To reintegrate properly and safely, it makes sense to view your workplace. Your workplace played a role in causing the burn out. Ask yourself whether adjusting the workplace contributes to your recovery.
It can help to inventory what you need. Maybe you would like a place with few stimuli, few people talking, no telephones, or that you are secluded, or that you can see outside, you name it.
A place where you feel safe to reintegrate in peace. And keep in mind that such a workplace speeds up your recovery.
Own experience
I had a permanent room and before the burn out, I had filled it with posters, drawings, plants, workpieces, etc.
When I returned to the room, I thought that was too much of an incentive. I put everything in a container. So that my room was empty and quiet.
Before I worked in education, I worked in an office. In a so-called office garden. I found that a very difficult workplace at the time. With recovering from a burn out that is certainly hell on earth.
The open-plan office is not convenient for recovery. Too many stimuli, noise, crowds, noise, etc. Perhaps there is a quiet room somewhere in the building that nobody uses and that can function well as a workplace.
What’s positive
If you have a burnout resistant workplace, that is your safe haven. Your place where you can recover in peace. Also, a place where you can sit down to recover. Or to contemplate your recovery. Like your own place in Phase 1.
Tips:
1. Make an inventory of what you need
2. Take a good look at how many incentives your workplace provides and whether that can be done differently
3. Talk to your manager about what he can do.
4. Remember that a good workplace speeds up your recovery.
For the employer
The workplace may have been partly responsible for the burn out. Adapting the workplace can be of decisive importance for the reintegration to be successful.
Discuss with the employee in all openness what he needs.
Maybe that’s something to discuss with the entire team as well. Does everyone like their workplace?
So that future burn outs can be prevented.