Preventing Employee Burnout

Employee burnout was a contributing factor in the Great Resignation, and understanding how to prevent employee burnout is critical for employers. Let's look at some of the factors that contribute to employee burnout and what we can do to avoid it.

How employee engagement prevents burnout

Everyone understands that if you want to be successful, you must work hard, yet even demanding labor has its limitations. You may burn out if you push yourself too hard or take too little breaks; in that case, all of your demanding effort may be counterproductive.

I speak with a lot of company owners who want to do all they can to attain some balance in their life and avoid burnout as much as possible. Understanding what causes burnout, it appears to me, is the first step toward preventing it.

So, let's take a look at some of the research underlying the phenomenon of burnout.

Employee burnout: what causes it?

We all have unspoken needs—physical, mental, and emotional—as well as obligations in our work life. Burnout occurs when there is a misalignment of needs and expectations.

Burnout might strike an extroverted accountant who wants to make new acquaintances but has little opportunities to do so because of his or her profession. A mismatch exists between the workers' particular demands and the job requirements in each of these situations.

This year, even the digital startup Bumble was plagued by staff burnout. As a consequence, all staff were given a week off to re-energize.

Burnout's practical consequences

So, what does all of this mean in terms of burnout? To be fully driven and enthusiastic, you must meet certain requirements.

You will avoid burnout if your everyday duties match those demands. A self-inventory is a wonderful place to start. Although things get more difficult at this point, it's still useful to ask yourself the following questions:

What inspires you? Consider which jobs or duties make you feel the most pumped—the most enthusiastic.

What tasks or obligations exhaust you the most on a daily basis? These are the things you'll be most afraid of.

How emotionally fulfilled does your job make you, and do you believe a change of position is required to have a genuinely fulfilling career?

How effectively are your workers' personalities and internal motivations matched to their tasks? If your team lacks enthusiasm or energy, it's possible that you've assigned everyone to jobs that aren't right for them.

Interventions that prevent or correct such misalignments might improve workplace happiness and lower the risk of burnout. Even if your requirements and everyday obligations aren't well-matched, there's still time for you to act and be proactive.

How to avoid employee burnout

According to recent research released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, today's workers are overworked and anxious.

It's a serious problem, not least because it has an influence on your company's financial line: overworked and burned-out staff aren't as productive, enthusiastic, or innovative as problem solvers.

Engagement is the key to overcoming burnout. Increasing your workers' grasp of the larger picture and their role within it. When employees understand the goal and how their contribution makes a difference, they won't feel as if they're drowning in thankless labor.

How can leaders prevent employee burnout?

In addition, I'd like to suggest three particular strategies for keeping your personnel interested rather than burnt out. Make sure your staff have someone to speak to.

Employees who feel alone are more vulnerable to burnout. Incorporate informal discussion groups into your workplace to help workers feel more connected to one another and to a larger community.

Discussion groups should be safe areas where people may say anything they want. Don't overlook the little details.

Encourage staff to take a brief stroll around the building, enabling them to leave an hour earlier on Friday and decorating the workplace for the holidays. These little gestures add up, making harried staff feel a little more valued.

Maintain a productive mindset. The number of hours your workers spend at work isn't really important; they aren't relevant measurements. Concentrate on how much progress they are making toward your larger goals and objectives, which should be your aim.

There are several things that leaders can do to promote staff retention and engagement. There are other methods to undermine the process as well. Give us a call if you're ready to start improving your staff retention and engagement.

Thanks to Rick Goodman at Business 2 Community whose reporting provided the original basis for this story.