Burnout is a situation in which the mind and the whole body get tired as a result of excessive thinking about psychologically involving situations or issues. When Burnout is prolonged, one loses the inspiration that made him accept a certain task. Burnout takes place gradually over a prolonged period of time. In the initial stages, it may appear fine, but as time progress, it becomes detrimental, especially if its signs are not addressed promptly. However, it’s important to give the signs of Burnout special attention as this is the best way to manage it(Lewis &Packard, 2007).
Burnout is caused by various factors. These are the characteristics of the individual and the surroundings. Individual factors include high expectations failure to vent out negative feelings, the high working speed with little meaning attached to the work (Borritz, 2006). The work of an individual causes burnout, especially when somebody has no control over his or her duties and gets little appreciation in whatever he or she does. In addition, high hopes for the work, doing the same work for a long duration of time, and a hostile working environment are precursors of burnouts. An Individual’s way of life may play a key role in the genesis of burnouts. Doing a lot of work with little or no time for leisure and having many responsibilities with little assistance or little time for resting may increase the chances of developing burnouts (Borritz, 2006).
Burnout can be controlled by the individual or the organization. Understanding the cause of Burnout is vital in identifying the method of managing it. For instance, if workers develop Burnout because of the monotony of work, it is the responsibility of the supervisors to seek an alternative assignment for the worker in question. If Burnout is caused by many workplace reasons, the managers should categorize the various types of based on the levels of expectations in order to increase the desire to work. Burnout caused as a result of individual attributes is controlled by formulating programs that will address issues like time management (Lewis & Packard, 2007).
Personally, burnout has affected me in a number of ways. Due to burnout, I have been forced to make detrimental decisions and failed to control myself during stressful circumstances. In managing burnouts, I do several exercises when I am alone, and in most cases, they relieve me of stress and burnouts. Furthermore, when I want to diffuse the effects of burnouts, I lookout for any signs of burnouts and develop modalities that would assist in combating its causes.
As a human service manager, I have the responsibility of catering to the well-being of staff. As such, I would monitor the employees closely, and if there is a change in character, personality, or productivity of an employee, I will investigate the case in order to establish what the problem is. This is important in identifying instances of burnout among employees, and so, it would provide a pathway of seeking a remedy to problems at hand. In addition, I would develop organization programs that would assist the staff in managing stressful events and burnout such as enlisting the services of a professional therapist to counsel stress-related burnouts, establish work plan that is worker-friendly to avoid job monotony, create a good working environment that involves work breaks and socialization among workers and advising the organization to provide resources that cater for employees’ health wellbeing (Borritz, 2006).
References
Borritz, M. (2006). Burnout in human service work – causes and consequences. New York: McGraw-Hills Publishers.
Lewis, J.,& Packard,T.(2007). Management of human service programs. Belmont: Thomson.
The selected article by Yu et al. (2020) seeks to explore the impact of 12-hour shifts on nursing fatigue in intensive care units (ICU). The purpose of the study is to investigate the real-world application of literature on nurse fatigue, with information being useful on developing a support environment to reduce nurse fatigue considering that nursing burnout is commonly associated with long working hours. The study follows a cross-sectional survey design. The appropriate cohort studies critical appraisal checklist will be utilized to consider the validity, reliability, and applicability of the study.
The study design is a cross-sectional survey with ICU nurses from two hospitals in different cities. The questionnaire survey is appropriate since fatigue levels have to be evaluated by the subjects themselves and it is a subjective individual measure. The survey utilized the Likert scale which helps to quantify the data and collect a wide range of response measurements (Taherdoost, 2019). The sample had to meet similar requirements of full-time ICU RNs and working 12-hour shifts regularly. After clearing for criteria, only 67 out of 112 responses, and the small sample size was discussed in limitations as reducing statistical significance and generalizability, particularly in areas outside of the ICU. The self-reporting factors create potential for bias due to nurses’ personal interests. The study utilized a well-established Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion/Recovery (OFER) scale instrument to measure subject’s fatigue (Yu et al., 2020).
The results found that 85% of participants showed low and moderate chronic fatigue levels, while 15% demonstrated moderate and high levels. 54% nurses reported low/moderate acute fatigue, and 69% low/moderate inter-shift fatigue. T-tests and chi-square used to compare hospital results and independent variables. Spearman’s correlation sought to establish a relationship between demographic factors and types of fatigue. The ANOVA test analysis found statistical significance for any demographic factors, including age, nursing experience, and exercise frequency to fatigue. The following results meet general reliability requirements and statistical tests are standard for this type of research (Vaske, 2019).
