perceptions

Managing the way we interpret or perceive © Y2 Consulting Psychologists
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 © Y2 Consulting Psychologists + + - - A B C D Event Situation Thoughts Interpretation Emotion Feeling Action Consequence Gesture Self-esteem Past experiences Beliefs, values Desires

Other individual strategies
Establish your priorities (career, family, finances) by setting realistic objectives and setting realistic plans for achieving them
Get moving (stop wishing and hoping)
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)
Hire someone (numerous advantages!)
Make room for the unexpected (break out of your routine to socialize)
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:
Awareness
Responsibility (duty of care towards employees)
Taking action

A number of organizational strategies can be put in place to
facilitate work-life balance for employees:
Realistic workload/expectations for the unit
Fill vacant positions with qualified individuals
Analyze current resources and make changes
Foster positive organizational culture and a good work climate
Teamwork/networking
Workplace flexibility (flexible hours, telework, compressed work weeks)
Organisational strategies © Y2 Consulting Psychologists

From Distress to Happiness A matter of TIME MANAGEMENT A matter of ENERGY MANAGEMENT A matter of BEING EFFICIENT And HAPPINESS??? © Y2 Consulting Psychologists

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

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_address] . 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

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

Ressources additionnelles/Additional Resources A Guide for Managing the Return to Work, Canadian Human Rights Commision, 2007 En 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, 2005 Les 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 © Y2 Consulting Psychologists

Ressources additionnelles/Additional Resources Work/Life Balance (and Work/Life Balance Quiz), Canadian Mental Health Association Lien/Link: cmha.ca Burnout: An Introduction, Mind Tools Limited, London Lien/Link: mindtools.com Public servants have highest absentee rate: study, Canwest News Service – July 24, 2009 Lien/Link: nationalpost.com Guide pour une démarche stratégique de prévention des problèmes de santé psychologique au travail, Université Laval, juin 2009 Lien/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 2003 Lien/Link: R-342.pdf (irsst.qc.ca) © Y2 Consulting Psychologists

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Y2CP - Preventing Burnout - 2011-04-28

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Y2CP - Preventing Burnout - 2011-04-28 — Presentation Transcript