Physician burnout is a big problem: 53% of doctors and medical students surveyed by the CMA in November 2021 reported burnout symptoms.
As a health care leader, you may have experienced burnout yourself — and if so, you know how important it is to support the physician in burnout and fix the root problems.
Here’s what to do if you suspect someone on your team is experiencing burnout.
What does burnout look like?
Burnout results from chronic workplace stress that hasn’t been successfully managed. People struggling with burnout typically feel exhausted or depleted and have persistent negative feelings about their job or feel a lack of accomplishment. They may also struggle with depersonalization or be less productive at work.
There are many ways these symptoms can be expressed, so it’s important to pay attention to changes in behaviour. Some things to watch for include:
- Keeping their camera off in virtual meetings
- Becoming quiet, reserved or less animated
- General apathy or seeming unhappy
- Being late to meetings or appointments
- Missing deadlines for projects
- Being short-tempered with others
- Less connection with people
- Headaches, stomach aches, intestinal issues and other symptoms commonly associated with general anxiety
These symptoms can be signs of other problems, so it’s important to reach out and have a discussion about what’s going on.
Effective ways to broach the topic of burnout
There are a couple of approaches to discussing burnout with someone on your team: You could start with a general group discussion, or simply have a one-on-one chat.
A general group discussion about burnout can be a softer first approach because it doesn’t leave anyone feeling singled out, plus you can get team buy-in on group efforts to help reduce stress. Outline the signs of burnout, have an open discussion about stressors, and let everyone know your door is open if they ever want to talk. Then, a week later, have a one-on-one check-in with the physician you’re concerned about.
A one-on-one chat can be as simple as asking the physician to grab a coffee with you and then checking in with them about how they’re doing. Mention that you’re concerned about them and want to find a way to help, focusing on their behaviour change rather than their work performance. Be sure to lead with connection and compassion, and always keep your discussions confidential.
This chat is a really good opportunity to have a coach-like conversation, asking open-ended “how” and “what” questions. (“Why” questions can feel judgmental, so it’s best to avoid them.) Some helpful questions you may want to ask:
- How are you doing?
- How are you feeling coming to work?
- What’s the most challenging thing about your work? (This helps you pinpoint whether it’s a workload, system or interpersonal issue.)
- What’s something you would like to change at work?
- How can I help? What supports can I offer?
Asking about what they would like to change is empowering, and in some cases, a small change that is very doable can take the pressure off. For me, it was as simple as changing a meeting time that was causing me a lot of stress.
This discussion can help you determine whether the person in question is experiencing burnout from the environmental circumstances at work, or if they may be dealing with a clinical mental health concern that should be addressed by a mental health professional.
How to begin supporting a burnt-out physician
As a leader, your goal is to mitigate the pressure and negativity associated with burnout. Once burnout is acknowledged and the physician who’s grappling with it is open to change, there’s plenty you can do to begin supporting them.
Start off by directing the physician to your medical association’s professional assistance program, where they can speak with counsellors and find resources for burnout recovery. Then, tackle each pain point directly, focusing on finding efficiencies and protecting down time.
Consider where the physician’s tasks can be streamlined or delegated to reduce their workload (this may include delaying non-urgent projects). If a physician’s burnout is severe, you may even need to discuss some time off or reducing clinical hours to provide the time and space for burnout recovery.
Excessive meetings can be curbed by limiting them to brainstorming sessions and updates. Anything else should be considered prep work to be done in advance of meetings, so decisions can be made swiftly, and everyone can get back to seeing patients.
When email overload is an issue, set boundaries for everyone on your team. For example, be prudent about who gets CC’ed on emails, avoid emailing outside office hours, or turn off work email on weekends. (There’s always email scheduling for those late-night thoughts or after-hours catch-up on busy days.)
Lastly, take the time to have a monthly check-in with anyone who’s struggling with burnout. Lead with compassion, and meet in person if at all possible, to strengthen the positive impact. With the right support, physicians can recover from burnout and find joy in their work once again.