Role of Mental Health in Employee Burnout and Turnover

With rapidly changing work environments and global economic instability, employee well-being - now more than ever - plays a crucial role. Mental health can affect employees and organisations in several ways. Among these, burnout and turnover are crucial factors with 77% of employees having experienced burnout at their current job (Deloitte, 2022) This costs significant losses to businesses and companies globally. 

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Employee burnout and its impact on the workplace

The International Classification of Diseases -11 (ICD) defines employee burnout as:

A syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterised by three dimensions:

• Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion

• Increased mental distance from one’s job, feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job

• Reduced professional efficacy

Employee burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. Several workplace factors such as high job demands, heavy workloads, job insecurity, tiring work routines, lack of autonomy, and poor organisational support can contribute to employee burnout. 

Several studies have shown the dire impact of mental health leading to burnout. A study by Christina Maslach and Michael P. Leiter (2016) indicates the organisational costs of burnout, including decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, and higher turnover rates.

Another research article by Jonathon R.B. Halbesleben and M. Ronald Buckley (2004) reviewed the impact of employee burnout on organisations which included reduced job performance, decreased commitment to the organisation, and increased turnover. 

Job stress and turnover

Poor mental well-being can create a domino effect starting from fatigue to exhaustion to burnout to turnover intentions. Employees who are overwhelmed or exhausted may feel disengaged and disconnected from their work. This can lead to difficulty in managing their work, feeling discouraged and overall decreased commitment to their work. All of this can ultimately result in employees deciding to quit which can be costly and disruptive for employers.

How can leaders help in reducing burnout?

Leaders play a crucial role in employees’ mental well-being. They have the ability to influence several factors and decisions that can help reduce employee burnout and eventually reduce turnover. 

Here are a few ways in which they can help reduce burnout:

Creating a psychologically safe workplace

Employees are more likely to feel satisfied when they feel that they can openly and honestly share their problems and are heard. This can make it easy for them to ask for help and avoid being overworked. Leaders can have regular, structured check-ins, and anonymous feedback tools and encourage employees to take breaks between long work hours.

Implementing ways for healthy time-management 

Managing time is the most fundamental way to reduce burnout. Managers and leaders must help employees identify how much time will a certain project take. Lack of insight into knowing the estimated time for a project can lead to mismanagement of other simultaneous projects leading to an overload of work. Leaders can also help employees plan for a project with only necessary meetings or emails. 

Another essential factor in time management is providing employees with flexible timings. This can help them feel liberated in their work, enhance creativity and eventually reduce burnout.

Providing access to mental health resources

Employers can provide access to mental health resources and tools through such as employee well-being programs, consultation services, and support groups. This can help employees address their mental health concerns before they escalate to burnout.

Let’s look at a case study to understand burnout and employee turnover in a better way. A large technology company was experiencing high employee turnover. In an effort to understand the reasons for the turnover, the company conducted a survey of its employees. The survey found that the top three reasons for turnover were burnout, lack of opportunities for advancement and unfair treatment.

The company then conducted a series of focus groups with employees to get a deeper understanding of the issues that were leading to burnout. The focus groups revealed that employees were feeling overwhelmed by their workload, they were not getting the support they needed from their managers, and they were not feeling valued by the company. The company took a number of steps to address the issues that were leading to burnout. These steps included:

• Reducing employee workload

• Providing employees with more support from their managers

• Creating a more positive and supportive work environment

• Offering employees more opportunities for advancement

As a result of these steps, the company's employee turnover rate decreased significantly. This case study shows that employee burnout and turnover can be a serious problem for businesses. However, by taking steps to address the issues that are leading to burnout, businesses can improve employee morale and overall well-being.

For comprehensive mental health support for your workforce, explore our services in our Employee Well-being Programme.