The CVBT PODCAST:  Coping with burned-out bosses

•  Expert says this can be a unique opportunity for those who work for such a boss

•  “Burnout is very pervasive now. It’s out there. It’s everywhere”

Burnout at work is so prevalent that the World Health Organization recently classified “workplace burnout” as a disease.

But career guru Vicky Oliver says when the boss is burned out, it can for an opportunity for those who work for her.

“If your boss is burned out and you can somehow ‘step up’ into the void that he or she is leaving I think that can be a great opportunity,” Ms. Oliver says. “I would try to think about how you could turn it to your advantage. You should be subtle.”

Burnout can become contagious as stress becomes palpable and duties are dropped. The World Health Organization says burn out is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:

•  Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; 

•  Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and 

•  Reduced professional efficacy. 

Ms. Oliver, a veteran of writing about workplace issues, says burnout was not as common just a few years ago. 

“Today, people are saying that 28 percent of workers feel like they’re burned out. That is a huge percentage,” she says. “Burnout is very pervasive now. It’s out there. It’s everywhere.”

Vicky Oliver talks about the problem of burnout and how to cope with it in your workplace in this CVBT Audio Interview Podcast via Skype: