Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Many employees today face unprecedented levels of stress and exhaustion, and very few notice it. The employee burnout trend is alarming.
–Microsoft reported 48% of employees and 53% of managers experienced burnout in July – August 2022.
–Forbes says that research from the Gallup survey and Workhuman shows that every 3 out of 10 people in Ireland experience burnout.
-And, post covid-19, McKinsey reports that employees in Asia are 60% burned.
Many more reports address burnout. But how can we make the workplace a better place in 2023?
Today, let’s see how to prevent employee burnout in 2023 using seven strategies.
With these simple steps, you can help your team stay healthy and motivated while avoiding a workplace meltdown.
Employee Burnout, what is it?
Employee burnout is a condition in which employees experience an extreme level of stress and exhaustion.
WHO defines workplace burnout as,
“Burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”
What causes employee burnout?
Employee burnout can lead to decreased productivity, morale problems, and even resignation from the job.
So many factors and stressors add-on to causes of employee burnout,
Lack of satisfaction in the job
If the job or the role is unsatisfactory, employees start to feel burnout soon. We have seen people who join the job only to earn money – but they do not actively contribute to the nature of the job.
Some experience ambiguity and loneliness too in the role.
Feeling overworked and stressed.
Work-life balance is a key issue that companies need to address if they want their employees to stay healthy and stress-free.
Too often, employees are overworked and undervalued, leading to employee burnout. This condition makes it difficult for people to properly function mentally and physically, impacting work performance and team morale.
Unfair treatment from management
Employees can often find themselves the victim of unfair treatment from their superiors. It may take various forms, such as not giving them enough work or unreasonable expectations and cutoffs. If left unchecked, this can lead to employee burnout.
Long hours without a break
When employees overwork and are unfairly paid – it leads to higher stress levels, physical exhaustion, and unhappiness. It affects their work performance, health, home life, and overall welfare.
Little recognition or appreciation for the employee’s efforts
It often happens when communication between employees and their managers is poor, or they don’t understand what their employees are working on daily.
This situation leads to little or no appreciation.
Let’s agree – we are humans, and our nature of cynicism, liking, and ego always plays a role in every setting. The office is no exception.
All these are the signs of burnout, and they lead to high turnover rates. We don’t want that, do we?
7 ways to prevent employee burnout in 2023
Employee burnout is a serious issue. It impacts disastrously on productivity and team morale, leading to employee turnover.
These strategies apply to all in-house, remote employees, and hybrid workplaces. Burnout prevention creates a safe space and helps improve psychological safety, thus creating healthy behaviors.
To prevent employee burnout in 2023, start implementing these seven strategies today:
- Define the company culture
Company culture is the collective mentalities and norms of employees. It is essential to make it known to everyone because it shapes how team members work and communicate with each other.
Encouraging open communication and giving feedback is critical for healthy company culture. Doing so will help improve employee productivity, morale, and customer satisfaction.
A positive outlook towards work motivates employees even when times get tough – something greatly appreciated by management! - Recognize the warning signs
When employees feel burnt out, take action before the situation gets worse.
Recognizing the warning signs can help you do just that. Here are some of the most common indicators that your team may be struggling when employees,
– Feel down and tend to act out in various ways – from absenteeism to coming into work late or not at all.
– Those who feel burnt out often complain about their workload.
– May start making careless mistakes, as they lack focus.
– Morale can plummet, leading to lower productivity and a loss of customers. - Address stress in the workplace
Stress at work is a common problem and can have major health consequences. By taking some simple steps to address stress in the workplace, you can help your employees stay healthy and productive.
Make sure your workspace is comfortable and calming. It will help employees concentrate on their work instead of feeling overwhelmed or stressed.
Additionally, try to set realistic goals for each employee and ensure they can achieve them easily.
Encourage creativity by providing ample space for freelance projects and team-building exercises (like putting together jigsaw puzzles).
Creating an environment where people feel supported is also essential – offering flexible working hours, creating a culture of transparency, providing support systems such as sick days or mental health days, etc.
Finally, be understanding when it comes time for employees to take time off – everyone needs a break, including you. - Praise employees for a job well done.
Praising employees for a job well done is one of the best ways to keep them motivated and inspired.
By doing this, you also recognize their efforts and achievements meaningfully.
Not only that, but it will foster team morale and lead to better productivity as employees feel involved in decisions that affect them.
When praising employees, avoid criticizing them in front of others- this could cause tension and resentment.
Instead, find constructive ways of rewarding employee performance, like bonuses or holidays with extra pay.
Encourage employee participation by involving them directly in decision-making processes – thereby building trust and respect between management and the workforce. - Encourage creativity and innovation.
Creativity and innovation are two essential qualities for any workforce. That is why companies hire.
It’s important to encourage these in the workplace by creating a supportive environment that nurtures creativity and allows employees to express themselves freely.
When employees start feeling at risk of burnout, provide support to recover properly.
Recognize their achievements even if they don’t always show up in traditional terms of work-related metrics like productivity or salaries.
Finally, have policies that protect your team from unlawful behavior or abuse.
Furthermore, LinkedIn connections can help you with ideas. Have you tried asking them? - Foster teamwork
When company leaders foster teamwork, employees can generate new ideas and solve problems quickly.
It’s also helpful if work hours are flexible. So everyone can balance their personal life with their professional.
A company culture that supports employee well-being will show in how they perform.
If managers understand (If not, train managers) how burnout affects employee performance, they can take preventive action before it becomes a problem. - Help employees find outlets for their energy.
Employees need outlets for their energy – to let off steam or take PTOs from work.
By providing a well-structured job with ample opportunities for creativity, expression, and team collaboration, you help employees get the mental and physical health they need to be at their best.
Look at these as well,
-Happy hours.
-Team building games.
-Management teams offsite.
-Catching up with family members on family day.
-Provide required coaching on burnout.
And don’t forget about relaxation! Providing yoga or meditation classes can help employees unwind after a long day of work.
Further reading: Mayo Clinic – Changes in Burnout and Satisfaction With Work-Life Integration in Physicians and the General US Working Population Between 2011 and 2020.
Frequently Asked Questions
One of the best ways to help your employees avoid burnout in the future is to provide them with the following resources and support:
– Access to resources (such as team member libraries, email servers, or chat rooms)
– Support services (such as health and stress management programs or mental health counseling)
– Flexible work hours (so employees can balance their work with their family and personal life)
– Remote or hybrid work options (so employees can work from home when needed, this helps employee retention)
– Stress reduction activities (like yoga, meditation, or aromatherapy)
– Communication tools (community portals like Yammer, Teams, and Slack)
– Periodic feedback (that helps employees track their progress and provides suggestions for improvement)
– Regular check-ins with employees.
– A positive work environment with recognition and rewards for good performance, better workplace culture, and employee engagement.
Yes, Human Resources can play a role in preventing employee burnout. For example, HR can monitor workloads and job responsibilities to ensure employees don’t overwork.
They can encourage employees to take regular breaks throughout the day.
They can also organize wellness activities like mindfulness sessions.
Additionally, HR should create meaningful recognition programs to thank employees for their hard work.
Conclusion
Employee burnout is a common event that weakens employees’ health and well-being.
It happens with chronic stress, fatigue, and lack of freedom at work.
Follow these SEVEN strategies as best practices to address employee burnout at the workplace.
End of the day, we all look for a GPTW (Great place to work).
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