Tackling burnout could boost work return

With rising levels of economic inactivity, and increasing pressure on the NHS, a failure to properly support people suffering from burnout is leaving too many stuck out of work unnecessarily – at a cost of billions to the UK economy.

Research published in the SOM’s journal Occupational Medicine has outlined that a more collaborative care and support pathway is needed to bring employees with burnout back into the workplace. 

Burnout, and stress-related mental ill health, can be caused by persistent and unmanageable workload pressures, long hours, uncertainty or job insecurity, financial worries, isolation, or bullying, among other factors. It can lead to physical, mental and emotional ill health and significantly affect behaviour and performance.

Burnout is estimated to affect as many as one in five workers every year, and costs UK plc billions in lost working days. For many of those affected, support remains woefully lacking, whether via the NHS or their workplace, with a quarter who take time off saying they receive no help at all.*

Researchers found that inconsistent identification of burnout, poor communication between professionals, and a lack of workplace engagement are all preventing effective recovery. In many cases, GPs struggle to recognise burnout, employers lack confidence in how to respond and sometimes are sceptical of an employee’s condition. Furthermore employees themselves can find it difficult to accept they have a problem with the problem often being noticed by their colleagues, family or friends.

To address this, the new treatment pathway proposes: 

• Earlier identification: GPs remain the first line of support for an employee presenting with work-related stress symptoms. If burnout is suspected, it is recommended the GP also refers them to an appropriately experienced mental health professional.

• Continuity of care: Consultations should take place within at least eight weeks of referral, and the GP should remain involved for at least four follow-up consultations to ensure continuity of care. This also extends to workplace interventions and ensuring care continues from home to work.

• Structured information sharing: Concise progress reports focused on both recovery and return to work should be produced by the mental health professional, linking together (with the employee’s consent) the GP, occupational health and any insurance physician. 

• Active employee engagement: empowering individuals to take ownership of their recovery and return to work. This involves the creation of a structured communication notebook for employees, setting out in plain language, the proactive recovery and rehabilitation steps they can take. These include contacting and working with their occupational physician, employer, supervisor or job coach.

The researchers highlighted that involving the occupational physician in the process also strengthens their intermediary role between employers, employees and the healthcare sector and addresses professionals’ concerns about workplace involvement in return to work.

Lead researcher Charlotte Lambreghts said of the new pathway: “By fostering accurate identification, multidisciplinary collaboration, structured communication, and workplace involvement, the pathway offers a framework to improve coordination and support in practice.”

SOM president Professor Neil Greenberg welcomed the emphasis the research put on occupational physicians, employers and employees working together to manage burnout. He said: “This study highlights the value for all parties – employee, employer and physician – of being able to follow a structured management plan and long-term follow-up. 

“A clear, well-communicated, well-organised framework that prioritises a collaborative approach will always pay dividends when it comes to managing and supporting something as complex as workplace-related burnout. This is a timely addition to the new thinking emerging in this area,” he added.

The full study is available in SOM’s Occupational Medicine journal for those interested in the detailed findings.