Employee burnout is real. It is, in fact, a serious problem that can impact the company. When the employees cannot put in their best efforts, are unenthusiastic about work, or are always demotivated or irritable, it will affect the business.
According to a recent Gallup survey, these are the top five reasons for employee burnout:
- Unfair treatment at work: This can include bias, mistreatment by a peer, favoritism, or unfair compensation. They could also feel unfair when company policies work against their well-being or performance.
- Unmanageable workload: When employees feel like they have been given an unfair amount of workload without any support, they will burn out trying to accomplish it. Ensure you don’t drown them with work all the time.
- Lack of role clarity: When an employee isn’t sure what exactly is expected from their role, they will get exhausted trying to figure it out. Managers must discuss responsibilities, roles, and goals clearly with their team.
- Lack of communication and support from their manager: Employees expect their managers to have their backs when something goes wrong. If there is no support from the manager, they will feel defensive and alone, which can lead to burnout.
- Unreasonable time pressure: There will be ‘urgent’ work at times, which the employees can handle. However, if a tight deadline is always looming over their heads, they will get overwhelmed and be under-productive.
SO, HOW CAN YOU PREVENT BURNOUT?
Here are 4 ways you can prevent employee burnout and ensure they perform their best at all times.
1) Motivate and provide support
You don’t want your staff to go through burnout. So, how to motivate employees that they perform their best without feeling bogged down?
One way you can do that is by showing them your support and appreciation. Remember that everyone gets motivated differently, so motivate them according to their needs.
A simple appreciative gesture goes a long way and shows them that you will always support them through the ups and downs. Celebrate their victories and have their back when something goes wrong.
2) Reward against burnout
Usually, the idea of rewards is for employees to accomplish some goal. Most of the times, that works, but ironically, trying to accomplish that goal can also lead to burnout.
It would be a great idea to reward the employees just as a token of appreciation. It could be ending a shift early, bonus paid vacation days, extra break time, or something as simple as a great team lunch.
It may be a small gesture from your end but it would make a huge difference for the team as they would feel appreciated.
3) Schedule shifts thoughtfully
It goes without saying that everyone in the company works for the satisfaction of the customers and servicing them on time. However, that shouldn’t come at the cost of the employees’ well-being.
Overworking the employees, constantly piling ‘urgent or last-minute’ work on them will add stress. While they may be competent to get the job done, the stress could lead to burnout.
Ensure you schedule shifts that work for them and promote productivity rather than stress. Don’t rely on the same people to get the tasks done and be flexible about scheduling.
4) Keep an eye on workplace culture
Poor workplace culture can weigh heavily on the employees. It can affect employees’ emotional and mental health.
Here are some ways you can keep a tab on the workplace culture:
- Reduce work pressure as much as you can
- Maintain proper communication with your teams
- Define the expectations and roles of each employee
- Resolve any kind of conflict fairly and quickly
- Protect your employees from aggressive customers and support them in tense situations
IN CONCLUSION
Do not brush off the issue of employee burnout or assume it won’t happen in your company. Look out for signs of employee burnout and take immediate action.
