Ways to prevent employee burnout
Introduction
Burnout is defined by 3 sub-factors:
- Exhaustion, when an individual cannot produce high-quality work due to fatigue
- Cynicism, when an individual is no longer bothered about the work produced.
- Inefficacy, when an individual feels like what they do does not matter.
When an employee becomes burnt out, it is not a reflection of their competence to do their work. There are many different reasons why burnout may occur, and it differs from person to person. Here are some of the top factors identified to cause burnout:
- Loss of decision making ability: When someone feels like they cannot make decisions regarding their workload and schedule.
- Uncertainty: People are more likely to be more frustrated when they are unsure of what the expectations are.
- Inadequate work culture: Negativity spreads like a wildfire. The morals and attitudes of the people around you directly impact how you feel about your job.
- Inappropriate work-life balance: When a person spends too much time working and not enough in their personal life. Individuals start sacrificing sleep, socialising, exercise, and healthy eating for work.
- Over engagement or excessive drive/ambition: This is not uncommon in individuals who are starting a new job. The problem lies when the individuals continue to work with the same drive or ambition for prolonged periods. When an individual is over engaged, they may feel the constant need to overwork and be involved in projects that lead to stressful situations and emotional exhaustion.
More often than not, burnout occurs due to unrealistic, high, strict deadlines, heavy workloads, and feeling like there is little to no support. In most cases, burnout impacts the high performers, those individuals who were once engaged and hard-working, now lack motivation, may become disengaged and apathetic to complete quality work on time.
It is best for an employer to prevent burnout instead of dealing with the consequences.
A few ways to prevent burnout include:
- Showcase company values: Company values matter. Every successful company has a set of company values to assist their employees in achieving their goals as well as the company’s. They are the essence of the company’s identity and summarises the purpose of their existence
- Make work meaningful: When staff feel that work is more than just a job or a paycheck at the end of the month, it creates engaged staff that are contributing to a higher purpose.
- Create a culture of open and psychologically safe communication: When there is open communication, it creates a caring environment and encourages people to speak up when they need to, knowing that they will not be penalised for voicing a concern.
- Promote a team-based environment: A team-based environment allows staff members to assist one another as required. It promotes a united feeling and reduces the ‘me versus them’ mentality.
- Schedule regular catch ups: Engage with your team members on a one-on-one basis. This enables you to track their current projects and work loads. You can determine how your staff members feel about current tasks, and what you can do to help them if they are overloaded.
- Provide appropriate resources: Additional stress comes from having insufficient resources. It may be the simplest of things, such as having the correct software to complete tasks efficiently. Providing this allows the employees to make the best use of their time and reduces any wasted time and unnecessary additional stress.
- Provide adequate training: Ensure your workforce has training to update their skills and knowledge to be aligned with the business, as well as to keep up to date with the industry and its developments.
- Lead by example: There is a distinct difference between leadership and managers yet both can set the example for their employees with regards to expectations, workplace behaviour, communications, team cohesion and individual value to the company.
- Make appropriate changes where possible: Naturally, you cannot give staff everything they want, but making a few changes to reduce or prevent burnout provides a better work-life balance and reduces the culture of stress and exhaustion.
- Encourage staff to focus on self care:
1. Exercise: Being physically active is not only good for our general health but also boosts us emotionally. Exercising does not mean that you need to be spending hours in the gym. Mini exercise sessions are a great way to get moving and make working out a daily habit.
2. Eat a healthy diet: Did you know that omega-3 is considered to be a natural antidepressant? When you eat foods rich in Omega-3 you can get a natural mood boost.
3. Get enough sleep: Our bodies need to have sufficient rest to reset. Good sleep hygiene is essential for our well-being.
In conclusion:
In the high paced world we live in, it is both the responsibility of the employer and the employee to look after staff wellbeing. Teamwork is the best way to fight burn-out!
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