Chaotic workplace

A chaotic workplace is a work environment that lacks structure and organization, often resulting in confusion, inefficiency, and stress for employees. This may be due to a variety of factors, such as poor communication, unclear expectations, lack of direction, disorganization, or a high-stress work environment. A chaotic workplace can negatively impact employee morale and productivity, and it may require management intervention to improve the situation.


Higher burnout was seen in chaotic workplaces (odds ratio [OR], 1.51; 95% CI, 1.38-1.66; P < .001) and with low work control (OR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.91-2.30; P < .001). Higher burnout was associated with poor teamwork (OR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.78-2.43; P < .001), while feeling valued was associated with lower burnout (OR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.18-0.27; P < .001). In time trends, burnout was consistently higher with chaos and poor work control 1).

1)
Linzer M, Jin JO, Shah P, Stillman M, Brown R, Poplau S, Nankivil N, Cappelucci K, Sinsky CA. Trends in Clinician Burnout With Associated Mitigating and Aggravating Factors During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Health Forum. 2022 Nov 4;3(11):e224163. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.4163. PMID: 36416816.