New protocol helps identify signs of burnout

Editor's Note

Inspired by aviation and medical best practices for handling crises, researchers have developed a Stress-APGAR protocol to help managers anticipate burnout in employees, according to the April 26 Harvard Business Review.

The Stress-APGAR acronym includes five key areas:

• Appearance: How does the employee look−overly tired, changes in weight, or indications of substance abuse?
• Performance: Is there a decrease in performance, increase in overtime, or an effort to over-perform?
• Growth tension: Is the person becoming bored, or does the person seem overwhelmed?
• Affect control: Are there noticeable and lasting changes in emotional state, including outbursts or high and low mood swings?
• Relationships: Is there a deterioration in the quality of relationships at work, including social isolation?

The Stress-APGAR can be used by anyone at any level of an organization to gather information and begin a conversation with the individual concerned, the authors say.

Executive Summary Stress causes absenteeism and burnout; but how can you tell if a colleague or an employee is at risk from severe stress? You can use a checklist based on the APGAR scoring system, a method introduced in 1952 by Dr. Virginia Apgar to quickly summarize the health of a newborn baby.