Healthcare experts are urging workers not to dismiss the symptoms of burnout as it could spiral into serious health issues if left unattended
As employees make their way back to offices nationwide, countless workers might discover themselves rapidly spiralling towards burnout once again following their holiday break. Healthcare professionals from St John Ambulance are pressing people not to brush off these warning signs, as they could signal the onset of more severe problems.
This alert follows recent guidance issued to GPs instructing them to direct patients towards fitness centres or employment hubs instead of just issuing sick notes. This is part of efforts to address economic inactivity affecting 2.8 million individuals declared unfit for employment due to chronic illness. Half of these cases involve mental health struggles including anxiety or depression.
Lisa Sharman, who heads education and training at the ambulance service, cautioned that overlooking burnout and its manifestations could lead to grave workplace repercussions, as untreated cases can rapidly deteriorate into severe mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, she explained: “Burnout is often an early warning sign that something is wrong, but if it’s recognised and addressed early, people can and will recover sooner.
“It’s not always burnout, per se, but it’s exhaustion, emotional overload, or feeling unable to cope. And those are really real experiences, they’re not just buzzwords, so we can’t dismiss them as such.
“When public language suggests people are exaggerating or being written off, it can make some individuals feel even less safe to speak up.
“Our trainers hear that stigma and fear are still huge barriers, and many people worry that they’re not going to be taken seriously, or that speaking up actually could affect their job if it’s not seen seriously, or even future prospects.”
Studies by St John Ambulance revealed that almost one in three workers lied to their bosses, pretending to have physical sickness when they actually needed time off for mental health reasons.
Burnout is something that can be tackled and resolved, with swift action delivering the most promising results. St John’s Ambulance has equipped over 40,000 workplace mental health first-aiders, empowering them to provide immediate support to colleagues who are struggling.
The charity’s training programmes are designed to equip mental health workers with skills to identify the underlying causes of problems, rather than simply offering burnt-out employees a quick ‘duvet day’ fix.
Burnout is a condition of chronic exhaustion caused by extended periods of poorly managed stress. It may stem from workplace pressures or personal life challenges and can manifest through various emotional, physical or psychological symptoms, whilst also worsening pre-existing health issues.
Typical warning signs include loss of motivation, feelings of agitation or worry, declining work standards, and some people might also suffer physical issues such as headaches or sleep problems.
