Creating a Business Contingency Plan (BCP) for Infection Outbreaks

It’s difficult to think of an area of everyday life that isn’t affected by the worldwide coronavirus outbreak, and business is no exception.

It’s natural for employees and corporate leaders alike to feel anxious about the future. However, by keeping the issues in perspective and working calmly to draw up a plan, businesses will be best placed to weather the approaching storm.

If you have an existing business contingency plan, now is the time to review it to make sure it’s still fit for purpose and tailor it to the specific case of Covid-19. Here are some tips to make sure you’re as prepared as possible:

Communication

Clear communication is always important in business. In a time of crisis, it’s crucial. Employees may be anxious about their health, their families, and the financial implications if they are unable to work in the usual way.

Communication should be as clear as possible, with little room for interpretation or confusion. Strike a balance between providing much-needed information and avoiding unnecessary panic. When discussing Covid-19 specifically, base any advice on official guidance from expert organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO).

If you’re transitioning to a home working model, ensure all employees know who to contact for technical help and updates on their workload. If possible, this should be worked out before any changes occur; the first days of the new routine are more susceptible to disruption, so minimising this is the key to a smoother transition.

Updates should be timely, clear and regular. Have a plan for how each individual will be contacted for work matters whilst at home.

Areas of Strength and Areas of Difficulty

It stands to reason that some departments and business functions will be able to adjust to a remote working model more easily than others. Identifying these as early as possible means you have more time to work out a plan for the trickier job roles.

Remember to take workplace stress into account. Change on this scale, even of a temporary nature, and living through a pandemic can aggravate existing mental ill-health conditions. Employers have a responsibility to protect the health and safety of all staff. Make a plan to keep lines of communication open and make sure nobody feels isolated. If you are able to offer significant flexibility in terms of working hours, this can help anybody feeling burdened by unexpected extra childcare duties or looking after older relatives.

Remote Working

People who work remotely have some advantages under normal circumstances, but during times of crisis there can be extra challenges too. Acknowledge this may be a big transition for some workers and draw up plans to support them through it.

As people become used to remote working, it can be a benefit: people might find they are more productive and refreshed without commuting and more comfortable in their home environment. Some short-term teething difficulties are worth pressing through to keep your business up and running throughout the coronavirus outbreak.

Since it is a big change for people who are usually workplace-based, it is worth considering extra training on remote working to get people through the transition.

Plan for the Long Term

Unfortunately, nobody knows for sure how long contingency measures will need to be in place. It’s entirely possible they could last for several months. Likewise, in a fast-moving situation such as a pandemic, everything can shift from day to day – so normality could return earlier than expected, too.

It’s possible that a review of your company’s sick pay and compassionate leave will be needed to get your staff through this difficult period. Should schools close in your area, people may need extra flexibility in working hours for childcare reasons. As far as possible, employers should try to meet these requests and have back up plans in place for cover if needed.

Business Continuity Plans

Writing a business continuity plan (BCP) that incorporates all of these elements will go a long way to ensuring you’re as prepared as possible for the effects of Covid-19.

It also has the purpose of making sure everyone knows what to expect should social distancing measures like widespread working from home be introduced. In a time of uncertainty, this can have a reassuring effect on staff.

Rethinking Blue Monday

Did you hear it was Blue Monday this time last week? The concept seemed to be everywhere. #BlueMonday was trending on Twitter all day; media outlets competed to publish the most sensationalist articles on “surviving” the most depressing day of the year. But do you actually feel any different today than you did on the day itself – or the Monday before?

The idea goes that Blue Monday represents a “perfect storm” of misery. With the fun of Christmas disappearing into our collective rear-view mirrors and our New Year’s Resolutions already failed and forgotten, we look ahead and only see weeks of bad weather until the reprieve of springtime. Even the most committed traveller would admit it’s too early to get excited about this year’s summer holiday. So what is there to be happy about?

