Health experts call for workplace measures to curb burnout

MANILA, Philippines — Health experts are calling for workplace policies that recognize and address cases of burnout among employees, which, despite not being a medical condition, can lead to health issues and productivity loss.

Burnout is defined as a “syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed,” licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Carolina Uno-Rayco said on Tuesday in a forum organized by the Department of Labor and Employment.

Among its symptoms are chronic exhaustion, cynicism or feelings of negativity, as well as a perceived lack of personal achievement or accomplishment at work.

Some causes of burnout are the lack of control at work or clarity about job expectations, misalignment between work culture and the employee’s values, inadequate support system, and absence of work-life balance.

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Uno-Rayco, who is also the national executive director of the Philippine Mental Health Association, noted that burnout could lead to physical and mental health issues, as well as consequences in one’s personal and professional life.

“People with chronic stress are more prone to cardiovascular diseases and other diseases, like diabetes, even cancer,” she said.

“We become more prone to physical health issues.”

Stress caused by the workplace also affects a person’s life at home, causing the individual to become more irritable or angry, which could impact one’s relationships with loved ones.

Moreover, it can lead to absenteeism at work, as well as “presenteeism,” which is when the employee is present in the workplace but is unable to think clearly and work effectively.

Jhomel Cabuang, chief of medical social services at the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH), said burnout affects 63 percent of millennials and 70 percent of Gen Zs, attributed to the heavy demands of their workplace, based on a study by consultancy firm Deloitte. 

Problems about work or employment are also one of the top reasons why people call the NCMH crisis hotline, Cabuang noted, as he urged those experiencing burnout to speak out and consider talking to a professional.

“Burnout is one of the most important matters that we should all recognize in the workplace because it is one of the things that are not usually talked about, but we are able to observe it. Yet, we do not do anything about it,” he said.

To prevent burnout among workers, registered psychologist and psychometrician Dr. Mary May Fernando said employers have the responsibility to implement risk assessment by conducting an audit of the workplace for psychosocial hazards.

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Companies should also consider adjusting the workloads of their employees by changing the volume and pacing of tasks, aside from just conducting “resilience training.”

“Safety is not just the absence of accidents, but the presence of well-being. In an OSH (occupational safety and health) framework, the goal is to ‘fix the job,’ not just ‘fix the person,’” Fernando said. /gsg /atm