A recent survey showed that on a daily basis, about one million employees in the United states miss work due to workplace stress. Approximately 66% of male and female employees indicated that their job regularly impacted their overall stress level. Due to this, one in four employees either called in sick or took a “mental health day” when they felt overly stressed.
While calling in sick the day following a stressful incident at work may be able to alleviate that particular stressor, when this occurs on a regular basis it may lead to serious issues at work. If someone in hospital administration has a supervisor with anger issues, for example, taking a mental health day may even exacerbate the situation. Once they return to work, their manager may engage in yet another angry outburst due to work not being completed or otherwise being short-handed. Furthermore, when this situation is not addressed, it is likely that the stress will increase and cause serious job burnout.
When employees are not engaged at work because they’re physically and/or emotionally exhausted most of the time, this can obviously affect overall workplace productivity. Furthermore, it’s not uncommon for employees to become forgetful, make mistakes, or otherwise not perform their job effectively. When this occurs, they may be more likely to become sick on a regular basis and miss even more work. If this continues, they may face being laid-off or fired. There is also a chance that they will quit or resign their position because they are unable to handle this on an ongoing basis.
Even when individuals are dedicated to their job, such as physicians, they may still experience workplace stress from time-to-time. Given the nature of their position, it may be stressful all of the time. Currently, there is a 35.25 overall burnout rate for physicians within the United States. A study recently showed that 45.8% of physicians appear to be experiencing a minimum of one burnout symptom, such as exhaustion. In January 2017, a Medscape Physician Lifestyle Survey was published that revealed emergency room physicians experience the highest burnout rates among all medical professionals. When surveyed, 59% of these physicians stated that they felt burned-out.
When someone experiences burnout, according to Psychology Today, it is due to chronic stress and frustration. There are three burnout symptoms that point to this condition. In addition to being physically and emotionally exhausted, these individuals may also be cynical or detached. Finally, they will also experience a lack of effectiveness and accomplishment. When these symptoms are all taken into account, they can lead to someone being unable to function successfully in their personal and professional lives.
Since job stress is so prevalent and can potentially lead to burnout, it is essential for employees at all levels to learn how to recognize the signs and how to deal with these issues as they arise. While work-life balance can make a difference, seeking the guidance of a mental health professional could make a significant impact. Offering workplace support groups to deal with workplace stress and other types of mental health services would also be a positive solution to assisting employees.
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