Perfectionist tendencies in employees are driving many to extreme stress and burnout, according to a new study which concludes that “perfectionism is a largely destructive trait.”

Often vaunted as a desirable quality by employers, perfectionism is defined as a personality trait encompassing excessively high personal standards coupled with harsh self-criticism. The study from York St John University and the University of Bath – published in the journal Personality & Social Psychology Review is thought to be the first to aggregate its full effects.

By analysing a wide range of previously conducted research, the study authors found that perfectionism is closely associated with burnout – a syndrome associated with chronic stress that manifests as extreme fatigue, perceived reduced accomplishment and eventual detachment.

Although applicable to sport and education, the researchers found the relationship is particularly strong in employment settings – something they suggest is increasingly driven by a performance-outcomes dominated focus in the modern workplace.

“Too often people confuse perfectionism with more desirable features such as being conscientious,” said Dr Andrew Hill, associate professor and head of Taught Postgraduate Programmes at York St John University.

“Rather than being more productive, perfectionists are likely to find the workplace quite difficult and stressful. Our research suggests that if perfectionists are unable to cope with demands and uncertainty in the workplace, they will experience a range of emotional difficulties.”

As well as identifying the possible implications of perfectionist traits, the researchers also examined ways in which businesses might manage these potential issues. They cite examples of companies such as Google, which has set up initiatives to counter perfectionism and drive up quality by rewarding staff for failure.

“As a society we tend to hold perfectionism as a sign of virtue or high-achievement. Yet our findings show that perfectionism is a largely destructive trait,” said co-author Dr Thomas Curran, lecturer in Sport Psychology at the University of Bath.

“We suggest its effects can be managed and organisations must be clear that perfection is not a criteria of success. Instead, diligence, flexibility and perseverance are far better qualities.”

The authors suggest that companies can mitigate the dangers of perfectionist traits leading to burnout in employees by ensuring they have balanced working lives, providing depressurised working environments and adopting a greater acceptance of failure.