In this blog we’ll look at what causes burnout, the change curve and top tips for managing change successfully.
What causes burnout?
What is burnout? Simply put, burnout is the result of overworking and the added stress that comes with change to your work environment. These changes consist of redundancies, job losses, cuts in pay, increasing working hours and extension of daily tasks – all of which may lead to the employee ‘burning out’ or becoming less productive due to their inability to cope with the growing uncertainty of the situation.
Statistics from our blog post indicates that brain capacity in public and private sector businesses have decreased from 2019 to 2020.
What we have seen between 2019 and 2020 is:
- A decrease in ‘healthy’ levels of wellbeing by 6% – so that now only 26% of our workforce are actually fit for work!
- Wellbeing levels dropping in the ‘reactive’ category, but rather than being a positive impact, this is due to an increase for both the ‘ill’ and ‘damaged’ categories.
- The ‘ill’ level has increased by 2% and ‘damaged’ has increased by 13%. Although the ‘ill’ quartile/ category has risen by only 2% actually it is 3x what it was, so a small number but a very worrying increase.
- Therefore, individuals are struggling to cope with the stress and uncertainty of the future, ultimately leading to the business suffering due to its people failing to work at a healthy level of productivity.
It is true that the uncertainty of what is about to come next is looming over us, this uncertainty leads us to fear change. However, what if we could predict how individuals may react to change and better support them when it happens?
In November, HR Zone published an article about burnout in HR departments, focusing on how HR team members are busy looking after others, but not so good at tending to their own wellbeing.
What is the ‘Change Curve’ Model?
The ‘Kubler-Ross Change Curve’ is a model which allows us to understand the different stages of organisational change, helping to predict how others will react to changes in their work life, and supporting them through the process. There are varying ‘change curve’ models with varying numbers of stages, the Kubler-Ross model consists of five stages, based on a prediction of how individuals will react to changes in their organisation.
Stage 1 – Shock and Denial
The model predicts that once an individual is informed about changes in their organisation, they meet it by being initially shocked. Perhaps denying it all together, denial is used by some as a coping strategy, when fearing change in their daily routine.
Stage 2 – Frustration and Depression
When the change is confirmed in your own mind, however, this is something that you fear greatly, you may react by feeling frustrated or depressed. These are experienced due to a recognition that things are going to be different, these can lead our minds to react in different ways depending on the individual.
Stage 3 – Experimentation
The third stage is experimentation with the new changes, therefore, you are aware that these changes will happen no matter your issues, so you must find ways to experiment with this. Experimentation is personal to the individual, how you choose to experiment with this newfound information is up to you.
Stage 4 – Decision
The fourth stage involves acceptance, accepting that these are the way things are and deciding to make the most out of the situation. Learning how to work in a new way and learning how to cope with this new way of working.
Stage 5 – Integration
The fifth and final stage of the model is integration – meaning that changes have been integrated into your daily working and that you’re now a new working individual who is actively supporting the change that has been introduced by the organisation.
In all five stages of this model, the individual SHOULD NOT be left to cope with change without the FULL support of the organisation. Change can be overwhelming, especially a change such as Covid-19, due to the personal struggles that employees may be facing alongside their work.
So, how do we embrace change? Below Maria Paviour, founder of the Maria Paviour Company and Wellbeing with Cari has put together some helpful tips on how best to deal with changes in an organisation for both employees and employers.
If you’re not familiar with Maria, she is an Occupational Psychologist, Neuroscience & Wellbeing coach, multi-award-winning IT/App innovator, author and respected international speaker. She is also the Director of her own SMEs – Wellbeing with Cari and the Maria Paviour Company. Having spent 20+ years specialising in the neuroscience of wellbeing and performance at work, she is an expert in offering the best support and tech to your business.
How do we embrace change?
‘Cognitive Dissonance’
A common sentiment used when discussing those who fear change is that they’re ‘stuck in their ways’ or ‘difficult’ and fail to see the benefits that change will introduce to the business.
However, what businesses sometimes fail to recognise is that when an individual fails to believe in the purpose of the organisation and its values, this causes ‘cognitive dissonance’, almost like an alarm bell that rings in our minds, warning us that things are not exactly right.
When faced with an employee who believes in the purposes and values of the business, and recognises that the proposed changes do in fact sit within these values, they will feel compelled to change!
What Maria is getting at is that organisations need to think about their brand purposes and values, asking themselves do my employees believe in these, if not – how can I change this?
Once a unified trust and belief in these values are supported by all members of the team, then, and only then, begin to think about change – when your people believe THEY will be the ones driving change for you!
How you label it, matters!
Labels matter, how you position change to your people matters. When we are faced with the news of change, it is unpredictable to know how one will react. Perhaps anger, frustration, depression, anxiety, excitement, optimism – all options are equally as likely.
It is about how you label change as an organisation – if you mention change to your employee without prior support, they may freeze or feel anxious, especially in the current climate.
What do you do instead?
You frame the subject of change differently to tackle the initial anxiety that the word produces in individuals. Instead of labelling it as ‘change’ – say to your people, ‘this is an exciting event that is going to help us to all feel more supported’, by framing the event as something supportive, you will find your people are much more at ease with the situation.
Are you aware of the wellbeing scores of your people?
Finally, Maria’s final tip for dealing with change is knowing your people and their wellbeing scores before embarking on any new changes.
It is proven that an individual with a healthy wellbeing score and brain capacity score is more likely to positively react to change. Therefore, those who are presenting a low wellbeing score will find change detrimental to their mental health as they’re struggling to be productive to begin with!
Therefore, you must have access to your people’s data on how they’re thinking/ feeling, otherwise, a smooth transition into a transformed organisation is simply not possible.
How well do you know your people?
Cari is a complete wellbeing and performance solution. Helping all the people in your organisation individually and supporting your HR and senior leadership teams. Cari will enable you to identify and fix presenteeism.
Data driven and powered by AI, Cari has been lovingly created with empathy at heart to analyse mental health and provide optimal solutions that are tailored to meet every individual’s needs. Cari aims to make it as easy as possible for you to provide the right levels of support, connecting employees with the human care they need at the right time.
Cari helps organisations create great teams that thrive, and individuals enjoy their best lives. Whether that means being happier at home and better able to cope in challenging times or being way more productive and performing your very best at work.
Scientifically proven, Cari has already helped numerous organisations and thousands of individuals boost their wellbeing. Accurately scoring wellbeing by 92% and increasing wellbeing by up to 35% in organisations. Proactively supporting everyone to achieve not only their goals, but one of the most empowering things of all: greater happiness.
Whilst 2020 was stressful for all of us, may 2021 bring with it workplace wellness and calm, and may all our future endeavours be granted.
Happy New Year all!
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