Part of Blue Monday’s appeal is that it feels so intuitively true. The idea of the January blues has been around for a long time. Like the Boomtown Rats, most of us “don’t like Mondays”. The phrase has certainly resonated with people: Google shows a steady increase in the numbers searching for it each January, with the last three years especially standing out. The Netherlands – which was named the 5th happiest country in the world in a UN study last year – came out on top for interest in Blue Monday, with the United Kingdom, Poland, Greece and Belgium close behind.

So why is Blue Monday increasingly controversial?

Blue Monday: Does it Make Sense?

One thing’s for certain: the calculations that led to Blue Monday are nonsensical (sorry, Blue Monday supporters).

The most commonly used formula looks scientific at first glance. It uses letters to represent concepts: for instance, W = weather, T = time since Christmas and d = debt. But there’s nothing mathematical about this. There are no definitions or units specified and “low motivational levels” is a subjective concept that would be difficult to accurately measure. Knowing this, it should come as no surprise that Blue Monday originally came from a 2005 marketing campaign for a travel company encouraging people to escape the winter blues by booking a holiday. It was only afterwards that it took on a life of its own.

Dodgy origins aside, defenders of the Blue Monday bandwagon claim it can play an important role. Despite all the recent progress, mental health remains a taboo subject in many workplaces. Anything that opens up the conversation about mental health support should be applauded, surely?

Obscuring the Real Issues

Unfortunately, not all “mental health conversations” are created equal.

While it is of course important that everyone feels empowered to discuss their mental health, at work and at home, they also need to feel that their concerns are taken seriously rather than being dismissed as “just because of that time of year”.

For people suffering from mental health issues such as anxiety and depression – approximately 1 in 4 of us every year – Blue Monday could be minimising their experiences. Depression isn’t just one day of feeling low. It’s a serious health condition that spans months or years for most sufferers. Though it is treatable, it can have severe effects on a person’s life. Depressive episodes need to last at least two weeks to be formally diagnosed and, in many cases, can go on for years. People who experience the related Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) sometimes have symptoms spanning around 40% of the year.

One danger is that Blue Monday can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If people are told that one day is inherently “depressing”, they might feel that way even if everything is going fine. Even worse, people whose mental health is fragile might expect a worsening of their symptoms for the day – a suggestion that might be enough in itself to trigger an episode or make it worse.

Dr. Antonis Kousoulis, director of the Mental Health Foundation, agrees: “this [Blue Monday] is not the right way to raise awareness. By saying this single day is the most depressing day of the year, without any evidence, we are trivialising how serious depression can be.”

24/7/365

With mental health issues so serious and so widespread, employers need to provide substantial support year-round. The Labour Force Survey revealed that 12.8 million working days were lost to work-related stress, depression and anxiety from 2018-19. Over 600,000 workers experienced these conditions, with workload cited as the main aggravating factor. Far from being confined to one day in January, time off sick for stress usually spikes in November or December but remains relatively steady throughout the year. As a country, we still have a long way to go to tackle this crisis.

World Mental Health Day (10th October) and National Stress Awareness Day (the first Wednesday in November) play an important role in bringing these issues to the front of people’s minds. If we are to give Blue Monday a useful function, it needs to follow a similar path: to begin larger conversations around mental health. The Samaritans achieved this brilliantly with their campaign “Brew Monday”, encouraging friends, family members and colleagues to share a cup of tea and a conversation while raising money for a great cause. This can take place on any Monday in January or February.

We need to bin Blue Monday in its current form and focus on real, lasting action on mental health. This includes high-quality training, greater mental health awareness and empowering people to discuss their mental health, whatever the time of year.

Sick in the Workplace: 1.4 Million Suffering from Work-Related Ill Health

The latest statistics on workplace ill health from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) make for interesting reading. 1.4 million of us suffered from work-related ill health in 2018/19, with nearly half a million new cases appearing. Collectively, 23.5 million working days were lost to work-related ill health over this period.