Nurse fatigue is directly associated with factors of burnout, turnover, and patient safety, which makes it critical to consistently study the subject to ensure a better and safer work environment (Al Ma’mari et al., 2020). These are valid results that can be applied to the nursing population at major hospitals, suggesting that shift scheduling has minor impact on fatigue levels. Yu et al. (2020) note that the majority of nurses cope well with 12-hour shifts, and actually shorter 8-hour shifts had a more detrimental effect on rest due to the necessity to travel to work more frequently. However, the statistical significance of certain demographic factors suggests the support should be established for inexperienced nurses or those who are less adaptable, overall encouraging collaboration between managers and nurses to provide improved shift schedules.
The article by Yu et al. (2020) explores the impact of 12-hour shifts on various types and levels of nursing fatigue, also investigating the involvement of demographic factors. The research uses strong methods and highly tuned instruments but maintains certain weaknesses such as sample size and lack of generalizability of results. Generally, the study can be considered valid and reliable but requires further research due to its small sample. However, the recommendations for applicability are useful in terms of supporting individual nursing staff in managing fatigue levels.
The functioning of any organization depends on multiple factors affecting outcomes. To achieve success, a firm should select the strategy supported with the available resources and possess an improved understanding of the market and customers to generate a competitive advantage and create the basis for its further evolution. Expansion can also be a complex issue and undermine the organization’s work, especially if it has unresolved issues or problems. The choice of the growth strategy should be made regarding the available resources and their appropriate management. Athena Bancorp’s case proves the critical importance of strategic planning, understanding of the current firm’s position, and human resource management (HRM). The recommendations provided to Beth Daniels rest on HR practices and the effective use of available specialists to improve the company’s position.
Background
Athena Bancorp is a successful bank with five branches and $1.8 billion in assets. The bank’s founder and CEO, Beth Daniels, has an ambitious plan for further evolution, presupposing that the bank should use the available resources to occupy the niche and continue rising (Schlesinger & Abbot, 2019). The bank focuses on creating outstanding and high-quality services and their provision to clients in friendly, understandable, and effective ways. Daniels views it as the main advantage as all customers should be satisfied with the provided services and want to return to the bank again. For this reason, she views employees as the main asset and resource of the company; Daniels also selects all workers by herself (Schlesinger & Abbot, 2019). At the same time, because of the focus on high effectiveness, specialists overwork, are exhausted, demonstrate their dissatisfaction, and the inability to support the further evolution of the company if nothing changes. It poses a severe problem for Athena Bank as it might need a reduction in the growth speed to attract attention to other critical issues.
Analysis
Analyzing the Athena Bank case, it is vital to apply the resource-based view (RBV). It is a specific framework focusing on strategic resources a firm can use to attain the existing goals and generate competitive advantage (Cohen, 2015). Employing RBV, the company can create further expansion aims and plan its growth. Thus, different types of resources should be considered to succeed. For the Athena Bank case, it is possible to focus on financial and human resources. Due to its specific strategy, the bank managed to generate high income and acquire the money needed to support new projects and future rise. For this reason, Daniels wants to exploit this factor and continue evolution (Schlesinger & Abbot, 2019). However, as for human resources, it is vital to note the exhaustion of all workers, growing turnover rates, and decrease in employees’ loyalty (Cohen, 2015). These factors also precondition the problems with clients’ satisfaction and worsening of services’ quality.
In such a way, from the RBV perspective, the generation of one strategically important resource was achieved through the exploitation of another, with low attention to its restoration. There is critical exhaustion of human resources due to the focus on high performance and fast rise of Athena Bank. It means that one of the leading HR functions, which is the creation of the conditions beneficial for the employees’ work, is disregarded, and workers cannot contribute to the further evolution of Athena Bancorp. Additionally, the contexts of strategic HRM are changeable, meaning that it is critical to consider the current conditions of the company and its needs and cultivate environments beneficial for increased performance (Cohen, 2015). For this reason, the further evolution of the company might demand the introduction of new ways to work with employees and the utilization of consistent practices.
Recommendations
The recommended course of action for Athena Bank includes several steps. First of all, it is necessary to slow down the speed of the company’s growth. Although the rivalry in the sphere remains high, and the existing financial resources are sufficient to support the further evolution, the company’s current HR strategy fails to respond to recent changes and ensure beneficial working conditions for specialists (Cohen, 2015). It results in the deterioration of the quality of provided services, turnover, and clients’ dissatisfaction. If no changes in HRM are introduced, the company will face severer challenges in the future and lose its competitive advantage presupposing the outstanding work of all specialists. Under these conditions, it is vital to refocus the company’s and CEOs’ efforts on establishing effective HR practices.
