The 12 Stages of Burnout

Burnout happens to the best of us. But for some employees, burnout becomes a slippery slope and can result in some dire circumstances. Know what signs to recognize in employee burnout to stop it early.

[georgeDV]

That in my opinion is extremely accurate information, and it describes in full detail my experience of burnout. If i would add something, it would be that getting through all these stages can happen in an extended time period, in my case 3 years, and that makes it very hard to distinguish and thus to treat. It can be misinterpreted by the sufferer as a permanent change of character, and as a result pointless to battle. Especially when overworking is necessary for acquiring a better future, or when it is the only means available for the person in question to be percieved of some actual value to the society, burnout can be unavoidable. And that brings the question, what (if anything) can be done to treat burnout, when it has already been established for a very long time?

[danwilliams]

Should have begun with stating the company put too much on the individual then gaslighted him by taking no blame for the burnout.

[reinamendez]

I have been 5 years Burnout, and I have experience 9 stages of 12. I'm not still yet in the last stages. These stages read me like a book, since burnout changed my values and priorities.

[Dana-thxm]

Work environments can create this though. Over working employees and such. It doesn't really fall on the individual.

[nonbinarymetv]

Having experienced burnout in employees as a manager and as a senior manager over working, I think these stages are very correct. However, I feel this is weighted towards viewing burnout as employees on "slippery slopes" when often the real issue begins and perpetuates with managers who are driving factors that lead to employee burnout.

As a manager I have always tried to distribute workload in ways that assure work/life balance, but have often been working for more senior managers who are often disinterested or inattentive to assuring balance, who then drive everyone downstream to develop patterns that will result in burnout. Many work cultures are simply disinterested in this risk and are willing to work employees beyond reasonable thresholds, routinely.

What is urgently required is training and structures to mitigate the issue of top down drivers that lead employees into these spirals. Managers need awareness training, sensitivity training and must take responsibility for efficiencies that inherently combat burnout risk. Accountability for burnout must be shared between managers who drive workloads and employees who must feel empowered by company cultures to push back on too much work and to address the other causal factors that lead to their responses.

I hope that you will make future videos that go beyond explaining the signs and employee side of this dynamic and place stronger appeals to managers and leaders to work to avoid creating environments where this becomes a high risk for employees. We have done so by opening channels for employees to safely alert the company of their concerns while protecting them from any negative consequences. We also work to assure that managers understand that the company expects them to be accountable for employee work life balance and that includes working to identify and help address problems as they arise in supportive and positive ways. We have a lot more to do, but in fast paced industries, we cannot leave this to HR and employees to address. It must become company culture and it must become something that we actively combat.

This video often says "they have, they feel" etc... But those feelings most often originate from cultures that apply pressures that lead to these issues and managers who are ultimately responsible for setting the stage for these issues to start and persist. This perpetuates a sense that burnout is driven by employees when in fact it is most often the result of flawed management and problematic company cultures. Until we balance this between causes on both sides and responses on both sides, it will not be resolved and employees will have serious issues.

[cchaffincc]

Even after leaving a job from burnout, it can sometimes take years to come out the other side.

[Medietos]

I have been at the end stage for many years, and the terrifying frame of it is, due to maltreatment /withheld help in health care, and being hindered in helping myself.After a late Aspergers- (and Ancholysing Spondylitis) diagnosis, I looked forward to the personal assistence rightfully needed and affirmed by them. It is to come before it is too late. I can't break once I get started working at solving something. Need help or support. HAve knowöedge to help others, but need some myself too.I want a video on health-care system burnout.

[richardainscough]

I worked at the same air conditioning company for the past ten years. They had us working 12 day stretches. I am a type A personality and was also addicted to the work and achievements that came with it.. I pushed away friends and family for years. needless to say, i left with a nervous breakdown 3 weeks ago and I am in stage 11 and or 12. Please someone shine some light on me

[robertellis]

I have been working at Goodwill for some 4 years at doing the same duties I am in the Klamath falls Oregon Good Will in donation attachment have hard time saying no to the people that way can't accept their donation .. also asking myself what else can I do at 54

[felicial]

I know that I have faced workaholicism turning into burnout, so I had hoped to learn more by watching his video. But, this does not seem to describe me. Like, I might get to the point of fatigue and flatlining emotionally, but I feel that turning to drugs and alcohol is something more or something else. Bad coping vs pushing your limits. Just seems like the last stages have morphed into something else to me. Do different people have different experiences?

[JesperHellvik]

That's all spot on. Nice description. I knew all these thing...and if I didn't, I do now. So now for the the real question. What do I do with this insight?

[cocoacoolness]

Is there a difference between a workaholic and being burnt out then? I thought you didn't need to be a workaholic to become burnt out