Since the 1990s, experts have been declaring burnout levels are reaching epidemic proportions among North American workers (Maslach & Leiter, 1997). Since that time, most people would probably agree that work related stressors have only intensified with the proliferation of metrics, technology, and the need to be “on” all the time.
I’ve had the privilege of getting to know the restoration industry from a few different angles over the last year, wearing a few different hats. Each hat has given me some fresh perspective and understanding of the daily life of you all, restorers.
Many owners experience burnout at some point in their career. In the remediation industry we don’t have to look far for causes: slow AR’s, elevated demands from TPA’s and insurance companies, unrealistic property owners, frivolous law-suits, etc. The industry has always been challenging, becoming more so the last decade.
To date, it seems no work has been done using any instruments, to systematically explore burnout, workplace context, and engagement within this industry.
When I was approached about addressing the topic of bedbugs for this issue of R&R, I instantly knew I wanted to put product and remediation talk aside. This article has a very difference focus that in many ways is more important.