The figures hint at the scale of the human cost of poor health and safety in the workplace. For each of these cases there’s someone who has suffered hardship because of work, often long-term, and in some cases fatal.

What are the Causes?

A staggering 44% of work-related ill health is caused by stress, depression and anxiety. The majority of days off sick have this cause. In many cases, due to the weakening but sadly still present stigma around mental health, workers may attribute their absence to a physical illness to avoid telling their managers. Taking mental health seriously is a huge priority for all organisations.

Musculoskeletal disorders were another prominent issue. Unsurprisingly, industries such as agriculture and construction have a higher than average rate, but all companies need to make sure they’re offering proper trained in manual handling. In offices, spending too long at the keyboard in the wrong position can lead to musculoskeletal problems later on. These can often be long-term and cause severe pain; in some cases, people will be unable to work due to their symptoms.

It’s important not to dismiss the early signs of these conditions as “just a sign of ageing”. Most people have room for improvement in their posture or working conditions and should see a doctor if they feel they might be developing a disorder.

The causes of workplace injuries are relatively familiar. Slips, trips and falls were the most common cause once again, with manual handling close behind. Shockingly, 8% of workplace injuries were caused by acts of violence. It’s unacceptable that anyone should face violence or aggression at their workplace. Some jobs, such as healthcare, security and retail, have a higher than average risk of encountering this poor conduct and employers should take every step necessary to make sure their workers are protected. Anyone can be a victim of workplace violence or aggression, so even in industries that don’t suffer from a higher risk, managers need to take this very seriously.

Occupational lung disease affects thousands of people. In fact, an estimated 12,000 people die each year from past exposures at work. Asbestos damage is sadly common. This highlights how inadequate health and safety can have an impact on employees years after the problem occurred.

Will Things Improve?

Work-related ill health declined for a number of years but has been broadly flat in recent times. With the right training, legislation and commitment from people in all industries, there’s no reason why we won’t see further improvements.

For employers, the most important thing to do immediately is to listen to their staff. The people doing the work on a daily basis are the ones with the most valuable insights into potential hazards and what they need to mitigate them. This is especially valuable during the risk assessment process.

Overall, the UK’s health and safety culture compares favourably with many others around the world. It is one of the safest places to work in Europe. There’s no reason why the trend towards improvement in recent decades shouldn’t continue, as long as the right conditions are maintained and it remains a top priority for businesses and employees alike.

Workplace Mental Health: Where to Start?

Workplace mental health is arguably the most discussed topic in health and safety right now – and with good reason.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have released their statistics on workplace safety for 2019. They contain some shocking figures on work-related stress, depression and anxiety. 602,000 of us suffered from them (new or long-standing cases) in 2018/19 and 54% of working days lost due to ill-health are attributed to them.

Workers’ mental health is an issue none of us can afford to ignore.

The Basics of Workplace Mental Health

First things first: what do we mean when we say “workplace mental health”?

“Mental health” and “mental illness” are often used as interchangeable terms but this isn’t technically correct. We all have mental health – and like our physical health, it will fluctuate throughout our lives. Mental illnesses are common but if people are properly supported, they can be successfully managed.

We spend a lot of our waking hours at work, so it stands to reason that work can often have a profound effect on our mental health. When we feel fulfilled, appreciated and in control of our work, that optimism can spill over into the rest of our lives. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true: if we’re under unreasonable work stress, suffer from bullying or otherwise feel undervalued, that can affect us at home too. It can cause us to withdraw socially, take it out on our loved ones or misuse alcohol.

Sadly, 300,000 people suffering from mental illnesses lose their jobs each year. As well as the adverse career and financial impacts this may have on them, their employers lose out: they take their skills, experience and expertise elsewhere. With better understanding and management of mental health and wellness in the workplace, many of these job losses could be avoided.

Where to Start

For employers, the physical safety side of the “health and safety” equation has traditionally received most – or all – of their attention. Addressing employee mental health can seem a confusing and difficult task. Many employers fear “overstepping”, as everyone’s mental health is affected by their personal lives as well as their jobs.

