Dealing with burnout

Pilot project shows the importance of quick response

The rapid rise of burnout as a cause of long-term incapacity to work has been extensively discussed in the media. Fedris, the federal agency for occupational risks, is helping find solutions. In recent years, a pilot project in the healthcare and banking sectors was set up. We questioned the employees of the Burnout Unit about the results.

What exactly was the aim of the study?

Karolien Kerckhofs: “The project is part of our preventive mission. Fedris aims to support employees as quickly as possible from the first symptoms. This way, we want to avoid the symptoms getting worse. We also aim to improve the retention of employment and the return to work. Participants in the project could consult professionals from our network of healthcare workers free of charge for personalised guidance, based on literature reviews and Fedris’ competences. From January 2019 to December 2022, more than 1,400 employees from the healthcare and banking sectors took part in the project. The results show the positive impact of the proposed guidance and prove that secondary prevention in an early stage of work-related burnout pays off.”

How did the guidance affect the health of the employees?

Phebe Voets: “After thorough scientific evaluation, the guidance was deemed a success in treating both burnout and secondary complaints such as depression, anxiety and stress. The physical and psychological health of the employees involved improved significantly. The diagnosis of burnout didn’t apply any longer to more than 75% of participants after the project. The general well-being and the well-being at work (e.g. performance of tasks, sleep, quality of life and work-life balance) are positively impacted, up to six months afterwards. The care consumption decreased. Both the number of consultations with healthcare providers and the number of medical examinations and the consumption of medication declined. More information can be found at www.fedris.be”

How did the project impact employment?

Liese Meiresonne: “55% of participants were unable to work at the time of the application. After the project, 80% of participants were back at work, albeit often in a part-time schedule. Almost 90% still works for the same employer and 70% still works at the same work station. For 30% of the participants, the employer made adjustments, e.g. adjustments to the working schedule, fewer working hours, another position or a transfer to another department. In terms of work organisation, there is room for improvement. The prevention advisor-occupational physician (PA-AA) or the prevention advisor for psychosocial aspects (PA-PA) play a key role in this regard. The extent to which they are involved in the process from the beginning does have an impact on the adjustments made.”

What are important conditions to yield successful results?

Caroline Dendoncker: “To detect burnout early and provide employees with the most appropriate support as quickly as possible, we need to improve our knowledge of psychological suffering at work. We need to raise awareness among employees, organisations and managers, but also include the topic in the training of prevention actors and physicians. Furthermore, it is important to entrust the diagnosis of psychological suffering at work to experts with the necessary expertise. During the pilot project, Fedris built a network of physicians and psychologists who have the necessary expertise.”

Can you also voluntarily request such guidance?

Florence Lebrun: “Given the positive result, the pilot project will now become a permanent system. It will also be made available to all employees in the private sector as well as in provincial and local public services. In concrete terms, this means the project is open to employees who are still at work or have been unable to work for less than two months and show the first symptoms of burnout.

What does such personalised guidance entail within this programme?

Karolien Kerckhofs: “I would like to use the example of an employee with an excessive workload due to staff shortages, who is also struggling with organisational changes, lack of support from his supervisor, lack of recognition and involvement in the decision-making process. He is very driven in his job, but no longer manages to complete his tasks. He is suffering from concentration issues, neck and muscle aches, headaches, sleeping issues, etc. He is losing his motivation and his energy. He feels exhausted. These feelings make him contact his prevention advisor, who registers him with Fedris. During the diagnosis session, the coordinating programme counsellor identifies the workplace factors, as well as personality factors. In this example, the coordinator and the employee consider the psychosocial risk factors in the workplace, their impact and how to deal with them. These include working overtime, dealing with an excessive workload, looking for ways to be less available, etc. But they also talk about the high standards the person involved holds himself and others to. Physiotherapy sessions help him reconnect to his body through muscle relaxation exercises and restore his energy levels.

This example shows how a detailed analysis of the situation and the employee’s individual needs allow the coordinating programme counsellor to create personalised and adapted guidance. The programme counsellor identifies specific follow-up points for prevention actors, which were communicated to the occupational physician with the employee’s consent, for subsequent adjustments in the workplace. At the end of the process, the employee attends follow-up sessions to reflect on the effects of the process.”

Employees who recognise themselves in this story, can download the registration form from the Fedris website and complete it with their attending physician or one of the prevention actors. They then have to send this form to the Fedris Burnout Unit, Astronomielaan 1 in 1210 Brussels.”

For more information about the Burnout Unit: 02/272 21 70 – burnout@fedris.be – www.fedris.be

Auteur: Jan Deceunynck | Image: …