The Relationship Between Trauma & Burnout
Burnout is a hot topic and for good reason. More than half of managers’ report feeling burnt out (53%) (Workplace Trends Index) and according to Gallup, 76% of employees experience burnout on the job at least sometimes, and 28% say they are burned out “very often” or “always” at work.
The impacts of burnout on organizations and teams are real, with many attributing the Great Resignation, at least in part, to widespread burnout during the pandemic. Data shows that-
- Employees who are burned out report 22x worse stress and anxiety at work compared with employees who are not.
- Burnout is associated with degraded employee performance, including 32% worse productivity and 60% worse ability to focus.
- People who are burned out feel far less connected. They are 2x more likely to feel disconnected from company values, direct managers, immediate team, and executive leadership.
- Burnout is a major driver of attrition. People who are burned out report being 3x more “likely” or “very likely” to search for a new job in the coming year.
Despite reaching the end of the pandemic and the Great Resignation, burnout is still prevalent, even increasing among many demographics.
- Burnout rose to 40% this quarter globally — an 8% rise from May — with the most significant increase in the U.S., where 43% of desk workers report feeling burned out.
- There’s a notable gender gap between women and men on the issue of burnout, with female workers showing 32% more burnout than their male counterparts.
- Younger workers are more likely to experience burnout, with 49% of 18-to-29-year-olds saying they feel burned out compared with just 38% of workers aged 30 and older.
What is Burnout?
According to the World Health Organization, burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress; characterized by three dimensions:
- feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
- increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job
- reduced professional efficacy.
It’s also important to understand that burnout can come on quite quickly, but the recovery takes much longer- on average from six months to several years. So, prevention is key when it comes to mitigating both the personal and organizational impacts of burnout.
How are burnout and trauma connected?
Both trauma and burnout involve experiencing elevated levels of chronic stress. Traumatic events have a much broader scope, while burnout, as defined above, is strictly focused on work and workplace experience. While similar, trauma and burnout are different and can occur in tandem- or on their own. One may experience a traumatic event at work and could also be experiencing burnout or not, for example.
Individuals who experience trauma are at a higher risk of developing burnout, but it’s important to note that while not everyone who experiences trauma will develop burnout, burnout can also occur in the absence of trauma. It’s a complex interaction influenced by individual factors, workplace conditions, and available support systems.
Why would prior experiences of Trauma lead to a higher risk of Burnout?
Prior experiences of trauma can leave individuals with psychological vulnerabilities, such as increased sensitivity to stress and reduced resilience. These vulnerabilities can make it more challenging for individuals to cope with subsequent stressors, including work-related stress. Leaving them more susceptible to developing burnout.
Trauma survivors can often experience heightened emotional exhaustion due to the lingering impacts of trauma. Emotional exhaustion is a core component of burnout. Any existing emotional exhaustion can compound the effects of work-related stress and burnout.
Traumatic experiences can also lead to hypervigilance, a state of heightened alertness and constant scanning of the environment for potential threats. This hypervigilance can persist in non-traumatic contexts, including the workplace.
Sometimes, this can present to others as being empathetic, predicting the needs of others, being steps ahead, or an ability to read the room which can often be positive and rewarded traits in the workplace.
Constantly being on high alert and feeling hyper aroused can contribute to chronic stress and exhaustion, increasing the risk of burnout. A person who cannot manage this vigilance can quickly experience or exacerbate burnout.
Trauma can also disrupt an individual’s ability to effectively cope with stressors. Survivors may have learned maladaptive coping strategies or developed negative beliefs about themselves and the world. These impaired coping mechanisms can make it more challenging for individuals to manage work-related stress.
An individual’s ability to trust others and form healthy relationships can also be affected by prior experiences of trauma, potentially leading to challenges in seeking support and establishing positive social connections in the workplace. A lack of social support and interpersonal difficulties can inhibit a sense of belonging and peer support, contributing to experiences of burnout.
Work environments may contain triggers that remind trauma survivors of their past traumatic experiences. These triggers can reawaken distressing emotions, memories, or physical sensations associated with trauma, amplifying their stress levels and vulnerability to burnout.
An individual may not always recognize their triggers or that their trauma response is triggered in these scenarios, which could render them more upsetting because they are unable to understand their response.
How Trauma Informed Workplace Cultures Support Burnout Prevention
A significant amount of research shows that workplace culture and organizational environment are key factors leading to burnout. So, while experience with trauma may increase an individual’s likelihood for experience burnout, organizations have the greatest ability to prevent burnout for all of their employees, regardless of prior traumatic experiences.
Let’s review a few examples of the organizational factors that contribute to burnout and how the principles of trauma informed culture can help counteract or prevent them. Note, that many of these factors are impacted by multiple principles, one is listed to provide an example.
Burnout Factor -Lack of Control and Autonomy: Limited decision-making authority or control over one’s work can contribute to burnout. Employees feeling powerless, micromanaged, or unable to influence their work environment or processes, can lead to feelings of frustration and exhaustion.
Trauma Informed Culture Principle — Empowerment: Powerlessness is at the core of experiences of trauma and feeling like you have no say in your work life can exacerbate feelings of powerlessness and lead to frustration and burnout.
By leveraging the principle of empowerment, you can create choice and autonomy for your team to ensure they have a sense of control over at least some of their workplace experiences.
Burnout Factor — Role Ambiguity and Conflict: Unclear job expectations, conflicting roles or responsibilities, and lack of role clarity can contribute to burnout. Employees facing conflicting demands, are uncertain about their responsibilities, or experience a mismatch between their values and organizational expectations, it can increase stress and contribute to burnout.
Trauma Informed Culture Principle — Collaboration: The principle of collaboration seeks to minimize the negative impacts of positional power through systems and structures. It also prioritizes empathetic leaders that understand the importance of creating clear and attainable goals for their teams.
Burnout Factor — Lack of Support and Recognition: Insufficient support from supervisors or colleagues, lack of feedback or recognition, and a dearth of social support within the organization can contribute to burnout. Individuals feeling isolated, unappreciated, or unsupported, can impact their motivation and well-being.
Trauma Informed Principle — Community: Social support and peer networks are key aspects of the principle of community. Feelings of belonging and support help work through challenges and provide various avenues for individuals to seek support or even commiseration.
Burnout Factor — Poor Work-Life Balance: An inability to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life can lead to chronic stress and burnout. Organizations that do not support flexible work arrangements or encourage overworking without breaks contribute to an imbalance that can increase burnout risk.
Trauma Informed Principle- Humility & Responsiveness: An individual experiencing overwork and a lack of boundaries, should have safe avenues to voice their concerns and needs and have the organization take meaningful action to create change. Sometimes workloads balloon without thought, so the key is for mechanisms to be in place to correct them.
Burnout Factor — Lack of Growth and Development Opportunities: A lack of opportunities for learning, growth, and career advancement can contribute to burnout. When employees feel stuck in their roles without opportunities for skill development or progression, it can lead to feelings of stagnation and disengagement.
Trauma Informed Principle — Empowerment: The principle of empowerment recognizes the need for each person to have room to grow and learn in their work environment- whether it is to advance them up the career ladder (or jungle gym) or if it is to enrich their knowledge and skills for their current role.
While trauma and burnout are separate issues, they are deeply interconnected, and trauma informed workplace cultures are a key for organizations looking to tackle the crisis of burnout facing their leaders and teams. If you are looking to learn more about your own experiences or if you think you may be burnt out use the brief assessment below as a place to start.
Next week, we will continue our discussion on burnout and trauma, specifically looking at the topic of Secondary/Vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue. Make sure and follow so you don’t miss out!