Sometimes reaching out to someone and giving them a safe space to discuss their mental health can make a huge difference. When people feel their workplace is supportive, they are more likely to stay in the role. They use less energy trying to hide their condition out of fear for their jobs. Senior people sharing their own stories in this area can often help to set the tone, though, of course, it should be entirely voluntary for every individual.

Creating a Mentally Healthy Culture

We’ve all heard of workplace wellbeing initiatives. Though well-meaning, many of these focus on surface-level interventions like free fruit or free yoga classes. These can be exceptionally beneficial for some and are to be welcomed – but they’re not the whole story.

Creating a workplace that complements employees’ mental health rather than damaging it requires a genuine effort to meet people’s needs. Flexible working can help people who need work-life balance; for some, being able to drop off their children at school in the morning can have a huge effect on their mood for the rest of the day. Financial problems are a major cause of workplace stress and stress-related illness in general, so employers that ensure their staff are paid fairly are making an investment in their wellbeing.

One of the major components to a cultural shift is communication. People need to feel safe bringing up mental health concerns or related issues, such as feeling overloaded with work. Ideally, they should speak to their line managers in the first instance, but it’s best to provide a neutral alternative for people who don’t feel comfortable doing this.

Recognising the Signs

When it comes to personal stress, identifying stress in a team or managing an employee with stress, there’s no substitute for quality training.

It’s beneficial for people to learn to recognise the signs of stress, both in themselves and others. People respond to undue stress in different ways, but the following symptoms could be clear signs:

  • Change in mood – for example, seeming low, anxious or irritable
  • Difficulties concentrating
  • Increased negativity in attitude
  • Feelings of emotional “distance” from work and other activities
  • Getting physically ill more often

There is no quick fix to the epidemic of workplace ill-health in all workplaces and industries. Problems are so widespread that it’s statistically likely that at least one colleague of everyone reading this blog will be struggling with a diagnosable mental health issue.

Despite the scale of the problem, there are positives. The discussion around mental health is now more open than ever before and more and more people are sharing their stories to help others.

Stress: Recognising a Workplace Epidemic

The 4th-8th November 2019 is International Stress Awareness Week, with Wednesday 6th November recognised as National Stress Awareness Day by mental health charity Mind.

These events are important for raising awareness of an issue that affects around 600,000 workers a year in the UK and is one of the leading causes of sickness absence. But for employers to really tackle the root of workplace stress, it needs to be a concerted effort. The first step? Recognising stress in the workplace when it occurs.

Know the Signs of Stress in the Workplace

Symptoms of workplace stress can appear in teams and in individuals. Training managers to recognise them is important for noticing them before they become a major problem.

Early signs that someone might be suffering from problematic stress might include:

• Lots of time off ill.

• Changes in mood, including social withdrawal.

• Fatigue and loss of enthusiasm.

If stress problems run throughout the team, it can negatively affect the group dynamics. Some signs might be:

• More conflict and frayed tempers.

• Loss of enthusiasm for taking on new tasks and responsibilities – especially if people feel they’re already overwhelmed.

• More sickness absence and high turnover.

Each case of stress in the workplace will be different and require individual work to tackle.

Know the Causes of Workplace Stress

There has been a tendency to categorise stress as a personal issue, with the onus for improving the situation falling on the individual. We’re encouraged to try yoga and meditation and work out our own boundaries for disconnecting from work. While these are all excellent ideas and can yield real benefits, in today’s “always on”, long hours culture, it pays to acknowledge that stress is often a direct result of workplace norms – many of which can be harmful to people’s mental health.

People can be more vulnerable to the effects of stress if they don’t feel in control of the way they do their work, don’t feel valued and consulted, or are treated badly. Workplace bullying, either from managers or colleagues, needs to be handled swiftly and with a zero-tolerance approach. Letting it slide can not only have catastrophic effects on stress levels in the people involved and lead to high turnover – it can also alienate other colleagues who see such behaviour going unpunished.

