3 Ways To Avoid Employee Burnout

Employee burnout is a serious matter that affects all businesses, no matter how successful. That burnout could be a result of issues in the employee’s personal life but frequently is caused by something going on in the workplace. Employees who experience burnout are less productive and withdrawn, display negative attitudes or emotions, and oftentimes don’t even show up for scheduled shifts.

Employee burnout is also one of the top reasons that employees quit their jobs. Unfortunately for both the employee and the workplace as a whole, these employees usually stay quiet about their feelings of burnout until it boils over, and they just quit. If employers wait for employees to come to them about their feelings of burnout, it will likely already be too late.

In order to combat the signs of employee burnout before they escalate, employers need to take a proactive approach. The good thing is that employers can put structures in place and create a workplace culture that fosters fewer burnouts.

What Causes Employee Burnout, And How Can You Fix It?

There are a number of factors and stressors that might contribute to employee burnout, but the good news is that as the employer there are proactive measures you can take to lower the chances.

1. Lack Of A Work-Life Balance

The rapid increase of remote work following the Covid-19 pandemic has worsened the issues of work-life balance, and many employees struggle to find what works for them. A poor work-life balance is not restricted to just remote workers, though, and many people who don’t do remote work can fall victim to it. Employees who spend long hours at work, never take time off, and sacrifice their personal commitments in favor of work are at high risk for employee burnout.

What You Can Do

As the employer, it’s not your job to make sure the adults who work for you maintain life-work balance but doing what you can to try to make it an easier thing to obtain is. Introducing rules that prevent employees from becoming workaholics is one step that can be taken against employee burnout. In the case of remote work, focusing on productivity and output rather than number of hours worked is another route employers can take.

2. Too Heavy Of A Workload

Employees who notice their workload getting larger and larger, but aren’t given additional resources or accommodations to handle all of that extra work, will quickly burn out. A single employee can only do so much work in a week, and employers should be on the lookout for signs that maybe they’ve been giving their employee too heavy of a workload and need to ease back.

What You Can Do

Can your business afford to hire more people? If it’s in the budget, this is the easiest solution to the problem. If your company can’t afford more full-time employees, is it possible to bring in temporary workers during your busiest seasons? These little changes can go a long way in helping employees out with huge workloads, keep them from quitting, and even make their well-being feel valued by the company.

3. Bad Relationship With Management

Even the best job can be ruined by a bad manager, and oftentimes when people quit their jobs it’s not due to the work itself, but instead a bad relationship with management. Employees who exhibit favoritism, micromanage, lack communication skills, and have changing expectations of employees are some of the top reasons some people dislike their management.

What You Can Do

Remind your employees about HR, and encourage them to discuss serious issues with management there. Additionally, encourage managers to check in regularly with their employees, opening up clear channels of communication between managers and each of their employees. Be sure that this doesn’t become a way to police employees, but rather a safe way in which employees can address concerns.

Article Link - 3 Ways To Avoid Employee Burnout

Author - Staff Writer

BloggersHUBB