Burnout: Don't ignore the warning signs!

Lets talk about something that people rarely want to address....?

Burnout....?

It seems to me, no matter who I speak to of late, whichever industry. That everyone is racing a hundred miles per hour and struggling to keep on top of their own schedule, let alone that of their teams. It's not about poor time management, more the case of overwhelm, targets that seem to increase and the challenge of no real end in sight. There's just never enough time!

Lets talk about the hospitality industry for example, it is a very rewarding industry, however, it can also be?very challenging to work within. Excessive shift times, challenging working conditions, limited team members who have the wealth of experience in the industry - another challenge since the pandemic hit. It is no wonder why workers get burned out very quickly. There is a rapid increase in people leaving their positions and seeking work in other industries, hoping to escape the feeling of overwhelm and obtain that very important work-life-balance.??

You can get burnt out at any point throughout your career and you may not think it will happen to you, but if it does, it's important to recognise the red flags, what may have caused it, the implications and how you can overcome it.?

What to look out for? ? Only you will know really, but some of your colleagues may notice signs that you are feeling disengaged and detached, you may start to feel tired and fatigued, you may be thinking negatively, and all these factors will affect your work performance. ?

These feelings are key signs of burn out and your manager and team should recognise these factors and act quickly to ensure staff retainment, doing what they can to support you in the best way that they can. ? There are so many types of burnouts across working organisations, some that are most common are;??

• Culture Burnout??

• Passion Burnout?
• Overload Burnout?
• Deadline Burnout?

What causes burnout?...?

• Lack of communication from your team and manager.??

• Overload of work, you may have already completed your workload and then be faced with helping others complete their tasks – leading to an extreme overload of work you were not prepared for.?
• Lack of control, you may not have “the say” in important decisions that affect your internal team and projects leaving you with a lack of autonomy.??
• Isolation from your team, you may feel pushed out or not a valued member of the team, this can leave you disengaged and demoralised.?
• No recognition or value for the work you have completed.??
• Lack of clarity about your role and purpose or the task you have been asked to complete.?

• Poor team engagement.??
• Lack of procedures and workplace policies.??

“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” - Simon Sinek

How can your employer help? They can;?

• Organise a, regular 1:1 meeting with you to discuss any concerns and support you to put an action plan together.?
• Understanding about the right work life balance, encourage you and your team to have a healthy split.?

• Prioritise you and your team's well-being and put it to the forefront of the business, after all it is you that keeps things running.?
• Encourage regular breaks, and time off from work to recuperate.??
• Listen to you, talk through your problems and offer support where you need it.?
• Be clear on expectations and what they want from you in your role.?
• Help you to design a plan to ensure you feel better about your workload, and how to best prioritise your tasks.?
• Schedule sociable events – if you have a hybrid working policy, getting the team together to socialise, network and meet ups are so important, that feeling of overwhelm could well disperse if your team feel valued, supported and know that they are not alone.?
• Reward your teams with flexible working, holiday, wellness days, incentives trips the list is endless really of the opportunities available if you know the right places to look.

How can you help yourself? There is simply no need to leave your job, you just need to;?

• Take some time out for you, make sure you relax and do something that makes you feel good.?
• Do not be afraid to ask for some time out, be it in the middle of the working day, or you may need a day off to sort through your thoughts and feelings and minimise your workload at home, catch up and feel like you are back on track.?
• Ask for help and speak up, there is no point hiding in the dark.?

• Make sure you eat well, get plenty of sleep and exercise.?
• Set good boundaries and ensure you let your manager and team know these, and your capabilities for your job role or the task you are working on.?

Remember you don’t have to be a rage quitter, making the decision to walk away from a job should be well thought out and considered. So, before you decide what is best to do for all the right reasons, make sure you are doing all you can to overcome being burned out and your employer are doing all they can to support you.??

If you are responsible for your team/companies internal team engagement events get in touch.

We have many ideas and incentives and rewards programmes that can support and encourage your colleagues: [email protected] or call us: 0330 223 3176?

#incentivesandrewards #burnout #teamengagement #strategicplanning #peopleculture?