Can corporate wellness exist if individual wellness does not?

At what point does corporate liability stop and individual liability begin?

So many of us are the first to complain about an unhappy workplace, a terrible boss or a low salary, but what if they trigger for our workplace discontent is actually ourselves? What if the fact we are going through a divorce, are struggling to sleep with a young baby, are grieving a loved one or have an addiction is affecting our work-life balance and the cause is nothing to do with our workplace?

What is burnout?

Burnout is the medical diagnosis of physical and mental exhaustion caused by workplace stress. It is caused by chronic stress for up to a year, or acute stress for over 3 months, and once the state of burnout is reached, it can take, on average, a year to return the body and mind to its previous state. It often comes with a feeling of impending doom, hopelessness, lack of energy to find the strength to make changes and a host of physical symptoms ranging from migraines to chronic pain or diseases such as heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Personal responsibility

Modern life is stressful with such a fast-paced lifestyle that it is no wonder we find it hard. Events happen to us such as grief, redundancies, financial pressures, health issues of family members, our own health issues and lack of time, but can we really blame the workplace when there are choices and actions we can make to improve our mental and physical health?

If we are struggling with an addiction, an eating disorder, an anxiety disorder, stress or other mental health concerns, seeking help, and finding the motivation and finances to change can seem impossible. But going to work sleep deprived, with gut issues from alcohol over-consumption, or a complete lack of focus due to a family bereavement, is unfair on the company. Being physically or mentally incapable of giving an acceptable effort level at work due to lifestyle choices, mental health problems we have not sought help for, or destructive habits which affect our capacity, puts pressure on our workplace. Is it better to go to work and give 20% than to be absent and have your colleagues pick up the slack?

Corporate responsibility

The main causes of burnout within a workplace are poor communication, a poor culture, poor pay and conditions and lack of career progression. Companies are responsible for ensuring that all employees feel safe, valued, appreciated, given what they deserve, treated fairly, and feel secure in their position. However, leaders and HR departments can only help to a certain point and if the individual is not taking care of themselves, not following habits conducive to working for the week, or not seeking the help that they need, it ultimately falls back on them to do the work.

Organisational wellness requires companies to ensure their team members feel good about coming to work, that they are supported in progressing and that they can thrive because they feel valued and safe. They have no influence over what happens at home or with any medical or mental health issues, nor are they likely to have counsellors in-house to help. What they can do however, is ask. Notice the change of behaviour. Ask if they are OK. Comment on the fact they seem to be struggling more than usual, and check in with them about what is going on in their lives. It could be that they just need someone to talk to. It could be that they do not disclose anything, but by demonstrating the realization that something is not right, communicated in a caring way, and showing that the best interests of the employee are at heart, it could make all the difference to that person.

In terms of support, the company can look into what they can offer in terms of time off, perhaps some collaborations they have with any wellness related support agencies, and reducing workload or extending deadlines to allow burnout staff to feel less overwhelmed. They could also implement a buddy or mentor system so the support can be from a colleague they trust.

The workplace has a responsibility to do its part.

If they have a truly caring culture where leaders genuinely know their teams, they would know if employees were not coping well in their personal lives, if their relationships were rocky or if their lifestyle was a persistent issue. From there, the workplace could offer support in these areas. Leaders can alleviate stress by valuing the team member and supporting them in their endeavors, however, all employees accept a position on the provisor that he/she can do it. Allowing lifestyle choices such as lack of sleep, a party lifestyle, excessive use of alcohol or substances or mental health issues to interfere with professional duties, ultimately falls back on the individual to find a solution.