Compassion fatigue is thought to affect people in all manner of demanding roles. It occurs when job stresses and emotional overload overwhelm your everyday thoughts and mood, and that of your colleagues.
Triggers like the cost of living, global conflicts, and social media can all add to the strain.
We believe businesses can experience compassion fatigue, as well as people, albeit in a different sense to that experienced by individuals. Supporting team mates, CSR, the planet, the bottom line… in a business context, compassion fatigue can manifest in several ways:
Employee Burnout: Businesses often have cultures that encourage employees to go above and beyond for customers or clients. When employees are constantly pushed to prioritise customer needs over their own well-being, they can experience burnout, leading to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, and turnover.
Leadership Exhaustion: Business leaders may find themselves continuously dealing with crises, conflicts, or demanding stakeholders. Over time, this can lead to leadership fatigue, where decision-makers become emotionally drained and less effective in their roles.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Fatigue: While CSR initiatives are essential for businesses to demonstrate their commitment to social and environmental issues, there can be a point where the demands of CSR efforts become overwhelming. Businesses may struggle to keep up with societal expectations and the pace of change, leading to fatigue in sustaining these initiatives.
Customer and Client Expectations: Businesses often strive to meet or exceed customer expectations, which can sometimes lead to unrealistic demands or constant pressure to perform. This can create a sense of fatigue among employees as they try to keep up with these demands.
Economic Pressures: Economic downturns or market fluctuations can place significant stress on businesses, forcing them to make tough decisions like layoffs, budget cuts, or restructuring. The prolonged strain of navigating such challenges can contribute to a sense of fatigue within the organisation.
While the concept of compassion fatigue is typically associated with individuals, businesses can experience similar forms of exhaustion and burnout due to the demands placed on them by various stakeholders, internal and external pressures, and the challenges of maintaining sustainability and growth in a dynamic environment.
@royall, our approach is to try and mitigate compassion fatigue for our people by offering paid 'well-being' time off, during difficult times in the business. Pro rata'd by the amount of contractual hours you do, it gives much needed time and space for your favourite class, or getting out for run. This allows you to return to work refreshed, with new perspective, and without eating into your precious home time too.
@resolute our approach is to offer leadership support with strategic planning, leadership development, People & Culture and Commerciality...
What are your thoughts on compassion fatigue?