Something stronger than Kryptonite: Workplace burnout

It’s finally happened. It seems that the pressures of the recession, the economy and the relentless business cycle have gotten to the one person we thought was invulnerable to all this, Superman.

 

It seems that Superman is considering leaving, may have already left, the Daily Planet to become a blogger! He just can’t take the pressure of today’s workplace. Is this the right career move for the Man of Steel? What will he do for health care? Is he eligible for unemployment? How many Twitter followers does he have? Has he effectively branded himself to go out on his own?

And what about your organization? Are you taking care of your superheroes, the employees who give everything they can and then some, or are you wearing them out? Is burnout destroying morale, exhausting your staff and accelerating turnover? What would you do if your ace reporter, I mean, employee decided to bag it?

http://www.workforce.com/article/20121029/WORKFORCE90/121029964/superman-says-i-quit-after-being-humbled-by-workforce-supervillain

Employees, you may have daydreamed about quitting your job and striking out on your own. No boss, the freedom to say what you want, the liberty to pursue what you want to do. But before you hit the “Send” button on your “seeya” e-mail (did you remember to “cc:” the entire company?) think about what the reality might be like. Ask yourself the questions above.

And managers, take a look around your workplace. You may have more to fear than Kryptonite.

 

 

2 thoughts on “Something stronger than Kryptonite: Workplace burnout

  1. You can certainly see your enthusiasm in the work you write. The sector hopes for more passionate writers such as you who aren’t afraid to mention how they believe. Always go after your heart. “Experience is a good school, but the fees are high.” by Heinrich Heine.

  2. Perry White is a manager not a leader. He orders rather than mentors. Perry’s vision is myopic. He sees Clark as a merely reporter for print, rather than an innovator who can make a story come alive in print AND digital media.

    In a good economy, superstars will leave should they feel unappreciated. In a bad economy, they may be less hesitant to leave and more inclined to adopt a “whatever” mentality. “I’ll bide my time.”

    Leaders have “vision, and human passion—which drive corporate success.” (See the classic Abraham Zaleznik view of leadership http://bitly.com/Srtn8g.).

    In the new “normal,” managers will be leaders. Workers will be innovators. Organizational structure will be horizontal. And Perry White will be laid off as the Daily Planet tries to recruit Clark.

    Perry White … Are you listening?

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