In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.
Thomas Jefferson – U.S. President
It’s stunning the number of VUCANs who are plain anxious at work. Many suffer from frequent panic attacks. Daily stress was the norm pre COVID. So, why suffer through this. Again, it’s all about self management and self-care. The number are stunning: “85% of the 1,000 working professionals surveyed report feeling burned out, with 16% of them suffering from burnout every day”.[i] What’s happening? Mayo Clinic says: “contributing factors may include a lack of control, unclear job expectations, a dysfunctional working environment and lack of work-life balance.”[ii] VUCANs are quitting their jobs, grudgingly working overtime, and losing the necessary inspiration to contribute ideas. So, many are looking for new work opportunities. This can be a side-hustle for additional monies or a new job.
‘Getting a life’ is important as workplace tension, work dissatisfaction, horrible boss, and marital conflict increase And, this is tough for small business and startups. Successful work-family strategies are contentious issues in organizations that try to balance the desires of single people and parents. When a person with children leaves early or can’t attend a meeting the burden to get work done falls upon those without similar obligations such as single people. This causes turmoil. What can make a company family friendly? It may involve flex scheduling, job sharing, and stress management counseling.
Companies are simultaneously transforming and want to be ‘family friendly.’ These two trends sometimes seem incompatible. Each year, companies are competing to be a poster company for ‘Best Companies to Work For’. You want flexibility to balance work and family. However, companies want the banner that lists them in the top 100 family friendly companies while the reality is that competitive pressures are increasing.
Work Lesson Earned: Work-life balance is a high stress situation. Deal with it. Before it deals with you with additional stress and anxiety.
[i] ‘Your Vacation Is Stressing Out Your Millennial Co-Workers, and Social Media Is Only Making It Worse’, SFGate, Re-printed from Business Insider, July 12, 2-19.
[ii] ‘Working Yourself Into the Ground Can Lead You to Significant Health Complications, But Is Burnout Unavoidable By Some?’, BBC: Worklife 101, July 22, 2019.