Tackling the Stress Epidemic

The huge scale of workplace stress can be demoralising for employers who take their duty of care towards their staff seriously. After all, a lot of stress is caused by excessive workloads and interpersonal conflicts – issues that don’t have an “easy answer” that neatly solves them without impacting anything else.

The key is effective communication with your staff. Allowing them a safe space to air their concerns can take a lot of the pressure off them. Listen to their concerns regularly, with a focus on identifying what causes their stress and where this could be improved.

Good quality training in stress management is a vital component of a healthy stress management culture. Managers and employees alike can benefit from more knowledge in this area. It can also ensure that there is more understanding and empathy for a person who might be struggling, as well as a safer environment for people to discuss their concerns.

Creating an environment that is positive for everyone’s mental health is a job as vital as any other in business and it requires action from everybody from senior leaders down.

Designing the Perfect Office for Health and Safety

We spend a lot of our lives at work and where we work can have just as big an effect as our role itself. Let’s face it, most of us have been in less than perfect conditions at some point in our careers!

What is undeniable is that where we work has a strong effect on how we feel. It’s a big influence on our level of safety during the working day. Almost all workplace accidents are avoidable and design can play an important role in stopping problems in their tracks before anyone gets injured.

It’s rare for an employer to have the opportunity to design an office from scratch. But little changes can help too. Whether you’re re-fitting an existing workplace, relocating somewhere new or simply tweaking your existing arrangements, there are changes you can make to benefit all employees.

Getting the Basics Right

The workplace’s layout is one of the most important aspects of its health and safety. In lots of cases, the design features will not be consciously noticed but will nudge people towards more safe behaviour.

Try to make every area accessible to all. Don’t just take your current staff members into account. Even if few employees have mobility issues now, that doesn’t mean new hires won’t – and existing employees can develop them too. It pays to be prepared.

Take into account evacuation procedures. Whether it’s a fire, a bomb threat, flooding or another sudden event, you may need to get everyone out quickly and safely during stressful situations. Having a well thought out plan in place, backed up by sensible placing of workstations near to the exits, can make all the difference.

The lighting must always be carefully placed and strong enough to ensure maximum visibility. This is especially true around stairs and in storage areas. Many slips, trips and falls are completely avoidable but happen because people can’t see where they’re going. This extends to outside areas too. It could be a personal safety issue to have employees walking long distances through the dark on their way home.

Employers should also consider hygiene. Standards in this area can make the difference between one person having a bug and spreading it like wildfire through the whole office.

People should have space to move around during the day. Sitting at desks for entire working days isn’t healthy for many reasons and can contribute to musculoskeletal issues.

Minimising Stress

Stress is a huge issue for UK workplaces. Millions of us suffer from work-related stress every year, with many of these cases becoming long-term and resulting in illness.

Of course, the design of a person’s office isn’t the only factor at play. “Working conditions” doesn’t just mean physical conditions, and policies such as flexible working, a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and harassment, and fair pay can all make a huge difference to the mental health of workers. Even a perfectly designed office won’t change the culture if people are overworked and bullying is rife. Employers need to look at the full picture when improving working environments and avoid the temptation to look for a quick fix.

That doesn’t stop the environment itself from having a huge impact. People benefit from a wide variety of types of spaces in their offices. As well as the traditional desks, make room for areas to relax during breaks, smaller “quiet areas” for involved individual work requiring concentration and meeting rooms for teamwork. The sort of space your colleagues need will depend on the sort of work they do, so there’s no “one size fits all” solution.

Bringing some elements of nature into the workspace has benefits for employee health and wellbeing. This doesn’t have to be complicated: even a few well-placed plants near to where people work can make a difference.

Colour theory suggests even the décor can have an impact on stress levels. The rule of thumb suggests blue is good for productivity, green is calming and yellow is energising. No colour should be over-used but it can be a fun guide when deciding which spaces should be which colour.

