The Burnout Epidemic
The Rise of Chronic Stress and How We Can Fix It
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- $19.99
Publisher Description
Named one of 10 Best New Management Books for 2022 by Thinkers50
Named to the shortlist for the 2021 Outstanding Works of Literature (OWL) Award in the Management & Culture Category
In this important and timely book, workplace well-being expert Jennifer Moss helps leaders and individuals prevent burnout and create healthier, happier, and more productive workplaces.
We tend to think of burnout as a problem we can solve with self-care: more yoga, better breathing techniques, and more resilience. But evidence is mounting that applying personal, Band-Aid solutions to an epic and rapidly evolving workplace phenomenon isn't enough—in fact, it's not even close. If we're going to solve this problem, organizations must take the lead in developing an antiburnout strategy that moves beyond apps, wellness programs, and perks.
In this eye-opening, paradigm-shifting, and practical guide, Jennifer Moss lays bare the real causes of burnout and how organizations can stop the chronic stress cycle that an alarming number of workers suffer through. The Burnout Epidemic explains:
What causes burnout—and what organizations can do to prevent itWhy traditional wellness initiatives fall shortHow companies can build an antiburnout strategy based on prevention, not perksHow leaders can measure burnout in their own organizationsWhat leaders can do to develop a healthier culture that prioritizes resilience and curiosity
As the pandemic has shown, self-care is important, but it's not a cure-all for burnout. Employers need to do more. With fascinating research, new findings from the pandemic, and interviews with business leaders around the globe, The Burnout Epidemic offers readers insightful and actionable advice that will empower them to help themselves—and their employees—feel healthier and happier at work.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"We need to create the conditions in our workplaces that lead to a healthy, happy, and high-performing workforce," writes journalist Moss (Unlocking Happiness at Work) in this fresh guide to identifying, preventing, and remedying burnout. Citing that stress causes a $1 trillion loss in annual global productivity, Moss urges managers to reconsider burnout as "an organizational problem that requires an organizational solution," rather than an individual issue. Moss breaks her guidance into three sections: "Insights" identifies six causes of burnout (workload, perceived lack of control, lack of reward, poor relationships, lack of fairness, and values mismatch) and highlights at-risk personality types (such as neuroticism, introversion, and perfectionism); "Strategies" encourages leaders to offer a mandatory day off and consider pushing back deadlines; and "Leadership" presents a curiosity-first approach to work. Moss's guidance is comprehensive, and refreshingly, she avoids a one-size-fits-all solution, opting for encouragement: "If we don't help our employees to pursue their curiosity, we are essentially telling them to stop growing.... If we want the companies we lead to flourish, our employees much flourish first." Business leaders owe it to themselves to check out this timely and practical plea for more balance.
