The first rule of burnout, Andy Janning says, is that you do not talk about burnout.

“Burnout is a ‘Fight Club’ phenomenon,” Janning tells the CUNA News Podcast, referring to the book and movie from the 1990s that depicts a secret society of bare-knuckle street fighters.

“People don’t want to talk about the struggles and the weight and the strains of issues they have to deal with—especially at work because it might make them vulnerable, weak, and less than qualified,” he continues.

Burnout is a real and costly issue, as evidenced by the fact employers spend $300 billion annually for health care and missed work days as a result of workplace stress, says Janning, citing Society of Human Resources Management statistics.

Fortunately, through their mission of improving people’s financial position and the communities they serve, credit unions are well-positioned to fight the effects of three central causes of burnout: depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and lack of personal achievement.

“Credit unions have a responsibility to show their staff, 'here’s the unique difference you make'—not just on the bottom line, but in members’ lives,” Janning says.

In this interview, Janning draws from lessons he shares in his recently released first book, “Heroes, Villains, and Drunk Old Men,” providing a road map to avoid burnout by finding motivation and inspiration from within.

You can listen and subscribe to the CUNA News Podcast in Apple’s iTunes Store, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio.