The psychological burnout during a labor conflict

Within the limit of normality, a human being spends 8 to 9 hours in his work environment, that is, more than half of the working day (time that does not include the act of sleeping). Most of the interactions, relationships, challenges and decisions that we make during the week occur in the company (or any employment organization), which is why work dynamics have a not inconsiderable effect on our well-being general.

Despite the hierarchies established in a company (consciously or unconsciously) we do not stop being human beings and, hence impulsive and confrontational in nature, unless both cognitive styles are worked on in a professional. In other words, it is very normal for conflicts to arise in the work environment, which leads to a clear psychological exhaustion. Next we will see the bases of this table and how to avoid it.

• Related article: "Psychology of work and organizations: a profession with a future"

Psychological consequences of psychological burnout due to labor conflicts

The presence of habitual problems due to labor conflicts usually give rise to psychological alterations that can be expressed in different ways, constituting psychopathologies or not.

Burnout syndrome is the most characteristic phenomenon.

Burnout syndrome

The burnout syndrome, occupational burnout or occupational burnout syndrome is a term that is used more and more in professional and psychological environments, in order to exemplify the effects that poor labor management has on the workers. In other words, it is a syndrome resulting from chronic stress in the long-term work environment, manifested in the form of physical / psychological exhaustion, negativity, cynicism and negative feelings directed to everything that has to do with work.

However, it should be noted that this clinical entity has not been recognized by the American Association for Psychology (APA) in his work "Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders" (DMS-5), published in the year 2013. Therefore, it is not always considered a real syndrome or disorder, as major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), with similar symptoms but not focused solely on the environment labor.

Even so, it should be noted that the International Classification of Diseases (11th edition) of the World Health Organization (WHO) does conceive of Burnout syndrome to some extent, at least since 2018. According to this global entity, this arises as a result of chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed, characterized by three different dimensions:

• Feelings of lack of energy or exhaustion in the work environment.
• Mental withdrawal of the individual in regard to his work performance, or in the absence of it, negative or cynical feelings associated with work.
• Reduced productivity and professionalism

Anyway, the WHO warns us that this condition it is an “occupational phenomenon”, not a clinical entity or psychiatric illness. Also, these symptoms should only be applied in the work environment, not in other vital areas. Be that as it may, the fact that this amalgam of feelings crosses the pathological terrain or not is not very relevant: it exists, so it must be treated or addressed, whether it is a pathology or not.

• You may be interested in: "Work stress: causes, and how to combat it"

How to avoid psychological burnout during a work conflict

There are many sources of conflict in the work environment: poor communication, different values, diverse interests, lack of resources, personality clashes or lack of professionalism on the part of some member of the dynamic, among many others.

One of the most effective short-term methods of avoiding conflict is to directly ignore the source (hiding our heads in the sand). Confrontation is often seen as a sign of courage and initiative, but in some cases, it is true that it is not even worth it.

It is necessary to weigh the pros and cons of the mental battle that is going to take place in the work environment, since the worker on many occasions "has lost" the conflict before starting with a hierarchical difference. As many professionals say, “sometimes it is easier to change companies than to change companies”.

In any case, without any doubt the best way to avoid a crisis of interests is collaboration, dialogue and commitment. This is where individual emotional intelligence comes into play, since it is almost always possible to reach a middle point between both sides without hurting the other person and trying to step on their interests. Remember that empathy and intelligence are not based on convincing the other person of your ideals, but on understanding their motives and trying to square them in your own personal agenda. It is better to leave the "yes, but (...)" at the door and really listen.

If dialogue is not possible, there are behavioral techniques aimed at assertiveness, like "the broken record." If a person is insistent after a refusal, it is best to stay on the central idea and not digress. Do not try to make excuses or change your reasoning: it is not no, say one, two or 200 times. "Thank you for your offer, but I don't feel like it", "I just told you that I don't feel like it", "for the last time, I don't feel like it and I would appreciate it if you would stop insisting".

The more loopholes and excuses they look for (now I can't / maybe later / ask in a while), the more the central message is diluted.

The difference between conflict and bullying

It is very difficult to engage in this issue without contextualizing it, since each situation is a world and the difference between normality and crime is often conspicuous by its absence. Anyway, it is estimated that one in two women has suffered sexual harassment throughout her life in the world, and of all cases, 32% occur in the work environment.

Things get even worse when we discover that the perpetrator of harassment is the boss in 61% of cases and a 65% of the workers leave their position to end the dynamics, before reporting (only 8% makes). 80% of people bullied in the work environment have anxiety, 52% suffer from panic attacks and half are diagnosed with clinical depression if the situation lasts long enough.

With these statistics, we want to emphasize that the psychological exhaustion during a labor conflict cannot be confused with harassment, especially perpetrated by men in positions of power towards “subordinate” women, who are conceived as more vulnerable and dependent. If there is enough evidence, the best option will always be to make a report in the police environment and cut the situation legally.

As much as a person is superior in the production chain, his freedoms and rights are governed by the same bases as those of the rest of the population. Remember: in a situation of harassment and psychological violence, not even the most powerful is untouchable at the judicial level.

However, these cases of harassment at work are not detected, little can be done. That is why it is important to adopt measures to locate these situations and demonstrate that they exist, for which it is essential to explore not only the physical and / or medical part, but also the psychological one. If you are looking for psychological assistance in this area, please contact us.