The excitement of the new year has come and gone, schedules are busy again, and burnout is on the rise.
In the midst of the great resignation, the last thing a manager wants is an unhappy team. Employees who feel unsatisfied with their work are more empowered to walk out than ever before, making the retention of key talent a major concern for employers.
What can employers do to help fight burnout among their staff?
- Gratitude and recognition – Thank and praise your employees for a job well done
way more often than you think is necessary. People like to hear that their work is valued; they also tend to forget they’re doing well if they’re not told enough. A kind word can go a long way to boosting morale and fostering a life-giving culture.
way more often than you think is necessary. People like to hear that their work is valued; they also tend to forget they’re doing well if they’re not told enough. A kind word can go a long way to boosting morale and fostering a life-giving culture.
- Realistic deadlines – Keep in mind that people have responsibilities in and out of the workplace. One task or project can’t necessarily dominate all of their time. With a little wiggle room, employees will experience less anxiety and perform with more eagerness and efficiency.
- Brain breaks – The office shouldn’t be all work and no play. Create opportunities for employees to socialize and relax. Mandate break times if you have to. Make breaks worthwhile by providing lunch, stocking the kitchen with snacks, having games available to play, offering fitness and meditation classes, or even bringing in massage therapists.
Brain breaks – The office shouldn’t be all work and no play. Create opportunities for employees to socialize and relax. Mandate break times if you have to. Make breaks worthwhile by providing lunch, stocking the kitchen with snacks, having games available to play, offering fitness and meditation classes, or even bringing in massage therapists.
- Schedule flexibility – It’s no secret people are ditching the 9-5 in favor of remote, part-time, and entrepreneurial paths because they allow more schedule flexibility. A recent article by Fortune claimed “work-life balance” should be replaced with “life-work integration.” Offer generous space for your employees to spend time with family, travel, pursue a hobby, and just live life outside work.
Meaningful personal connections – The workplace is a space of networking and team building. However, it can be hard to create and maintain relationships in the era of remote/hybrid work. Be intentional about reaching out to individuals to establish meaningful relationships. If employees feel unseen or disconnected, motivation and drive will plummet.
Meaningful personal connections – The workplace is a space of networking and team building. However, it can be hard to create and maintain relationships in the era of remote/hybrid work. Be intentional about reaching out to individuals to establish meaningful relationships. If employees feel unseen or disconnected, motivation and drive will plummet.
- Open line for feedback – You can’t correct problems that you’re not aware of. Create a safe (likely anonymous) space for employees to offer feedback on their experience regarding areas like employee satisfaction, fulfillment, workplace culture, and management. The truth may hurt, but you’ll be thankful for it in the long run.
- Thoughtful work distribution – Overworking team members is a one-way ticket to burnout and potential talent loss. Delegating tasks can’t be an after-thought; it must be intentional. Pay close attention to individuals’ skill sets, interests, and availability so they stay energized, engaged, and successful.