Work indifference: a sign of burnout for agile workers
Key points
Expressions of indifference can be a late-stage indicator of burnout, particularly the ‘depersonalisation’ element where people emotionally detach from their work.
Staff who closely identify with their work report higher levels of burnout when indifference is higher.
Indifference, rather than agile working arrangements per se, elicit strong negative reactions from colleagues. Even when they spot this as a sign of burnout, colleagues still hesitate to show empathy and support.
The NHS should monitor indifference as a red flag for burnout. When detected, work arrangements may need to be adapted to reduce demands. Managers and organisations could also benefit from training, to recognise and support staff who express indifference.
Recap of the Phase 1 Study (2023): the hidden role of “indifference”
Following reports that showed tensions were found between NHS workers due to different agile working arrangements, Dr Emma Russell and the team undertook research in a phase 1 study to understand the source of such conflicts.
Key discovery: When people express indifference instead of other expressions about their agile working arrangement, colleagues often react with hostility or a lack of empathy.
Why it matters: Expressions of indifference have been found to be a late stage indicator of burnout in other academic literature. Burnout has been a significant issue among NHS, with about a third of workers reporting experiencing signs of this in the latest staff survey.
Phase 2 (2024): tying indifference to burnout
What we did: Dr Emma Russell and the team studied 321 working adults for links between indifference and specific aspects burnout, and if some workers are more likely to be affected by this.
Top findings:
- Indifference is linked most closely with the ‘depersonalisation’ element of burnout, a stage where people emotionally distance themselves and their feelings from work.
- Staff who strongly identify with their work are prone to higher levels of burnout when they express indifference.
Phase 3 (2025): can awareness change reactions?
What we did: Dr Emma Russell and the team tested 300 working adults for links between attending indifference awareness intervention group and responses to indifferent NHS agile workers.
Top Findings:
- Regardless of the attendance to the indifference awareness intervention group, workers continued to feel hostility, were unempathetic, and rarely offered personal support when they spotted indifference.
- However, the intervention group were more likely to signpost colleagues for help.
agiLab’s conclusions
The research found that indifference, rather than the agile working arrangements, provoke strong negative reactions from colleagues, and – even when they know this can be a sign of burnout – colleagues are reluctant to personally offer help and support.
Expressions of indifference could be a sign that people are finding it difficult to deal with the demands of their job, and that arrangements need to change to prevent burnout.
Recommendations for the NHS:
Monitor indifference
It is now highly important for the NHS to monitor expressions of indifference as a red flag indicator of burnout in staff.
Redesign work
When indifference is spotted, consider redesigning work to reduce demands.
Facilitate education
It is also highly important to educate managers and organisations (for example, trusts) so that workers can receive support when indifference is expressed. It may be unrealistic for fellow staff members to offer support, as they themselves may be struggling as well.
Introducing the RESET Model
The RESET model is proposed to help NHS trusts and organisations think about what to do next to ensure that ‘indifference’ can become part of the discourse for helping staff at risk of burnout.
Resources and signposts to support the RESET model
We have many resources on our website such as case studies and guidance that align with this model, which employers, individuals and teams can adapt and adopt to make positive and sustainable improvements to reduce burnout and indifference.
Expand each section below to view the resources.
Scenarios
Indifference is a flat, apathetic, non-emotional response, expressed when we would usually expect to see an emotional reaction.
Work through these examples which display a 'typical' response to a situation compared with an indifferent expression.
Emotional reactions to indifference
NHS staff tend to feel more hostile, less empathetic, and less inclined to help colleagues who show indifferent expressions.
This is a shared response as many staff as report feeling annoyed or unsupportive in response to perceived indifference.
Signal for burnout
However, colleagues displaying indifference are often experiencing severe burnout, especially disengagement and depersonalisation. These individuals may be most in need of empathy and support, even if they appear detached or unapproachable.
Support required
Challenge instinctive negative reactions to indifferent colleagues and respond with compassion and support instead.
