Misalignment is impacting the workplace as people realise that their jobs may not be aligned with their beliefs, values and passions in life. CHROs unpacked this discussion at the 2024 HR Indaba, with speakers giving their insights into this alarming trend.
With the high levels of unemployment that we are facing in the country, most people are just grateful to land a job. However when a job doesn’t match with your values, passions and personality, this might lead to what is termed a “misalignment burnout”.
In a session called Unhappy at work? How to manage misalignment burnout, three speakers from the HR Indaba explored this phenomenon.
Judy Klipin, an author and burnout activist, started the conversation by debunking the claims of what causes burnout. “We don’t get burnout from doing too much, but by doing too much of the wrong things, and having no time to recover and re-energise ourselves,” she explained.
Judy said her 2019 book, Recover from Burnout: Life lessons to regain your passion and purpose explained this concept well. She said most people are stuck in jobs for the sake of providing for their families, and while quitting is not an option, these jobs are not aligned with their values.
In such instances, Judy says, it is important to refocus your mind into finding meaning in what you do. “If you change why you are there into how you are there, you make the work work for you,” she said.
Reflecting on the HR industry, Nomaswazi Ngwane, human capital executive at Old Mutual, shared how we were spending so much time helping others that we sometimes forget about ourselves. She said it is important to set boundaries and step back and take time to self-reflect.
“As leaders it is important to look at the culture that we are creating in our organisations and lead by example,” Nomaswazi said. She shared how leaders who glorify working until late might unintentionally pressure the rest of staff to do the same.
A lot needs to be done to build trust in the organisations and to create a better work culture that allows flexibility to prevent burnout, Nomaswazi advised.
Bongani Phakathi, executive: HR and public affairs for Assore was asked to unpack how gender dynamics play a role in workplace burnout. “We must be mindful of gender nuances: as a man we often weigh the burden of being a breadwinner and find it hard to even share when we are not coping,” Bongani shared.
“There is also a lot of pressure in the corporate place to deliver, but we need to create a support space to deal with the stress,” he added.
In closing, the speakers agreed that burnout has devastating long-term effects on the employee and the organisation and should not be treated like something you can recover from by simply taking a few days off.
“This is not a weekend special and should not be treated that way,” Bongani concluded.
