Burnout - When does work start feeling pointless? | DW Documentary

Superfluous meetings, endless paperwork and incompetent managers - sound familiar? Jobs that entail a steady stream of seemingly pointless demands can damage our health in the long-term. This film takes a humorous look at how we waste potentially valuable time in the workplace.

In an ideal scenario, work is fulfilling. But many people in office jobs find their daily work is making them miserable. Of course, it could be argued that the dissatisfaction of these employees is mainly a by-product of industrialization. They’re in secure, non-physically demanding professions that are often relatively well paid - unlike many people in this world living in vastly more dire circumstances. But is this unparalleled waste of human resources one of the biggest untold dramas of our time?

"The Happy Worker" explores the reasons why highly paid managers are so fond of parroting hackneyed phrases, following abstruse management methods and poisoning the working atmosphere for the benefit of shareholders. According to a Gallup poll, just 13 per cent of the working population endeavor to perform well in their job. However, 64 per cent of employees don’t care about their work and aim to get through the day with minimum effort. 25 per cent of workers hate their jobs so much they even work against the company that employs them. Although the numbers vary from country to country, these trends can be observed all over the world.

A sense that their work is pointless makes many people ill. The documentary hears from patients recovering from burnout. The accounts of their experiences are appraised by a number of experts including the Berkeley-based pioneer of research into burnout, the psychologist Christina Maslach.

[If you are suffering from serious emotional strain, distress or despair, do not hesitate to seek professional help. Details of help available in many countries can be found here: https://www.befrienders.org/]

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