BOSS (Burn Out Stress Syndrome)

Burn Out Stress Syndrome
Burn Out Stress Syndrome, or just burnout refers to a distinctive type of stress that is as a result of someone’s job. Employees affected by the condition experience emotional, physical and mental exhaustion combined with doubt in their value and competence towards their work (Mayo Clinic, 2015). There are various sources of burnout and disengagement, some of the most common causes include, lack of control, insufficient reward system and lack of community.
Lack of control is caused by a feeling of having no power over tasks and their outcomes. If the workers do not have access to resources or tools required to perform their duties well or have not been provided with the appropriate level of responsibility, they can feel out of control. The results of a study comparing lack of control and job demands indicated that low control combined with high demands was ranked as the most detrimental to the health of the workers (Davis, 2013). Individuals in this category had higher rates of getting into depression and contracting coronary diseases when compared to those affected by other types of burnout stress.
The second cause of burn out is lack of a sufficient rewarding system. Rewards for the employees do not have to be solely in the form of monetary terms; they can be anything that makes the daily flow of work satisfying to the workers. There are three main categories of rewarding systems that is a monetary, intrinsic and social reward system. When an organization does not provide any of the forms of these rewards, the employees tend to be more susceptible to burnout.

The third cause of burnout is lack of community. A supportive working community leads to high performing teams, positive social interactions and low levels of conflict. A positive working environment is necessary for mediating stress. People tend to function best and thrive in a community when they interact with other people that they like and respect (Rampton, 2015). Also, social support reaffirms an individual’s membership in a team that has a shared sense of values.
Training and development can be used to solve, prevent or reduce the effects of burnout. For employees that feel they lack control, the company should provide development programs to make them feel more responsible and free to make decisions concerning their work. Employees that feel undertrained or undereducated should be provided the necessary platforms to improve their skills or learn new ones. Lastly, the top management team has a responsibility of clarifying the roles of employees experiencing ambiguity about their duties.
The rewarding system is perceived as insufficient when the rewards do not match the expectations of the employees. One of the ways of overcoming this issue is through the development of financial rewards such as higher pays, bonuses and providing social rewards such as recognition from the company. The workers should be trained on intrinsic rewards systems which are self-rewarding systems attained through the employees getting a feeling that they are doing a good job.
In a working environment that lacks the feeling of a community, the company has the duty of providing development programs that make it possible for the workers to create positive social interactions with their colleagues. Some of the methods that can be used to foster the growth of communities include conducting intra-company competitions where all employees must participate, celebrating the anniversaries of unique events, and providing platforms for the employees to share stories and bios.

References
Mayo Clinic. (2015). Know the signs of job burnout. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 13 February 2018, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642Davis, P. (2013). Six Sources of Burnout at Work. Psychology Today. Retrieved 13 February 2018, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/pressure-proof/201308/six-sources-burnout-workRampton, J. (2015). Forbes Welcome. Forbes.com. Retrieved 13 February 2018, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnrampton/2015/05/13/the-6-causes-of-professional-burnout-and-how-to-avoid-them/#356a835d1dde