What can an organisation do to reduce burnout?
Stress and burnout are receiving a lot of attention from commentators. Some of these place the responsibility with the individual. However, organisations have a responsibility to provide employees with a compassionate workplace.
A compassionate organisation cherishes its employees and demonstrates support for others. This takes time to embed and sustain.
The ABC of core needs forms a useful framework to look at how workplace stress and burnout can be reduced. The core needs identified by Deci and Ryan are Autonomy, Belonging and Competence. Deci and Ryan propose that meeting all three of these needs will ‘yield enhanced self motivation and mental health’ but when they are thwarted, motivation and well-being are diminished. This week we will look at Autonomy.
Autonomy
Influence
Employees have a need to control their working environment and to ensure that the work they are doing is consistent with their values and beliefs. Self-chosen goals create intrinsic motivation. That is the desire to do something for its own sake. When people are intrinsically motivated they get greater enjoyment and satisfaction from their work and are more engaged. Doctors, for instance, are intrinsically motivated to do their best for their patients. Pressures that prevent them from doing so may impede that motivation.
Voice
Each individual within the workforce will have different needs in terms how they receive and provide information. A large organisation will find it impossible to meet each individual’s needs but it is possible to be mindful of some broad distinctions. Extroverts generally prefer to voice their ideas and to discuss them with others and may quickly voice their reaction to suggestions. Introverts may prefer to receive written information, and to have sufficient time to reflect upon it before responding. That response may come in writing or in a one-to-one meeting rather than more publicly.
Fairness
Justice and fairness is enhanced where there is lower levels of discrimination against minority groups. Role models amongst the leadership of organisations are absent in many organisations, including the health service. Discrimination comes in many forms, and may not always be obvious to the observer. For instance mental and physical disability that may not be visible. Men who wish to work in a mainly female environment, or visa versa, may meet challenges.
The gender pay gap is a significant issue in many organisations.
Work conditions
Many of us take the provision of basic working conditions as a given. Yet a survey of nearly 500 junior doctors conducted by the Royal College of Physicians reported that 70% of doctors worked on a rota that was under-staffed . The pressure put on the NHS by sustained increase in demand means that some doctors are working under significant pressure and beyond their rostered hours and are unable to take breaks. Caroline Elton’s book ‘Also Human – The Inner Lives of Doctors’ gives powerful examples of how the failure to meet the basic needs of clinical trainees impacts on their motivation and well-being.
How many other organisations or professions does this apply to? What are the pressures, challenges and intrinsic motivators for other areas? How do professionals in the Pharmaceutical industry, Education or Insurtech sector work to prevent burnout?
So what can organisations do to reduce burnout?
- Making sure that the organisational message appeals to individual’s sources of intrinsic motivation, will maximise engagement.
- Communicating in a range of media formats will enable those who need more time to reflect to feel valued and contribute fully.
- Role models amongst the leadership of an organisation will encourage those from minority groups to engage.
The responsibility falls to organisations to embed a culture where all staff feel they are being treated fairly and that their wellbeing is important.
For more information about supporting organisations and individuals to take steps to reduce burnout, contact: viv.waton@deardenassessment.co.uk
Other articles which may be of interest in our series of blogs include:
References
Cheverie, J (2015)Why Autonomy Is Important for Peak Performance accessed at https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2015/6/why-autonomy-is-important-for-peak-performance
Ryan, R. and Deci, E (2000) Self Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development and Well-Being https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2000_RyanDeci_SDT.pdf
West, M (2019) ‘It doesn’t have to be this way’ in The Psychologist https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-32/august-2019/it-doesnt-have-be-way