On the job or at home, increased demands are being placed on individuals to perform, leaving many feeling distraught and exhausted.
Stress and burnout among workers are reaching epidemic proportions, resulting in loss of millions in revenue due to absenteeism and corresponding reduction in productivity. In general today, the workplace seems to have lost its sense of community. It used to be a place where like-minded people gathered together to produce work that was accepted and appreciated. A place, also, where workers were affirmed and at the end of the day, felt a sense of joy and satisfaction for work well done.
Unfortunately, today, in many organizations this is not happening. There seems to be a lack of concern for quality of product and of people. The expectation seems to be that workers should extend themselves for the good of the corporation, instead of the organization being there, also, for the good of the workers.
These changes have come about partly because of globalization, where companies, for economic reasons, move out of a community and out of the country. Diversified technology has also put a squeeze on the employee, with productivity being enhanced through the use of sophisticated technology and tight human resource management. There is now more to be done in less time.
As a result of these changes, pressures in the workplace have led to serious stress or burnout among workers. Burnout can best be described as a sickness of achievers who are committed to high ideals, but realistically are unable to reach them.
Burnout in an individual is a process that begins with cynical and pessimistic thoughts, which if not corrected can lead to apathy, lethargy and exhaustion. An employee who experiences burnout generally tends to withdraw into isolation, becoming resigned to failure and eventually succumbing to depression.
On the other hand, stress-prone people develop worrisome, fearful and disgruntled thoughts which cause them to become easily agitated, anxious, angry and annoyed. Because of these feelings they avoid others, become indecisive, explosive and belligerent. Unfortunately, not addressing the issues that bring on stress can lead to heart problems and other physical ailments. Workload to an organization means productivity, but to the individual worker it means expending more time and energy. This in turn means little downtime, hardly enough to catch one’s breath before the next project begins. In addition, the workweek often extends into the evening and weekend, further eroding time meant for leisure and recuperation. Downsizing adds to this problem, since the duties of middle management are redistributed to all levels of the organization, further overwhelming the employees with more paperwork.
The question may be asked, “Do the employees have any control over the decisions which impact them directly?” In many companies they do not. Organizational control needs to be shared between management and workers for the success of the organization. Unexpected problems in organizations will arise, but if employees are given the opportunity and the time to have input in decision-making they then feel a sense of control.
We all need to feel the intrinsic reward of a job well done, of doing work that is appreciated with colleagues we like. Unfortunately, this becomes difficult at a time when many organizations are trimming budgets by reducing fringe benefits, hiring more part-time workers and asking employees to take pay cuts. Because of these, career advancement and job security almost seem to be a thing of the past, but they are the very rewards that create a healthy and productive organization.
Today, a sense of community in the workplace is essential, but it is being undermined by the pressure of timelines and the practice of centralized control. As job security becomes an issue and the organization weakens its commitment to staff, employees’ commitment to each other also weakens.
Over time, the sense of community erodes as downsizing, mergers and acquisitions break up successful teams in the organization. All of these result in reduced group synergy as employees perform work more as individuals instead of as a team, opening the door to more mistrust and unresolved conflict.
Humans are relationship minded and need to feel a sense of community, a sense of belonging and a sense of fairness. Unfortunately, many times today, the bottom line rules at the expense of trust, openness and respect.
Do employees feel that they matter, or are they only pawns subject to the whims of the corporation? Are companies really concerned about the welfare of their workers? Mistrust is an issue, but it will be lessened when employees are involved in the decisions of the company that directly affect them. They will then be made to feel that their input is valued, knowing that the company is treating them fairly.
As companies become aware of the increasing level of stress among employees, they need to take specific action to bring about engagement in their workplace. Making an effort to initiate positive dialogue between management and workers is the first step. As trust in the process increases, employees will be more comfortable discussing their concerns about workload, lack of control and reward, and their concerns about the eroding sense of community in the organization.
Workers will then feel a sense of engagement and even endure heavy workloads as organizations offer them an atmosphere where reward, fairness and respect is practiced.
Audrey Pihulyk is a writer and motivational speaker who emphasizes humour to reduce stress and increase productivity in the workplace. She can be reached through her Web site at www.possibilitiesnetwork.com or 1-866-484-2197.
