Wellness Programs Aren’t Enough: How Employers Can Tackle the Systemic Causes of Burnout

According to a recent Harvard Business Review article on Workplace Wellness programs, the cited research shows that 84% of large U.S. employers offering wellness programs. Think Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), weekly yoga in the office, discounts (or paid for) gym memberships, stress management workshops, etc.

It seems like employers are trying, yet burnout and mental health issues among employees continue to rise. By 2026, global corporate spending on wellness is projected to surpass $94.6 billion, yet the desired improvements in employee well-being remain elusive.

Why is this?

The authors of this article contend that employers are focusing on individual-level solutions, while ignoring systemic issues that drive burnout. To create meaningful change, organizations must shift their focus to systemic interventions that address the root causes of employee stress and disengagement.

I happen to agree with the authors.

The solutions employers are providing are a classic example of a technical fix for an adaptive challenge. This would be akin to having the doctor put a patient with high cholesterol, without addressing the underlying issues of diet and exercise. Without addressing the issues that lie inside people - i.e. their values, beliefs, loyalties, fears, behaviors, etc. - you cannot reasonably expect desirable results for meaningful change.

So what are the systemic issues that causes burnout?

While every organization's challenges are unique, there are some common challenges that overlap. Common challenges that come to mind include (but are not limited to):

• Unrealistic workload management

• Poor communication (laterally and vertically)

• Inadequate resources

• Lack of employee autonomy

• Toxic work culture (think excessive competition, blame and retaliation is common, fear of failure is rampant, etc)

This is where I think the article misses the mark, as the authors do not spell out what an employer should look for within their own organization. The authors do a great job with explaining why individual wellness programs do not work, and higher level overview of solutions to consider - but they do not spell out in clear enough terms what employers should look for (especially employers in the small-to-medium sized business world).

But employers who are better equipped to know what they are looking for, will be in better shape to address those challenges when they decide it is time to do so.

How do you solve systemic issues that are leading to employee burnout?

This is another place where I think the article misses the mark. The solutions offered seem better suited for large corporations than the small-to-medium sized business crowd. Solutions like implementing four-day work weeks, or better reporting practices for ESG considerations is great in theory, but doesn't necessarily apply to organizations who do not have shareholders or private equity investors.

In my opinion, systemic issues are adaptive challenges, and those challenges do not have a linear model for change. So I would break the solutions down to the following behaviors and competencies:

• Adjust your expectations. Since adaptive challenges rarely get solved quickly and by linear formula, it would be wise to think about the challenge with a more realistic timeline. It would also be wise to consider that these are challenges without quick fixes, so the expectation should be on making progress versus a full solution.

• Think systemically. It is hard to find a systemic issue if you are not trained to look for it. In other words, if you cannot see the forrest through the trees in your organization, it may be time to find the metaphorical "balcony" that overlooks the forrest.

• Find allies. Tough challenges like addressing employee burnout on a systemic level requires engaging key stakeholders in your organization. Not all stakeholders will be allies, but it is imperative you find those who you can work with to address shared concerns like burnout amongst employees. Allies might be lateral, above you, or even on the front line; the key is knowing what kind of formal or informal authority they have amongst others in the organization, and how can that "constituency" be engaged in the future when its time to try a solution

• Spend more time in diagnosis. It is easy to jump at the first good idea that comes to mind and run with it. But with systemic challenges, it would be far more beneficial to consider multiple interpretations. Talk to key stakeholders - allies and otherwise - and give this challenge some serious consideration for as long as it takes to consider tougher and more systemic interpretations.

• Act experimentally. Once you have generated multiple interpretations, consider the fact that your actions on some of them may fail. This is not a fault or defect, but a necessary result in the process. Very rarely do solutions generated yield perfect results on the first try. The goal should be to view the work as experimental, not live-or-die by our solutions. In other words, take low-risk actions to experiment with solutions, not putting all your eggs into a singular solution.

Key Takeaways

Instead of offering another app, EAP program, or lunch & learn - employers should consider looking at the problem systemically. The 5 behaviors and competencies above are some of many points to consider when looking at a systemic challenge; they are a starting point to the work that needs to be done.

If you go about it on your own, I would highly reccomend looking at resources at the Kansas Leadership Center framework.

If you get stuck or feel you need additional support, then reach out to us! Well Led Strategies is well versed in tackling systemic challenges, and would be happy to work with your organization in reducing employee burnout.