The Double Whammy

By Justin Miles & Sonya Hughes

As consultants we are witnessing two pervasive challenges to organisational performance:

• The escalating rates of employee burnout and;  
• The increased prevalence of threat state brains.

Each creates obstacles to performance, but when they converge, the impact is a powerful “double whammy”.

It’s high time organisations acknowledged these challenges and understood the contributing factors behind both to deal with root causes, and to cultivate a thriving work environment.

Burnout: A Growing Epidemic

Burnout is a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion often accompanied by feelings of cynicism, detachment, and a sense of ineffectiveness or lack of accomplishment. It typically results from prolonged exposure to stressors.

Burnout has consequences for productivity and performance and can be seen in measures such as absenteeism, employee turnover, reduced engagement, and even company reputation.

Common contributors to burnout include:

• A culture grounded in busyness and presenteeism. In these environments activity is ‘rewarded’ over output and employees find themselves in back-to-back meetings all day and doing email and admin late into night and on weekends.
• Excessive workloads, high demands, unrealistic deadlines, and a lack of resources.
• Unclear job expectations and a lack of autonomy in decision-making.
• Dysfunctional workplace dynamics, bad leaders, and toxic work environments.

What is a Threat State Brain?

As humans we are wired for survival, our brains are always alert to threats in our day to day lives, be it crazy drivers on the freeway, walking down dark alleys at night, snakes on a bushwalk, etc.

A threat state brain then is a next level psychological and physiological condition driven by heightened stress and a pervasive sense of insecurity. When the brain’s threat response system is triggered, it activates the release of hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. In small doses for short periods these hormones are important for survival but are dangerous to our health in high levels over a long period.

Common threat state drivers are organisational challenges like a profitability downturn, a new transformation or restructuring initiative, or talk of merger, acquisition, or divesture activity. Anytime senior leaders make a big speech or send a sombre email referencing the above everyone starts thinking is my job safe? and behaving accordingly.

And it is not just macro-organisational factors that are the problem. A threat state brain can also arise out of smaller events compounding to create uncertainty or diminished self-worth. Events like receiving a rude email, being challenged in public for a failure, or a reduction in the control over how work gets done are all possible drivers. Each on its own each could give rise to a bad day. But unresolved, the cumulative effect can be devastating.

So, while we don’t anticipate our amygdala to be pumping at work, the reality is many day-to day work situations can tip us into threat state brain.

Yes, it is up to us all to be able recognise and self-manage our brains out of threat state and back to neutral. Yet when there is no relief or mitigation of these drivers, the threats manifest as impaired cognitive function and reduced decision-making abilities, compromised emotional regulation, and increased susceptibility to physical and mental health issues.

Without any offsets or relief, the increasing presence of threat state drivers will have a profound impact on individual performance and well-being. And ripple effects extend beyond the individual to team dynamics, organisational culture, and eventually, the bottom line.

Burnout AND Threat State, The Double Whammy

While burnout and threat state brains are distinct phenomena, we are seeing the impact of them intertwined, each exacerbating the other’s effects. Individuals experiencing burnout may find themselves more prone to perceiving everyday stressors as threats. Conversely, employees operating in a perpetual state of threat are more susceptible to burnout, as the prolonged stress takes its toll on their physical, emotional, and mental well-being, further perpetuating the cycle.

The implications of this double whammy on organisational productivity cannot be overstated. Employees grappling with threat state brains and burnout are less engaged, less creative, and less resilient in the face of challenges. They are more likely to disengage from their work, and the toxic cycle of stress can erode trust, collaboration, and morale within teams, undermining organisational performance at every level.

Failure by leaders to appreciate or empathise with the impact of threats and burnout and take them into account in how works gets done only perpetuates a cycle of stress and anxiety.

Unchecked stress and anxiety won’t be hallmarks of your culture, they will define your culture.

Yes, Treat the Symptoms, But Deal with the Cause.

We do see organisations recognise both phenomena, with worthy programs being put in place to help deal with the symptoms such as new work patterns, four-day weeks, increased support services and more.

But it is also important to deal with root causes of Burnout and Threat State Brain. Let’s start with the two precursors of any type of organisational or individual change: Awareness and Acceptance.

Awareness

Has the organisation taken the time to notice if something is wrong? How often do the Exec Team and HR review the expectations the organisation puts on people? To what extent is the Exec Team or HR looking for recurring patterns of the drivers of burnout or threat state brain? And when was the last time the Exec took time to reprioritise and review resources?

Once there is a base level of awareness the organisation should move to understanding the scope of the problem which could be anything on the scale from ‘it’s a blip, we’ll be fine’ to ‘Houston, we have a problem’.

If it is or could be an issue for the organisation the next step would be to label it and identify the specific nature of the problem(s). This could involve gathering information about the problem to help understanding impacts and consequences.

Of course, initial reactions to the issue being raised may include denial or minimisation of the problem, where the Exec or HR or both convince themselves that the issue isn’t serious or doesn’t exist. The opposite could also be true in that realising the existence of a problem could provoke fear, anxiety, or worry about the future: could we be liable if we don’t do something?

Acceptance

Acceptance is the phase of moving from unaware or denial to acknowledgment. It is a critical step. The Exec and HR accept that there is a problem with expectations, prioritisation and or resourcing work, and they take responsibility for leading the necessary changes.

Only then might organisations be in a state of readiness for change and have the motivation to address the problem. This motivation can be intrinsic; changing how we work is the right thing to do, or extrinsic; we better change before we face external pressure to do so.

A true commitment to change will be signified by setting goals and establishing actions to fix things once and for all and not seek to paper over the issues.

Awareness and acceptance that the organisation has a problem is not a linear process; it can involve moving back and forth between different stages. The key is to remain open to acknowledging the problem and taking proactive steps towards addressing it.

In Summary

Addressing the dual challenges of burnout and threat state brains is imperative for organisations to thrive in the long term. It starts with HR and the Exec team doing their jobs. Then, by fostering a culture of psychological safety, anti-fragility, and personal resilience, organisations can not only safeguard employee well-being but also enhance resilience and performance.

Recognising the existence and interconnected nature of these phenomena is the first step towards creating a healthier, more sustainable workplace for all.

About the Authors

Justin Miles, is a Partner and Director of Generator Talent, a firm focused on supporting organisations with leadership succession challenges. With more than 20 years in corporate life and now more than 10 years in consulting he works with leaders and teams to optimise performance and engagement.

Sonya Hughes, Founder of People Innovation Consulting, is passionate about unlocking the full potential of visionary leaders, enabling them to think better, perform better, and innovate to overcome challenges. With over two decades of experience partnering with Fortune 500 and ASX50 companies, Sonya brings expertise in organisational development, culture strategy, and leadership development coupled with the latest research from Neuroscience of Leadership and Harvard’s Art and Practice of Leadership principles.

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Generator Talent Group

Generator Talent Group