Companies are more focused than ever on establishing a pleasant work experience. Employee engagement and satisfaction may boost productivity, performance, attendance, morale, and retention. Stressed personnel who feel overworked and underappreciated, on the other hand, become burned out, resulting in a reduction in performance and retention. It is your obligation as an employer to retain your staff in the first category and avoid employee burnout. This is beneficial to both your staff and your company.
What is employee burnout?
Employee burnout is a state of physical or mental tiredness induced by excessive work hours or job stress. Burnout usually begins slowly and progresses over time, until the employee feels helpless, failure, despair, alienation, and cynicism. Employees experiencing burnout tend to feel less successful and less happy with their work.
The causes of employee burnout typically fall into three categories.
- Personality factors: The people most likely to burn out quickly are over-achievers, perfectionists and pessimists.
- An imbalance between work and home life:If one or the other takes over an employee’s life, work will suffer and burnout will ensue.
- Work-related stress:An overwhelming workload, increased job demands without commensurate benefits, a lack of recognition or feedback, and a loss of faith in leadership can all contribute to burnout.
How employers can prevent employee burnout
If you notice signs of employee burnout, take immediate steps to prevent it from continuing. Here are 10 ways to stop burnout in its tracks.
1. Elicit employee feedback.
As an employer, it is your responsibility to ensure that your employees are heard. An employer should connect with a team member well before burnout sets in, but the day-to-day demands of the job can sometimes preclude this. When burnout starts to show signs, meet with your employee to figure out what’s causing it. Sometimes the answer is obvious, and other times it’s a little more difficult. If you don’t listen, you’ll never know.
2. Create reasonable workloads.
Employees who are overburdened with work may feel as though they are continually playing catch-up. This can lead to them overworking oneself and eventually burnout. Create reasonable workloads for each employee to avoid this. This will set them up for success. Managers should keep an eye on staff productivity and performance. If they detect a drop in an employee’s performance, it might be a sign that the individual is approaching burnout and requires assistance.
3. Offer flexible scheduling.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the epidemic, it’s that employee satisfaction is dependent on flexibility. Employees using flexible scheduling, often known as flextime, can choose their own timetables. Employees can pick the hours of work that best suit their personal and professional demands. For example, one person may like to work between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., while another may prefer to work between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Employees are less likely to burnout when they can tailor their work schedule to their own demands.
4. Promote mental health days.
Employees who are anxious and battling with their mental health are more prone to develop burnout. Employers may help employees cope with their mental health by providing mental health days. Allow workers to use their mental health days whenever it is most beneficial to them. If people believe the corporate leadership is supportive, they will feel more comfortable taking mental health days.
5. Offer paid time off – and encourage employees to take it.
Allow employees to take advantage of paid time off (PTO) to unwind and refresh. Your PTO policy will be determined by your company’s financial resources; some companies can afford to give only two weeks of paid vacation, while others may offer limitless PTO. However, merely providing paid vacation is insufficient. It’s critical to encourage employees to take advantage of their vacation days. Create a work environment that values paid time off so that people don’t feel obligated to take vacation days they don’t need. Employees can take time off to rest physically and psychologically so they can return to work ready to work.
6. Provide functional equipment and software.
Nothing is more irritating than having to use a tool, piece of equipment, or piece of software that is useless or sluggish. Not only does poor equipment performance reflect adversely on staff productivity, but management’s refusal to realize the need for an upgrade can also engender a sense of powerlessness. Frustration with equipment is one of the earliest signs of burnout, thus resolving this issue may greatly reduce work-related pressures.
7. Treat your employees fairly.
Nothing makes you feel more burnt out than seeing someone else get special attention or recognition for the wrong reasons. Unfairness that appears capricious is much worse. Pay disparities, haphazard promotions, and haphazard recognition can all lead to employee resentment or despair. They’re exacerbated by the fact that, in most circumstances, the employee is forced to suppress their emotions.
8. Give your employees a voice.
Burnout can be a normal or even anticipated result for individuals who believe they have no say in company decision-making. Dale Carnegie’s suggestions for empowering people have stood the test of time because they work:
- Members of your team should be challenged.
- Inspire them to believe in your company’s mission.
- Allow them to see obvious paths to growth.
- Everyone should be measured using the same criteria.
- Allow them to perform their work without interfering.
- Have Fun
Employees who like coming to work are considerably less likely to burn out than those who despise their jobs. Why not create a pleasant working atmosphere for your staff? Having lunch-hour parties, stocking the fridge with treats, and providing half-days off before a holiday may all help to promote morale and minimize staff fatigue.10. Recognize success.
Every employee, no matter what they say, wants to feel wanted. An unexpected pat on the back or acknowledgement in front of colleagues for a job well done may be a huge ego boost and help to prevent burnout. According to an employee engagement survey conducted by O.C. Tanner, an Exceptional Place to Work-Certified firm, 37% of respondents felt that employee recognition is the most important aspect in a team creating great work.How to identify employee burnout
Maybe you’ve been there: work is overwhelming, and assistance is scarce. Your motivation and determination begin to wane, and all you can think about is how to get out of work. This is a common occurrence of staff burnout.The ideal time to prevent burnout is before it starts, but you can also halt it once you’ve seen it. Here are some classic symptoms that an individual is burnt out:
- Physical, mental or emotional exhaustion
- Decreased productivity
- Reduced performance (more mistakes)
- Irritability, sensitivity and argumentativeness
- Disengagement or detachment from conversations or projects
- Consistently working long hours or missing work
- Sudden illness (fatigue, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches)
Bottom Line
Allowing employee burnout to become an issue in your organization is a bad idea. Educate your employees about the indications and consequences, how to spot the symptoms, and how to intervene if required. You’ll be pleased you took the time to do so.
SW HR Consulting has been helping companies to build their teams and values for over 10 years. Contact us to find out more about our unique hr outsourcing services and see how our expertise can benefit you.
