Work burnout can cause everything from headaches and insomnia to chest pains.
Women are more prone to work burnout than men,
new research suggests. Exhaustion in the workplace is common among both men and
women, but a new study has revealed an alarming difference in the rates at
which it is suffered between the sexes. Following 2,026 people – half of whom
were women – in a wide variety of workplaces for four years, researchers from Montreal University analysed participants’ emotional exhaustion, cynicism
and professional effectiveness. Interestingly, it discovered that women were
more likely to suffer work burnout than men.Why? Because they are less likely
to be given positions of power, which causes them to become overwhelmed with
frustration.“Our results show there are differences between men and women
because, from the outset, employees are subject to different working conditions
depending on their gender,” said study author and professor of population
health, Dr Nancy Beauregard. “Indeed, female employees often burn out at a
faster rate simply because of the nature of their work.”
“Many women have positions that offer little
latitude in decision-making, meaning that their work only provides them with a
low level of authority and decision-making power and makes little use of their
skills.”
“This type of position, which men are less likely to hold,
causes women to burn out.”
The research also revealed that along with not
having enough authority at work, low self-esteem, difficulties balancing work
and family life, and work encroaching on time spent with loved ones, can all
lead to burnout in women. It is a problem which can cause headaches, lack of
motivation, a feeling of helplessness, chest pain, and higher odds of heart
disease and immune disorders.
