The human service field can become highly stressful for counselors especially depending on the focus of the counselor’s career and the population served. This paper will provide a definition for the term “burnout”, identify various causes and preventative measures. Also discussed will be personal reactions, responses, and reducing the effect of burnout.
Definition of Burnout
Johnson and Stone describe burnout as “physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion resulting from involvement with people in emotionally demanding situations” (2007, p.67). This definition neglects to specify prolonged exposure to the negative environment as a contributing factor to burnout. Maslach and Leiter (1997, pg.17) describe as the “erosion in values, dignity, spirit and will-an erosion of the human soul.” Including the term “erosion” in the definition causes the reader to understand the gravity of the situation; for example missing each meal for a week will result in far more negative consequences than missing a single meal.
Causes of Burnout
A variety of factors can result in burnout; perfectionists and those who feel guilt for declining another person’s request for assistance tend to assume multiple responsibilities simultaneously (personal, 2011). These types of people strive to deliver high quality service regardless of the cost, even if costs are greater than previously expected (i.e. longer hours, less family time, further distance, etc.). Another factor is the possibility that the job description is different from what the employee expected when hired. An employee who does not share the organization’s mission and vision may begin to experience signs of burnout; the individual may feel as though he or she is going in a different direction than the organization. Extreme caseloads and hostile or chaotic work environments often cause mental and physical exhaustion; this continual exhaustion is often a cause of burnout.
Preventative Measures
Behavioral changes must be the focus of preventative measures in burnout prevention. Staff needs to understand that it is acceptable to ask others for assistance only when overwhelmed with duties and not on regular basis. They must also feel safe and free of pressure when declining a request in a polite manner. Supervisors must reinforce that once work hours are over the job is over until the following day; staff should never feel pressured to remain after hours or to work on scheduled days off. Providing precise and accurate job descriptions to all potential job applicants will decrease the possibility of hiring misinformed employees. Supervisors should divide caseloads evenly among trained counselors and swiftly resolve issues or miscommunications among staff, clients, and senior management to prevent small misunderstandings from evolving into hard feelings of neglect and animosity.
Personal Reactions, Responses, and Reducing Their Effects
As a Type A personality, it is easy to assume many without realizing that the schedule is already full. At times, feelings of “If I don’t do it then it won’t be done correctly” invade and often overpower the situation; this is often an uncontrollable burden. The key to harnessing these thoughts and feelings is to force those thoughts aside and replace them with the thought of “Although it may not have been completed my way, it was still completed with the same ending result.” This is alone is often so challenging that it can cause a great deal of stress.
Assisting with Staff Burnout as a Human Service Manager
Human service managers must remain aware of the environment and body language of supporting staff and colleagues. When signs of burnout begin to surface, the HS manager should counsel with the subordinate to determine what factors are causing the individual to feel stressed and overwhelmed. If the factors are work related the HS manager must determine the most feasible means to rectify the problem.
In conclusion, burnout was defined as the prolonged exposure to an environment not conducive to a positive working experience. Certain personalities, workload, misunderstanding of the job requirements, and hostile or chaotic environments were discussed as possible causes for burnout. Providing a safe environment where employees can verbalize feelings of stress and immediately resolving misunderstanding are means that HS managers can use to reduce the effects that burnout has on supporting staff and colleagues.
References
Johnson, M., & Stone, G. L. (1987). Social workers and burnout: A psychological description. Journal of Social Science Research, 10(1), 67-80.
Maslach, C., & Leiter, M.P. (1997). The truth about burnout: how organizations cause personal stress and what to do about it. Jossey-Bass Inc Pub.