Preventing Burnout in Your Employees

According to the Mayo Clinic, employee burnout, is a state of exhaustion (physical, mental, and/or emotional) coupled with self-doubt in regards to one’s own competence and value. An employee suffering from burnout will exhibit changes in behavior and attitude; he or she will often become irritable, unmotivated, and unproductive. Cynics might argue that burnout is inevitable in the workplace and skeptics may claim that burnout only affects people in highly stressful jobs. In actuality, burnout is neither inevitable nor certain. Although it is true that members of certain professions (doctors, teachers, social workers, e.g.) are more prone to burnout than the general population, other industries experience a fair share as well. Managers, supervisors, and other workplace leaders (along with Human Resources (HR) professionals) can combat burnout by following the guidelines below.

1. Clearly explain job responsibilities from the beginning.

You can dramatically decrease the likelihood of burnout at the earliest stages of the hiring process. When you write the job description, make sure that you clearly explain the responsibilities and expectations of the position. Even if it’s unintentional, new employees who feel that the realities of their jobs were misrepresented can quickly begin to feel frustrated and disillusioned.

2. Give clear objectives and feedback.

Few situations are more frustrating than being forced to guess what your boss wants. Don’t put your employees through that: give your team clear objectives for their duties and projects. On a similar note, most people need to know if they are on the right track regarding performance. It is incredibly demoralizing to complete a project only to be told that you had done everything incorrectly. Don’t micromanage but do check in periodically. Give honest, constructive feedback.

3. Provide proper training.

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