Six Essential Tips to Help Burned Out Employees

Burnout is a common issue that affects millions of employees worldwide. Recent studies, such as those conducted by the World Health Organization, show that burnout rates have escalated, with over 50% of employees in some sectors reporting high levels of stress. Burnout can stem from long hours, high stress levels, lack of support, and numerous other factors, leading to decreased productivity, low morale, and even severe health problems.

Some signs that an employee may be experiencing the physical and emotional strain of burnout include:

• Unexplained absences from work
• Showing up to work late/leaving early
• Decrease in productivity
• Apparent frustration
• Decline in health
• Isolation

When burnout persists, it often drives employees to seek other opportunities, leaving organizations to face high turnover rates. To combat this, providing essential resources and support is critical. Here are six essential tips to help:

1. Offer Rewards for No Reason At All

Many employers think that offering employees incentives will motivate them to work harder and be more productive. While people like incentives, continued pressure to work even harder can often contribute to burnout. 

While these incentives have their place, they shouldn’t be the only way an employee is rewarded. Whether it’s a gift card, extra break time, the chance to leave early, or snacks in the breakroom, these types of rewards, just for being part of the team, can help motivate employees and make them feel appreciated and understood. 

2. Remember Off-Duty Obligations

As a leader, you likely understand the importance of valuing your employees' time while on the job. However, have you given equal consideration to their time outside of work hours?

Many employees have family responsibilities, secondary employment, or engage in freelance work to make ends meet. Although this additional work should never interfere with their primary job responsibilities, it's crucial to be mindful of the demands they may be facing that could result in feelings of depression, hopelessness, and exhaustion.

3. Avoid Excessive Communication

Collaboration and communication are important for the success of any company. However, there are times when they can take on a life of their own. When extra meetings are called, or excessive emails pop up in the inbox, they stop being helpful and start interfering with the daily operations of the company and its employees. Constant communication takes a lot of emotional energy and mental space, which leads to burnout in your employees. 

Pare down all meetings and communications to ensure they aren’t interfering with why everyone is working in the first place. This will create a new culture where all communication has an important purpose and still prioritizes the company’s end goals.

4. Give Employees a Voice

Checking in with employees and asking them to voice their frustrations or problems of practice is a helpful way to prevent or manage burnout. When employees feel like they don’t have control over their circumstances or aren’t being heard, they begin to feel powerless in their situation.

As a leader, conduct informal check-ins and welcome open-door conversations to give employees the opportunity and the comfort to share. When employees communicate, listen, even if your knee-jerk reaction is to get defensive. Hear them out - employees understand their own needs better than anyone. 

5. Encourage Stress Relievers

Help your employees reduce stress by encouraging them to incorporate stress relief into their daily routines. Permit them to listen to music during work hours, offer flexible work schedules when possible, and allow casual attire on designated days or regularly. If suitable, provide the option for remote work.

By granting them the trust to complete their tasks even when dressed casually or using headphones, you demonstrate your concern for their well-being and overall happiness at the workplace. This simple gesture can profoundly impact your employees' morale and motivation.

6. Make Mental Health a Priority

Normalize taking care of mental health as one would physical health. There are many ways you can show your employees that their mental health is just as important. Some ways you can do this include:

- Incorporate brain breaks in the day

If an employee needs to take a 5-minute break to breathe and get away from the desk, don’t make them feel like they’re just messing around on company time. 

- Employee Assistance Programs

Establish and promote a solid Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that includes mental health counseling, financial counseling, addiction counseling, and other services to help employees cope with the stress they bring into the workplace.