There are so many factors at play that affect health and safety in the workplace. Looking at the layout and design of the office is just one step employers can take to ensure they’re taking their duty of care to their workers seriously.

Should Workplace Bullying be Illegal?

Workplace bullying has made international news in recent times. South Korea passed a law making bullying a criminal offence, and a difficult court case involved a French company accused of “moral harassment” against its employees.

The consequences of workplace bullying can be catastrophic. It contributes to mental health conditions, causing long-lasting negative effects for the person involved. In the case in France, multiple suicides were linked to the company’s treatment of its staff. In Ireland, a park ranger committed suicide, mentioning workplace bullying in a note to his family. These cases highlight the most extreme consequences, but even “milder” cases are extremely upsetting, causing stress, anxiety and depression.

Businesses that tolerate bullying risk losing their employees, both those who are bullied and those who witness it going unpunished, leading to high turnover. Bullies are poisonous to a company’s culture and morale, especially those in positions of power.

With such grave concerns about workplace bullying, it’s reasonable to ask why the UK hasn’t outlawed workplace bullying.

Bullying or Harassment?

UK law currently makes a distinction between “bullying” and “harassment”. Harassment relates to one of the protected characteristics (age, sex, race, disability, marital status, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, and religion). This means it is illegal under the Equality Act 2010.

Bullying, however, is not. This is partly due to the difficulty in agreeing a standard definition for bullying. Many tactics used by workplace bullies can be subtle, such as ostracising a colleague or quietly setting them up to fail. Just because it isn’t covered by UK law at present doesn’t mean employers should treat it with anything less than the seriousness it deserves. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 requires employers to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their staff, and allowing behaviour that can cause both physical and mental health issues would fall short of this duty.

In practice, the line between bullying and harassment is not always clear. One can easily cross over into the other, and both are unacceptable.

Are You Being Bullied at Work?

Acas defines workplace bullying as ‘offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means that undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient’.

This can take many forms. Violence and aggression are at the more obvious end of the spectrum. More subtle examples might be picking at someone’s work, undermining them in front of colleagues and missing people out of relevant meetings.

For those being bullied, it’s important to remember you’re not powerless. Remember that bullying is a sign of weakness and insecurity on the part of the perpetrator, and often they choose their victims based on their high performance. Their victim’s skills, prospects and competence has made them insecure about their own role, so they try to diminish the victim by undermining their confidence and blocking their ability to do their job.

Logging every incident is crucial. Include dates, times, witnesses and as much detail as possible. Sometimes it’s possible to resolve the issue informally, through discussions with managers, HR or even the bully themselves (though not if the victim feels uncomfortable or this would make the situation worse). People suffering from work-related bullying can try to reduce the negative effects by focusing on their lives outside of work. Family, friends, hobbies and side projects can take your mind off your job, and hopefully help to put some emotional distance between you and the unfair actions of the bully.

Ultimately, the power to move to a new job is something victims of workplace bullying should keep in mind. It doesn’t seem fair to leave when the bully is still in post, but it’s often the best option for a person’s mental health and career prospects. If this seems too big a step, an initial chat with your GP could help to clarify your options. A period of leave may help in some cases.

What Should Employers Do?

Under no circumstances should bullying be allowed to continue. It’s corrosive to the individual involved, their department and the entire company. The impact of letting it go isn’t restricted to individuals: many good workers will be less committed to their employer if they see ill-treatment like this going unpunished. All employers have a duty of care to protect their staff from the hazard of workplace bullying.

The best course of action varies depending on the individual case. Everybody involved should have a chance to tell their story. It might be appropriate to take disciplinary action. Team structures may need to be reviewed.

Since bullying can cause mental health deterioration in those suffering, it might be appropriate to point people towards resources they may find helpful. The charity Mind has a wealth of information on its website.

