In the UK, 38.8 million working days were lost due to work-related and workplace injury over 2019/2020.
If you keep an eye on your employees, you will be able to recognise the tell-tale signs of employee burnout. If your top performer is suddenly less productive, this could be a sign that they are close to burnout. If an employee seems overly stressed or negative, these are other signs that there may be some issues brewing.
It is important to recognise and deal with employee burnout as otherwise, you may end up with a high employee turnover, but if you take some initial steps to deal with it, you can avoid it altogether. It is vital that employers take care of their employees, and this includes ensuring they are not overdoing it, both physically and mentally. These are some key ways to avoid employee burnout.
Regular Communication
One of the most effective ways to avoid employee burnout is through regular communication. When you check in with your employees regularly, you will get a good understanding of how they are feeling, and whether they have any concerns you need to know about. Regular communication does not need to be in-depth; a quick check-in call is all that is needed to ensure your employees are feeling good. If you can identify pressures they may be facing, it can help prevent burnout.
Realistic Goals
High expectations are good, but they should also be realistic. Make sure you are regularly revising your goals and make sure your employees are not struggling to achieve these. Your goals should not be based on an individual working for 8 hours straight, they should consider breaks, and the inevitable distractions of day-to-day working life. There is no point in setting goals that will be to the detriment of the wellbeing of your employees, as this is counterproductive.
Encourage Balance
Employees must work and rest, and this means taking regular breaks away from their screens. A good employer will actively encourage regular breaks and will also help promote a healthy life. For instance, offering gym memberships and encouraging daily walks. Balance is important and you should never allow your employees to continue to work excessively long hours or to miss their breaks. This is a poor way of working and can result in burnout.
Incorporate Fun
All work and no play – leads to burnout! Employees should not be treated like robots; they should have some level of fun incorporated into their working week. For instance, free lunch on a Friday, after-work drinks, or a quiz night. These fun activities help employees to destress and reduces the likelihood of burnout. Employee recognition is also important and you can incorporate some fun activities into this.
Track Holidays
You should also make sure your employees are taking their holidays, and not carrying them over to the next year. Holidays are there for a reason, they are there for rest and rejuvenation, and it is the responsibility of the employer to ensure their employees are taking holidays. Some people will work relentlessly and if you don’t keep track, there could be burnout ahead!
If you would like to discuss mental health in the workplace, you can contact us for an initial chat, either by email at info@bluetreehr.uk or by calling 01787 695084
