Burnout is a management and organizational issue—not an individual one. Most of the time, it’s triggered by a disconnect between what an employee needs and what their employer is providing. The first step in addressing the problem is figuring out what’s causing it. If you’re feeling burned out, consider which of the following mismatches might be at the core of the issue.

* A workload mismatch often involves high demands and insufficient resources to meet them successfully—for example, not enough time, staff, information, or equipment.

* A control mismatch happens when you don’t have adequate autonomy to do your job well.

* A reward mismatch means that good work is not leading to the appropriate recognition, compensation, or opportunities.

* A community mismatch is most extreme in a socially toxic workplace, where there’s rampant incivility, bullying, or harassment—rather than mutual trust, respect, and support.

* A fairness mismatch involves discrimination and inequitable practices.

* A values mismatch occurs when your ethical and moral compass points in a different direction than your organization’s.
This tip is adapted from “To Curb Burnout, Design Jobs to Better Match Employees’ Needs,” by Michael P. Leiter and Christina Maslach
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