Photo by Alexander Suhorucov
It’s no secret that employee burnout is on the rise. The global pandemic has taken a toll on caregivers and set back women’s progress in the workforce by decades. Of course, burnout doesn’t happen overnight—it’s a culmination of triggers that cause an employee to be disengaged. There are a number of warning signs that an employee is likely burnt out, including detachment from workplace culture, lack of motivation, decreased productivity, increased mistakes, irritability and sensitivity, and absenteeism. In a recent survey conducted by Indeed, over 52% of respondents have experienced burnout in 2021 and 80% believe the pandemic contributed to workplace burnout. However, according to Gallup’s The Wellbeing-Engagement Paradox of 2020, as employees become more engaged, burnout decreases and productivity increases. As we navigate unprecedented changes in the workplace, consider taking these four steps to ensure your employees feel supported and engaged.
1. Prioritize self-care and model it at the top.
A key step to addressing employee burnout is to make sure your leadership team, including management, is modeling self-care and wellbeing. When leaders work while on vacation, on weekends, or late into the night, employees can assume the same is expected of them. Train managers to recognize the signs and symptoms of burnout in themselves and others. Unlike stress, which is often accompanied by feelings of anxiety, burnout is often experienced as hopelessness or apathy. According to the Deloitte Workplace Burnout Survey, one of the leading reasons for burnout is the “lack of support or recognition from leadership.” Encourage managers to lead with empathy, recognize the contributions of their employees regularly, and model self-care by taking time off—ensuring their employees do the same.
2. Define roles and set realistic expectations.
While working from home has provided many employees with increased flexibility, a study conducted by staffing firm Robert Half found that 70% of employees that transitioned to remote work during the pandemic regularly work on the weekends and 45% work longer hours than they did before the pandemic. Ensure expectations for each role within your organization are clear and reasonable. With burnout on the rise, many organizations are experiencing an increase in turnover. If this is true at your organization, are vacant positions being filled by new hires in a timely manner or are responsibilities being redistributed to current employees? Establish priorities and boundaries with current employees and prospective hires. The World Health Organization recognizes burnout as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress—it is an employer’s responsibility to set and maintain realistic expectations and build a strategy to prevent and address burnout.
3. Allow for flexible scheduling.
Gone are the days of the traditional 9-to-5 schedule. Many employers are now embracing a hybrid model. To make this type of model work for your organization, consider creating shared norms. For instance, if some team members are working remotely, then all team members should participate in team meetings virtually, even if they happen to be in the office. Identify core hours for team collaboration and on-site learning opportunities. Give salaried employees autonomy outside of these hours. Provide predictable schedules and guarantee a certain number of hours per week for hourly employees or those that are required to be physically present. Make sure all stakeholders are “in the room” when decisions are made. Finally, measure productivity by outcomes rather than logged hours.
4. Implement policies and practices that support mental health.
Destigmatize mental health challenges by talking about them openly. Encourage employees to take advantage of your Employee Assistance Program. Consider offering a mental health program through apps like Calm or Vida. Reduce stress in the workplace by providing employees with regular breaks and paid time off. Keep the lines of communication open and create regular opportunities to check in on employee wellbeing.
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