How to Address Burnout in the Workplace?

Employee burnout is no longer a concern restricted to certain workplaces. It’s a global phenomenon and is being experienced by companies from all over the world.  

Every 3 out of 5 employees report negative impacts of work. It can either be work-related stress, lack of interest, energy, motivation, etc. An Indeed survey also found that 52% of respondents feel burned out in their workplace and around 67% believed that the feeling has worsened over the pandemic. 

Since this is something employers are going to find everywhere, the best they can do now is learn how to address it. We suggest organizations proactively take the following steps to address burnout in the workplace. 

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1. Promote Your Employee Assistance Program (EAP)  

Make sure to promote or communicate about your EAP as much as possible. It should be visible and known to the maximum number of employees in your organization.   

Invite an EAP vendor if you can to open all-staff events or enrollment meetings. You can also request them to write a post for your company newsletter or intranet. 

2. Offer Guidance and Training on Burnout 

Not every employee is affected by burnout in the same way. For instance, a manager isn’t likely to get affected by burnout in the same way as a new employee. Therefore, make sure to offer burnout guidance and training based on different job functions.  

You may also organize periodic sessions where employees get to voice their concerns. This shall help you to address inefficiencies and identify symptoms of burnout or stress. 

3. Focus on Understanding and Identifying the Burnout Symptoms 

Having the ability to recognize burnout symptoms will help you to nip it in the bud. A few common symptoms include increased absenteeism, lack of interest or disengagement, inability to concentrate, irritability with clients or coworkers, excessive cynicism, lower productivity, etc. 

4. Encourage Employees to Take Breaks 

A well-rested employee equals productivity. Hence, make sure your employees use their break time. It would add to their productivity and increase their engagement. If you also find that your employees aren’t using their leaves, encourage them to use those leaves for vacation. 

Conclusion 

Burnout not only negatively impacts employees but also causes a terrible effect on the workforce. To make sure you don’t end up in a culture of toxicity, focus on implementing the tips mentioned above and avoid burnout.