This text is part of the special World of Work section
Planning a return to work following burnout can generate many emotions for the employee. Psychological follow-up during disability leave, preparation for return and follow-up after reintegration are therefore crucial steps to achieve a lasting return.
Considered an adjustment disorder with anxious or depressed mood, burnout is caused by a combination of individual and organizational characteristics. Psychologist Nicolas Chevrier observes that stress is, however, one of the common points in each case.
In some areas, this stress can be exacerbated by a lack of employer support, a toxic culture within the organization, or a labor shortage that leads to work overload. At least that’s what a Canadian survey conducted in 2023 by the firm Robert Half reveals.
Steps towards return
Before setting a date on the calendar for a return to work, the employee must first take care of their psychological health. “The psychologist will help him identify his vulnerabilities as well as those of the organization, in addition to helping him identify the sources of chronic stress,” says Nicolas Chevrier. This path will therefore allow the employee to develop skills in order to be able to manage their vulnerabilities when returning to work.
Once the work has been done with a psychologist, the return must be carefully organized. “When a person returns to work, they are not 100% recovered, so if the return is not well prepared, the person will be more likely to be confronted with the same symptoms as those experienced before their departure,” notes Ghislaine Labelle, organizational psychologist and certified human resources advisor.
To ensure a harmonious return, some large and medium-sized companies rely on a return to work coordinator, also called CoRAT. “The role of this person is to orchestrate the actions and communications of all the actors who are part of the return to work process,” explains Marc Corbière, professor at the University of Quebec in Montreal and holder of the Research Chair in mental health and work.
The CoRAT is therefore mandated to centralize information from the doctor, the manager and all professionals related to the rehabilitation of the person on sick leave. He also monitors the arrangements that must be implemented in the company in order to encourage a return in the best conditions. He thus evaluates the needs of the employee, but also those of the manager. When there is no CoRAT, it is up to the manager or a human resources person to ensure this type of follow-up.
D-day
During the work stoppage and upon reintegration, the employee may feel a great sense of guilt and shame. In the case of a stoppage due to work overload, for example, the employee who is sick will suspect that his colleagues have had to work extra hard. This is what researcher Marc Corbière calls the domino effect.
“It is often the team that absorbs the work of the person who is absent, because the latter is rarely replaced,” he notes. This can therefore lead to other employees feeling burnout. This is one of the reasons why it may be appropriate to cut ties with your professional environment during the shutdown, in particular by stopping checking your emails. “The more information we have related to our workplace, the more we can create scenarios, install biases in our perception and in our relationship to work,” explains psychologist Nicolas Chevrier.
Implemented in several companies during the pandemic, teleworking is still part of the landscape of many organizations. Although this formula has several advantages, it also has disadvantages. “Isolation is a precipitating factor in psychological distress and this is what teleworking can lead to,” indicates psychologist Ghislaine Labelle. When returning to work, it is therefore better, according to psychologist Nicolas Chevrier, to favor a return in person.
Aim for a healthy work culture
After reintegration, psychological monitoring must continue in order to avoid relapses. This monitoring will allow the employee to have tools to help them set limits and respect them.
Considering that common mental disorders, including depression and anxiety, are the cause of 30 to 50% of sick leave at work, researcher Marc Corbière considers that absences linked to such disorders are a public health problem. which organizations must focus on and which society must address. The Research Chair in Mental Health and Work has also published various guides aimed at breaking down the phases of return to work for all the actors involved in the process, because, as Marc Corbière points out, a return to work is a collective responsibility. and not an individual responsibility.
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.