When workplace bullying occurs, it needs to be dealt with swiftly. Allowing it to continue or for the bully to move on to a new victim can lead to some of the harrowing examples mentioned in this article, and damage both your staff and your company.

Are you Burning Out?

Burnout was recently recognised as an “occupational syndrome” by the World Health Organisation. Ignoring it can have serious consequences, including long-term mental and physical distress.

As we move towards a society where mental health is increasingly openly discussed, what can we do to ensure we avoid burnout?

What is Burnout?

Burnout is caused by chronic workplace stress over a period of time. It usually develops gradually, and in a lot of cases the symptoms worsen so slowly that people only consciously notice them when they’re already extreme.

Although different people respond to burnout in different ways, as with all medical issues, the following symptoms may be signs someone’s heading towards it:

  • Change in mood – for example, feeling low, anxious, or more irritable than usual
  • Difficulties concentrating and sleeping
  • Increased negativity, especially towards work
  • Feelings of emotional “distance” from work and other activities
  • Getting physically ill more often

These symptoms can also be signs of other issues, especially depression. In fact, there’s some debate around the question of whether burnout is a form of depression. There is certainly a lot of overlap, and people displaying these symptoms should consider seeing their doctor, whether they think they have depression or burnout.

Avoiding Burnout

The fight against burnout falls into two categories: steps we can take as individuals, and steps employers can take to protect their workers from it.

For employers, it boils down to creating an environment where overwork is discouraged, people are free to take their breaks and leave on time, “switching off” in the evenings and during annual leave is the norm, and workers are empowered to ask for help when they’re struggling. Managers have an important role to play. If they model a routine where healthy boundaries between work and off time are in place, their staff will feel like the same is expected of them.

Stressors such as workplace bullying and incivility should not be tolerated. When they arise, they should be dealt with fairly and promptly. Nobody should have to come to a working environment where they’re fearful or treated badly, and employers who tolerate it have to deal with staff illnesses, high turnover, lower productivity and even legal consequences if the bullying crosses over into discrimination. It’s a moral duty to tackle this behaviour.

Employees tend to be happier when they see their work as meaningful and appreciated. They are also less likely to burn out if they have control over their work and how it is performed, so in all roles, people should be given as much flexibility as possible.

Stress is the chief cause of burnout, and excessive workloads are a leading cause of stress. Since there’s a direct correlation between overwork and burnout, employers need to be vigilant about placing too many demands on their staff.

On the employees’ side, there’s plenty that individuals can do to minimise their risk of experiencing burnout:

– Realise you have options and power. When people are under extreme stress, they can feel powerless and start to believe they have nowhere to go to improve their situation. But often a conversation with your line manager can help enormously, especially if you’ve already analysed what’s causing the stress. It might be possible to change your hours to better accommodate your life outside of work, for example, or change your workload. If this isn’t possible, changing your job is always an option.

– Talk to your support network. Burnout is a very common problem and it’s likely you know several people among your family and friends who have experienced it, even if they haven’t spoken about it openly. Though it can be a struggle, try to truly switch off from work concerns when you’re socialising or enjoying family time, and give your loved ones your full attention.

– Speak to a doctor. If your symptoms are worsening, it might be time to talk to your GP. Mental health issues are one of the most common reasons people visit their doctors and one of the leading causes of time off work, so even though it can be nerve-racking to discuss your issues in a medical setting, they will certainly be used to dealing with similar concerns.

– Manage your stress.

– Relax! Relaxation takes different forms for different people; one person might meditate, another may prefer to climb a mountain at the weekend. Physical activity can help in many cases, as can rediscovering a creative passion such as writing, painting or music. Reconnecting with friends can be enormously beneficial to somebody struggling with burnout. Make time for sleep and ensure you have at least a few minutes every day where you don’t have to do anything except relax.

Burnout is a serious issue and it seems to be a growing problem. However, with the growth of the problem comes greater discussion and a stronger focus on the steps both employees and employers can take to guard against it.