On February 17, Eurogroup Consulting organized a round table in Paris on the theme of «Fatigue at work - weak signals strong risks ".
Workplace fatigue has become a central topic, for both individuals and organizations. Often approached from the angle of workload or individual fragility, it actually reveals much deeper mechanisms.
Multi-factorial and systemic, fatigue is a wear-and-tear factor that calls into question our modes of organization, our models of governance, and our relationship to power and performance. It acts as a weak signal... with potentially major consequences.
To shed light on these issues and share concrete feedback, our firm organized a round table discussion with :
- David Autissier, Director of the IMEO Chair - ESSEC Business School
- Céline Lefléfian, Director of the Marseille Municipal Police
- Eugénie Bousquet, Professional Coach at Talentee Eurogroup Consulting
- Nicolas Bartel, Associate, expert in organizational management issues
When fatigue becomes systemic
The discussions highlighted recurring mechanisms, whatever the context:
- cumbersome governance structures,
- poorly understood decision-making circuits,
- blurred priorities,
- no room for maneuver,
- dilution of responsibilities.
All these factors combine to exhaust teams and weaken performance.
From municipal policing to corporate life, the fields of action differ and operational realities contrast. Yet the same challenge runs through these high-intensity environments: building sustainable performance.
Sustainable performance cannot be decreed
A strong point of convergence emerged: performance cannot be decreed by injunction. It is built into systems that give energy rather than consume it.
Our speakers called for a change of perspective, based on strong convictions:
- Act in favor of what really feeds energy: meaning, clarity of mission, collective success.
- Encourage self-knowledge as a lever for regulation and responsibility.
- Consider power and management as a discipline that can be organized and structured.
- Be clear-sighted in the face of the archetypal tireless hero, still too much a part of our managerial culture.
A strategic challenge for organizations
Fatigue is not a peripheral issue. It goes to the very heart of organizational solidity. Behind weak signals lie the ability to adapt, the robustness of collectives and the sustainability of performance. Questioning our systems, clarifying our responsibilities, restoring meaning and room for manoeuvre: these are all strategic levers for transforming wear and tear into sustainable energy.