The existing approach to HRM presupposes hiring experienced and skilled specialists to ensure that they can meet clients’ diverse needs and ensure that all services are accessible and clear to people. It helped to attract new partners and create the image of the bank; however, currently, it fails to meet the external and internal fits of Athena Bank (Jiang et al., 2012). Although the firm can respond to the external environment, the current HR strategy cannot deal with internal consistency, complementary and ensure that all systems are connected within the organization (Baird & Meshoulam, 1988). Surveys among employees show that they are not satisfied with the existing environment, look “unsmiling,” tired, overwork, and think about finding a new job (Schlesinger & Abbot, 2019). These factors indicate the inconsistency between the employed HR practices and the company’s goals.
From the current situation, the first task is to reduce the pressure all employees experience at the moment. The high turnover rate and the necessity to work extra hours show the top management’s inability to work with human resources. The central goal of HR strategists is to align the existing structure, resources, and HR systems in the way they can promote the strategic objectives of the organization and meet its current goals (Cohen, 2015). Additionally, there is the need to balance external and internal fits to establish high-performance work practices guaranteeing positive outcomes (Jiang et al., 2012). One of the first steps is the consideration of existing employees’ needs and their satisfaction using resources available to the company at the moment. In other words, Daniels can be recommended to invest in improving HR strategies as the contribution to the future of the company and cultivation of its most valuable resource.
The pressure can be reduced in several ways. First, fixed schedules with no extra working hours should be established. It will ensure that all specialists have time for rest, avoid burnout, and can devote their free time to families or their health. It will also ensure that employees will demonstrate higher performance during working hours and meet clients’ needs (Posthuma et al., 2013). Planning the further expansion, Daniels should also consider the fact that the existing recruitment strategies are not effective anymore as the emergence of new departments means she cannot interview and select all candidates on her own. For this reason, there is a need for an HR strategist responsible for recruitment practices. The list of demands can be created by Daniels in accordance with her vision; however, it is vital to find new specialists to reduce workload and distribute tasks effectively.
The establishment of a high-performance work system can also be achieved by identifying the most responsible positions and assign the most effective workers selected personally by Daniels to them. Other, less significant tasks can be distributed between employees hired by HR specialists and meeting the current demands (Huselid et al., 2005). It will guarantee that the bank can consider all clients’ needs and, at the same time, it preserves its competitive advantage resulting from the customer-centered environment and specialists’ assistance in all questions (Jackson & Schuller, 1995). Moreover, only high performers cannot add much value as it hurts the working environment in the organization (Huselid et al., 2005). The lack of career opportunities and poor relations between team members resulting from hiring only top specialists can destroy the collective. Under these conditions, it is vital to promote diversity as the part of HR practices.
Conclusion
Altogether, Athena Bank faces problems because of its too fast growth and poor HR strategies. Employees suffer from burnout, high pressure, and extra hours. Beth Daniels wants to exploit the firm’s popularity and continue its evolution; however, it can be recommended to stop and pay attention to cultivating appropriate HR practices. It is fundamental to create a positive environment within the company and ensure that both external and internal fits are considered by existing HR strategies. Hiring additional specialists and changing recruitment practices it is possible to enhance the situation and attain positive results.
References
Baird, L., & Meshoulam, I. (1988). Managing two fits of strategic human resource management. The Academy of Management Review, 13(1), 116-128.
Cohen, D. (2015). HR past, present and future: A call for consistent practices and a focus on competencies. Human Resource Management Review, 25, 205-215.
Jackson, S., & Schuller, R. (1995). Understanding human resource management in the context of organizations and their environments. Annual Review of Psychology, 46, 237-264.
Jiang, K., Lepak, D., Han, K., Hong, Y., Kim, A., & Winkler, A. (2012). Clarifying the construct of human resource systems: Relating human resource management to employee performance. Human Resource Management Review, 22(2), 73-85.
Posthuma, R. A., Campion, M. C., Masimova, M., & Campion, M. A. (2013). A high performance work practices taxonomy: Integrating the literature and directing future research. Journal of Management, 39(5), 1184–1220.
Schlesinger, L., & Abbot, S. (2019). Athena Bancorp. Harvard Business School. 1-10.