Modern working can make burnout harder to spot
Managing a team working from home via hybrid or remote models means employers are less able to observe an employee’s temperament or physical appearance in person, requiring much sharper observation through digital communication platforms.
You can still catch telltale signs of burnout if you know what to look for. For example, trackable online activity such as regularly sending emails or accessing systems or files outside work hours, or consistently failing to book annual leave allocation. Pay close attention to body language, tone of voice, and expression via video calls to gauge their well-being and temperament.
8 hidden signs of burnout
1. Frequently feeling tired
Employees who are chronically overtaxed and overstressed at work experience physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. Prolonged stress can also affect sleep, leading to broken nights or insomnia, further compounding the issue.
2. Frequently ill or unwell
Burnout can compromise a person’s immune system, making them much more susceptible to illness. Burnout symptoms can also include headaches and migraines, as well as gastroenteritis.
3. Persistent feelings of self-doubt
Feelings of unworthiness and a sense of hopelessness are common symptoms of burnout as workloads or requirements feel out of control and beyond one's ability.
4. Feeling demotivated
Workers suffering from burnout may start to feel cynical, negative, or resentful towards their work and their employers. They may also lose enjoyment or any sense of achievement regarding their work.
5. Unrelenting feelings of dread
When you’ve got too much on, it’s incredibly difficult not to worry about it. Burnout often causes long-term anxiety and a sense of dread, which employees come to associate with their work.
6. Decreased productivity
Common symptoms of burnout include procrastination, difficulty concentrating, and increased lateness or absenteeism, which reduce overall productivity.
7. Becoming isolated and withdrawn
Living with long-term burnout can often cause an employee to withdraw from social activities and collaboration. Tangentially, it can also cause them to rely on unhealthy habits for comfort — something they may conceal by disconnecting from group dynamics.
8. Irritable temperament
It’s not uncommon for prolonged stress to manifest itself as a short temper and irritability. People living with burnout may start having outbursts or taking their frustrations out on others within the team.