Stress and burnout among workers are reaching epidemic proportions, resulting in loss of millions in revenue due to absenteeism and corresponding reduction in productivity. In general today, the workplace seems to have lost its sense of community. It used to be a place where like-minded people gathered together to produce work that was accepted and appreciated. A place, also, where workers were affirmed and at the end of the day, felt a sense of joy and satisfaction for work well done.
Unfortunately, today, in many organizations this is not happening. There seems to be a lack of concern for quality of product and of people. The expectation seems to be that workers should extend themselves for the good of the corporation, instead of the organization being there, also, for the good of the workers.
These changes have come about partly because of globalization, where companies, for economic reasons, move out of a community and out of the country. Diversified technology has also put a squeeze on the employee, with productivity being enhanced through the use of sophisticated technology and tight human resource management. There is now more to be done in less time.
As a result of these changes, pressures in the workplace have led to serious stress or burnout among workers. Burnout can best be described as a sickness of achievers who are committed to high ideals, but realistically are unable to reach them.
Burnout in an individual is a process that begins with cynical and pessimistic thoughts, which if not corrected can lead to apathy, lethargy and exhaustion. An employee who experiences burnout generally tends to withdraw into isolation, becoming resigned to failure and eventually succumbing to depression.
On the other hand, stress-prone people develop worrisome, fearful and disgruntled thoughts which cause them to become easily agitated, anxious, angry and annoyed. Because of these feelings they avoid others, become indecisive, explosive and belligerent. Unfortunately, not addressing the issues that bring on stress can lead to heart problems and other physical ailments. Workload to an organization means productivity, but to the individual worker it means expending more time and energy. This in turn means little downtime, hardly enough to catch one’s breath before the next project begins. In addition, the workweek often extends into the evening and weekend, further eroding time meant for leisure and recuperation. Downsizing adds to this problem, since the duties of middle management are redistributed to all levels of the organization, further overwhelming the employees with more paperwork.
The question may be asked, “Do the employees have any control over the decisions which impact them directly?” In many companies they do not. Organizational control needs to be shared between management and workers for the success of the organization. Unexpected problems in organizations will arise, but if employees are given the opportunity and the time to have input in decision-making they then feel a sense of control.
We all need to feel the intrinsic reward of a job well done, of doing work that is appreciated with colleagues we like. Unfortunately, this becomes difficult at a time when many organizations are trimming budgets by reducing fringe benefits, hiring more part-time workers and asking employees to take pay cuts. Because of these, career advancement and job security almost seem to be a thing of the past, but they are the very rewards that create a healthy and productive organization.
Today, a sense of community in the workplace is essential, but it is being undermined by the pressure of timelines and the practice of centralized control. As job security becomes an issue and the organization weakens its commitment to staff, employees’ commitment to each other also weakens.
Over time, the sense of community erodes as downsizing, mergers and acquisitions break up successful teams in the organization. All of these result in reduced group synergy as employees perform work more as individuals instead of as a team, opening the door to more mistrust and unresolved conflict.
Humans are relationship minded and need to feel a sense of community, a sense of belonging and a sense of fairness. Unfortunately, many times today, the bottom line rules at the expense of trust, openness and respect.
Do employees feel that they matter, or are they only pawns subject to the whims of the corporation? Are companies really concerned about the welfare of their workers? Mistrust is an issue, but it will be lessened when employees are involved in the decisions of the company that directly affect them. They will then be made to feel that their input is valued, knowing that the company is treating them fairly.
As companies become aware of the increasing level of stress among employees, they need to take specific action to bring about engagement in their workplace. Making an effort to initiate positive dialogue between management and workers is the first step. As trust in the process increases, employees will be more comfortable discussing their concerns about workload, lack of control and reward, and their concerns about the eroding sense of community in the organization.
Workers will then feel a sense of engagement and even endure heavy workloads as organizations offer them an atmosphere where reward, fairness and respect is practiced.
Audrey Pihulyk is a writer and motivational speaker who emphasizes humour to reduce stress and increase productivity in the workplace. She can be reached through her Web site at www.possibilitiesnetwork.com or 1-866-484-2197.
