How to Avoid Employee Burnout
By Dr Liz Bywater
While leafing through the New York Times last weekend, I came
upon a disturbing article. Not surprising, I know. Today’s
papers are filled with stories of death, destruction and general
gloom and doom. This particular article was actually more subtle
than all that. On some level, in fact, it was a tale of success. It
was the story of a group of bright, motivated youngsters gearing up
for college by taking advanced placement courses and striving for
top-notch scores on the SAT.
The downside to all this high achievement? Well, it seems these
kids are taking things just a bit too far. As they engage in this
tremendously pressured race to the top, they are jamming their
school schedules with four, five, even six AP courses.
They’re skipping lunch because they simply haven’t got
the time to slow down and eat. The result is that many of these
intelligent, diligent, ambitious adolescents are headed for a
crash. Many of them are already showing signs of severe stress.
Before the ripe old age of 18, these children are well on their way
to burnout.
And burnout is serious business. If unaddressed, it can lead to
debilitating levels of anxiety and depression. At worst, it can
lead to physical symptoms or even self-harm.
From an organizational perspective, burnout among employees is a
significant issue. Burned out employees are less productive, less
collaborative, less creative, less motivated and less likely to
stick around. It’s important to spot burnout before
it’s severe – and then take measures to stop it in its
tracks.
First, let’s look at some telltale signs of worker
burnout:
Reduced productivity and/or overall performance
Increased irritability
Quickness to argue with coworkers or clients
Decreased creativity and innovation
Reduced energy levels; general lethargy; apathy
What you’re looking for is a marked change in behavior, mood
or attitude. It’s important to note that these things fall
along a continuum. At the most extreme levels, you may be seeing
symptoms of clinical depression. (Depression is a potentially
debilitating condition that may require the intervention of a
mental health professional.) Worker burnout, on the other hand, can
be addressed with a few simple measures.
Here are a few pointers for helping your employees –
and you – avoid the burnout trap:
Endorse time off. Make sure you’re not only
providing but also endorsing the use of personal/vacation time. You
should be cultivating a culture in which periodic time away from
work is both respected and encouraged. Model this for your
employees by taking your own vacation time at appropriate
intervals.
Shake things up. Most people require variety and
challenge to remain engaged and motivated. Be sure to provide your
employees – and yourself - with varied, stimulating work and
plenty of room for growth.
Lend an ear. Provide an outlet for your employees
to talk about their experiences, including any feelings of stress
and burnout. Your culture should be one in which candor is invited
and adequately supported. Your employees should be able to talk,
without repercussion, to a human resource manager, a mentor, a
colleague, or even the boss. While you’re at it, make sure
you’ve got someone who will listen to and support you when
the pressure begins to mount.
These easy-to-implement measures can make all the difference for
you, your employees, and your organization. Stop burnout before it
gets hold of your most valuable organizational resource –
your employees.
