The Worst Forms of Burnout: Dead Wood and Helpless or Hopeless

When stress hits a person long enough, a common result is that the fight ends. This experience is not something reserved for seniors. It can occur at any age, given the right circumstances. The right circumstances include the conviction that a job must be endured to the bitter end. The end is retirement. And so, when the worker burns out, the strategy becomes either hide from the spotlight (dead wood) or go into a helpless/hopeless mode that forces management to either perform a rescue or make the decision to fire the worker.

The deadwood burnt person becomes highly adept at achieving invisibility: never willingly, keeping quiet in meetings, not arguing, doing nothing to attract attention. In the case of votes, this worker always votes the correct way by making sure which way the wind is blowing. The goal of achieving and contributing in the workplace shifts to a new goal: holding out until retirement. The paycheck keeps coming. Don’t say goodbye Survive. Don’t risk it.

The helpless and hopeless burned person needs help all the time and is also afraid of taking risks. This person needs constant supervision. The work output is minimal, the quality of work is minimal, and there is no initiative. The motto is “don’t blame me, I’m doing the best I can”. This person uses sick leave frequently and often has difficulty making ends meet. Life at work has become overwhelming. Sometimes this person’s whole life has become overwhelming. Victimism has become the dominant motive, often for very good reasons, such as serious health problems, divorce, death of loved ones, or financial disaster.

Both forms of burnout can be prevented. However, once they are established, the challenge of changing the situation is significant. There must be a personalized plan mutually agreed upon by the worker and the supervisor. The plan must be adapted to the needs of both the worker and the company or organization. There has to be support and encouragement. The line separating the employer’s liability from the employee’s liability comes into play: how much help is appropriate? Is termination the only truly viable course of action?

Dead wood and helpless/hopeless employees are an indictment for the top management of any company. This form of burnout is something that should never happen with proper supervision, management, and performance reviews. Workplace stress needs to be taken into account and addressed long before it reaches the point of burnout.

For executives experiencing burnout and management needing ideas to improve workplace dynamics, there are plenty of resources. including training, coaching and consultation.

Moral of this story: An ounce of prevention is really worth a pound of cure.