Every Sunday, 36-year-old public officer Harry (not his real name) dreads the start of a new work week.
Unfortunately, his agony goes beyond the Monday blues.
“I don’t sleep well at night. When I’m in the office, I’m frequently distracted by thoughts such as: ‘Why am I working so hard? Should I quit my job?’” he said. Despite feeling burnt out and depressed, Harry forces himself to power through as he believes that it is hard to find another job.
Harry’s situation is not uncommon in Singapore. A study conducted by technology provider Ceridian showed that more than 9 in 10 employees in Singapore are suffering from burnout, with 36% of the respondents experiencing high levels of this syndrome.
What Causes Burnout
Dr Aurora de Souza Watters, a Senior Researcher from the Civil Service College (CSC), shared that research indicates that burnout can be found in almost every sector and job.
“Anyone can be susceptible to burnout, what may be more important is the alignment between the individual and their work,” she added.
This situation may be exacerbated by employees working remotely during the pandemic as the lines between work and personal life begin to blur.
Ms Sabrina Lim, an Assistant Director from the Human Resources and Organisation Development Division at the Health Promotion Board, said that many officers stepped forward to help with the COVID-19 response efforts, learning to adapt to the dynamic situation while they safeguarded the public’s health.
Sabrina, who is also a Wellness Ambassador, added: “When you consider this together with the disruptions that COVID-19 had on our personal lives, such as navigating hybrid work while caring for our family members, it’s safe to say that many public officers might have experienced various levels of stress, as well as physical and mental fatigue and burnout over the last two years.”
As a Wellness Ambassador, Sabrina forms part of a 900-strong community of public officers who are trained to provide basic mental and emotional support for their co-workers.
Experts have also found that individuals whose self-worth is closely tied to their work performances are more likely to suffer from job-related stress. Such individuals typically have “Type A” personalities: achievement-oriented, highly competitive and impatient.
In 2019, the World Health Organization recognised burnout in its International Classification of Diseases and attributed the cause to “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”.
What Burnout Feels Like
People who are burnt out may have trouble sleeping and feel tired all the time. Some people also experience headaches and body pain.
Over time, they may also lose interest in activities that they previously enjoyed. At work, burnout may result in lower productivity and motivation, as well as increased absenteeism since employees fall sick more easily.
Since burnout is a result of chronic stress, the stress hormone cortisol is produced, which increases one’s likelihood of developing depression and other physical conditions like cancer, digestive problems, heart disease and sleep disorders.