How can we detect the signs of burnout caused by work in ourselves and our colleagues?

The “burnout” syndrome – or, as we often refer to it in everyday language in Hungary, burnout – is a much more common phenomenon than we might think at first. The danger is precisely that the symptoms do not appear suddenly and markedly, but slowly and gradually, because of this, the employee’s environment usually does not perceive it, but often not even the affected person himself. What can these symptoms be and how can they be treated if we notice their appearance?

Often, in addition to emotional exhaustion, burnout can also have physiological and, ultimately, health signs: the person concerned may experience long-lasting fatigue, lack of energy, headaches, or even digestion and sleep problems. Among its most characteristic signs, which can also be detected from the outside, are the person’s lack of interest and indifference to his work, becoming more and more emotionless, increasingly frequent absences from social events, stress and decreased performance.