The Hindu Business Line : Employee burnout

One of the problems facing organisations, big and small, is that of `employee burnout'. Working on 12-hour shifts with nary a break, in often inhospitable conditions with almost impossible-to-attain targets and competition breathing down their necks, employees tend to get drained out in no time. Add to this the less time that they get to spend with their families, leading to marital breakdowns in some cases, and their cup of woe is full to the brim. The consequences of such trauma may not take much to lead to a perceptible fall in performance standards that could well leave the organisation bearing the brunt. How do firms tackle the problem of employee burnout?

That such burnouts will occur with some regularity is no longer in doubt because the pace of work can only become more hectic and the working hours longer. It should also be understood that a human body, unlike a computer or any well-oiled machine on a factory floor, has an endurance limit, beyond which the chances of productivity taking a dip and stress taking a toll on the employee's health are high.

Information technology is one of the sectors most affected by this phenomenon; perhaps, ranks second in organisations' list of woes after employee attrition. But it is heartening that most of them, at least the major players, have been quick to grasp the realities and ushered in a series of measures to ensure that their cadres are spared the agony of a burnout.

So there are gymnasiums where one can work out; coffee shops to make small talk or simply listen to music; periodical vacations at company expense; liberal incentives outside the tax spectrum; and a host of other facilities to drive the blues away.

The balance-sheets of these companies and the hefty dividends they declare year after year are a clear indication that their human resource assets are certainly contributing their mite and more. Of course, there are several other companies that are yet to see light, but it is time they saw the writing on the wall and pepped up the spirits of their employees before it is too late.

(The author is a Chennai-based freelance writer.)

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