WORKPL ACE
WELLNESS
BURNOUTHAS
BECOMEAN
OCCUPATIONAL
PHENOMENON.
SOWHATISIT
ANDWHATSTEPS
CANYOUTAKETO
REDUCEYOURRISK?62 l Who
T
he World Health Organisation
(WHO) recently redefined
burnout as being directly linked
to workplace stress. According
to WHO, “Burnout is a syndrome
conceptualised as resulting from chronic
workplace stress. It is characterised
by three dimensions: feelings of energy
depletion or exhaustion; increased mental
distance from one’s job, or feelings of
negativism or cynicism related to one’s
job; and reduced professional efficacy.”TOO MUCH WORK,
NOT ENOUGH
ANYTHING ELSE
Bronwyn Sowden, director of human
resources at Viacom ANZ, manages staff
across brands including Nickelodeon
and MTV. Her company recently did
an in-house survey that reported the
following: 53 per cent of staff recorded
being ‘highly stressed’ at work, 94 per cent
of staff recorded a feeling of burnout/
exhaustion and 84 per cent of staff
recorded having low self-esteem.
What’s interesting is that the study also
showed 66 per cent of staff at Viacom were
getting less than the recommended amount
of daily exercise and 87 per cent of staff
spent the majority of the day sitting down.Viacom’s answer was to offer regular
F45 classes, a stretch station, discounts
on Class Pass and a social walking group
during the month of October. These kinds
of incentives not only motivate staff to get
moving but they send a clear message that
your wellbeing is valued.
Some of us find or make time to go to
pre-work classes or get out for a lunchtime
run but many of us are restricted in the
hours we have available due to school
drop-off and pick-up, long hours commuting
or feeling exhausted to the point where
adding anything can feel too much.
Ash-lea Gazzola, HR manager at
The Atticism, is adamant that workplace
wellness must not be overlooked. The
Atticism uphold a commitment to health
and wellness for all employees (including
contractors) and owner Renae Smith
created the 20-hour work week for senior
staff many years ago. Gazzola says whether
or not a company takes their employees’
mental health seriously comes down to the
company goals. “Are the owners looking to
create a business or make money?” And
what can you do if your company falls into
the latter category?WHAT YOU CAN DO
Let’s be honest, we don’t need a World
Health anything to tell us we’re burnt out,