Burnout in the COVID-19 Era: the Criticality of Managing Well-Being for the Guardians

Compliance and risk professionals are responsible each and every day for helping organizations of all sizes navigate ethical and regulatory challenges. They act as the guardians of trust and help protect companies and stakeholders from bad actions not in alignment with organizational values. The job has always been somewhat isolating and I have often talked about my own concerns for the state of well-being within the profession in my keynotes “Keep Calm and Compliance On” and “Dancing in the Hurricane: Strategies and Tools for Thriving in a Stressful Profession.. Even before the pandemic, compliance and risk professional had a stressful job dealing with isolation, lack of resources, corporate political power dynamics, having to deliver news and/or conducting investigations into sensitive matters, the negative news media coverage of the profession and being seen as “them” rather than an “us” in their organizational setting.

When the coronavirus hit, things became even more stressful. No matter how delightfully well done a risk assessment was or how fantastic the program and its policies, COVID-19 changed the rules and the expectations. Now we are seeing (1) huge changes in the workplace that impact all elements of a program (2) new regulations daily, if not hourly, in all locations (3) rapid innovation and even more rapid exploitation and fraud (4) concerns for the health and safety of self, family, friends and workplace colleagues and (5) the need to learn a new set of skills to manage, motivate and lead in an entirely different dynamic.

As we all seek to understand and adapt to what the post-COVID environment looks like both personally and professionally, there are a few key concepts to keep in mind to lead with well-being:

BE SELF AWARE. As they say on airplanes, put your own mask on before helping others. You can’t be the leader you want to be without taking care of yourself first. Make sure you are tending to and fostering your own health and wellness outcomes. Invest in daily activity and exercise, healthy sleep levels, mindfulness and meditation, balanced eating, and other activities that feed your health and wellness; otherwise, you inevitably will not be at your best and may syndicate your unhealthy stress levels to others.

BE HUMAN. Reach out and connect with people in your professional circles. This should go well beyond your team, your geographic area or even your company. Don’t wait for people to come to you- make sure you are in touch, in tune and available to the people you care about. If someone is feeling disconnected, they might need additional support. By the time you notice real suffering, it may be far too late. Notice when people are starting to struggle and help.
BE CLEAR AND COMPASSIONATE. Communication using multiple modalities is essential in any crisis, but it is especially critical in widespread crisis like this pandemic. Most of the people you are communicating with will be experiencing stresses unlike other times. Clarity, repetition and compassion are the way to ensure that the people you work with feel supported. Be understanding and listen well to both the stated needs and the undeclared concerns. Make sure that your communications also reduce the stigma of mental health challenges within the workplace.
BE USEFUL. Collaboration essential in time of crisis and compliance and risk professionals have the opportunity to take on roles to help foster and respond to the changing dynamics. Your adaptability and willingness to take a measured and thoughtful approach will be appreciated long after this crisis has ended.
BE A BUILDER. As compliance and risk professionals, we often need to build consensus. These skills are critical at this time and can be put to good use. Help to build the framework and infrastructure for the current and future state willingly. Show the adaptability necessary in this uncertain world.
BE A VISIONARY. The fastest way to managing through uncertain times is to identify what the future state you are aiming for looks like. It grounds the people you are around with a sense of unity and companionship in a shared vision. True leaders paint a picture of what this common crisis is leading towards. Sharing the vision and the challenges opens the door to trust and transparency.