Tip 2: Don’t Let Your Employees Burn Out

The workforce and job market are constantly shifting. This is particularly true post-pandemic, as people were, for better or worse, forced to re-evaluate their priorities. With a possible recession on the horizon, employers need to preserve their assets. At the root of this is employer satisfaction. As an employer, it’s vital to be prepared and have a plan so that workforce shifts work in your favor.

In our preceding article, we emphasized the significance of fostering your employee's work-life balance. If you disregard personal objectives in conjunction with career goals and fail to assist your employees in achieving them, your team members may become discontented and seek opportunities elsewhere. Moreover, emotional fulfillment and adequate rest are directly linked to productivity.

This brings us to our second tip on future-proofing your workforce – prevent employee burnout and burnout at work. Employee burnout was recognized by the World Health Organization in 2019 as "a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed." It is your duty as an employer to alleviate work-related burdens and ease the pressure on your team, thereby preventing workplace burnout.

Regular Check-Ins to Assess Employee Burnout and Burnout at Work

With the transition to remote work, it's possible that your team rarely, or perhaps never, meets. You might even be managing several teams across different time zones. It's easy to complete your professional checklist and forget to ask them how they're actually doing. Having these conversations can ensure that no one in your team is being overwhelmed by their workload to the point of quitting, thereby preventing employee burnout.

Ensure that you're regularly checking in with your employees and asking open-ended questions to really let them express their thoughts. It's a valuable method to understand any concerns they may have and to find out how they're handling their workload. If possible, try to have one-on-one check-ins from time to time.

Taking Action on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Can Help Reduce Employee Burnout and Burnout at Work

Companies must boast strong values and offer an inclusive environment with diversity and an open-minded approach. As an employer, you should lead your team with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). By offering a supportive environment, you can help to offset the stresses that often come with work, thereby reducing the risk of employee burnout and burnout at work.

Consider your hiring habits and take a look at your team. Does your team consist of diverse skill sets, personalities, genders, ages, and ethnicities? Diversity breeds creativity in the workplace. Addressing this can improve your company branding and will help attract top talent.

Consult your team members to ensure they are being treated fairly. Workplace equity means offering opportunities based on individual employee needs. You should work towards eliminating any barriers that could create unfair advantages or disadvantages to members of your team.

Does your workplace practice inclusion? This goes in hand in hand with diversity. Conduct surveys to receive feedback on whether your team feels free to participate and contribute with ease. Ensure that the space you’re providing allows everyone to express themselves and put their best foot forward.

Encourage Downtime to Avoid Employee Burnout and Burnout at Work

Breaks are important to boost productivity and avoid burnout. From shift work to office environments, people often skip breaks to keep up with their work or get ahead of schedule. As an employer, any short-term productivity you may gain should be weighed against the long-term stress of being “always on”. Managers should not just encourage breaks, they should insist.

Taking a break and focusing on something other than work has a positive impact on mental well-being and stress levels. It also helps to avoid making decisions with brain fog that can come from being overworked. You want your employees to make clear-headed decisions.

Encourage healthy breaks by allowing enough time to make a nutritious lunch or go for a walk. Breaks involving exercise will help to avoid having a fatigued team. Without physical and mental health, not only will creativity and productivity decline but overall satisfaction within the workplace will wane.

You also need to be understanding of leave requests. Remember that, often, health problems aren’t visible and can include mental struggles. Be supportive when your employees require time off. Yes, they’re stepping away from their tasks, but they’ll return in a better headspace.

Employee Recognition Can Reignite Burned-Out Employees

Reward your team members for their efforts. Encourage a supportive environment where you celebrate achievements and publicly applaud them. The recognition will increase workplace optimism and boost productivity levels. As a result, you help to reduce stress among your team and improve morale.

Employee recognition is crucial to engagement levels. An optimistic, appreciated worker is going to come to work ready to complete tasks without viewing them as a burden. With increased engagement comes loyalty and increased company profits.

Making your staff feel appreciated is really important for facilitating inclusivity and a sense of belonging. Work commitments become something they’re dedicated to and proud to accomplish. Such positive dedication will reduce the likelihood of your employees burning out under pressure and therefore seeking other opportunities.

Consider How Your Perks Drive Employee Satisfaction

Another driving factor in why employees are making shifts is the perks they’re receiving. Bankrate.com found that 55% of American workers claim their income isn’t keeping up with inflation (Survey: 55% Of Workers Say Incomes Have Fallen Behind Inflation | Bankrate). That leads to more people looking for new jobs. Are you offering your employees enough?

It isn’t just salaries that aren’t cutting it. Many workers expect better benefits, particularly to do with healthcare and retirement. Some people may need childcare benefits, while others just need more flexibility with their work schedule.

Without these, your employees may become unable to juggle their job, a family, caregiving, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and the rising cost of living. The result? Burnout.

Have a discussion with your employees and listen to what they need.

Take-Home Message on Employee Burnout, Burnout at Work, and Workplace Burnout

Employee burnout, burnout at work, and workplace burnout are very real concerns. By not checking in or acting to achieve diversity, equity, and inclusion, you could push your team to a state of exhaustion. You’ll leave them with no other choice than to seek work elsewhere. Encourage downtime and allow your employees to properly rest. Recognize their efforts and facilitate an optimistic workplace that boosts morale.

Finally, ensure the benefits you’re offering meet your employees’ expectations and help them manage a work-life balance. One such perk, which is now becoming more of a norm, is remote work. In the next article, we’ll discuss our third future-proofing tip – adjust your company for remote work.