Are you worried about the wellbeing of your employees? Stress can be a killer for productivity, focus and quality of work. So, it’s important to ensure your team members aren’t on the brink of burnout.
There are a number of signs that suggest your employees are heading this way. But essentially, if they’re constantly stressed or overworked, they’ll probably feel exhausted, lack motivation and not be their most productive; as well as grow to hate their job.
According to our latest CV Library research, four in ten (41.8%) professionals admit that they’re on the brink of burnout, with over two thirds (67.7%) stating that work is the main contributor. So how can you tackle this?
What triggers burnout?
The CV Library study, which surveyed over 2,000 UK professionals, revealed that work stress has resulted in 44.6% of workers having trouble sleeping, 39.7% suffering from negative thoughts and 38.9% feeling exhausted.
When asked what causes them the most anxiety at work, respondents cited the following:
- Having to meet unrealistic targets – 31.3%
- Having to work long hours – 29.9%
- An excessively high workload – 29.1%
- Pressure from their manager – 26.8%
- Tight deadlines – 22.2%
What’s more, the study also reveals that over half (58.1%) of professionals worry about disappointing their manager, while a further 65.3% worry about letting their team down when they’re unwell.
This kind of pressure can cause even the best of workers to crack. Simply put, working under high amounts of constant stress just isn’t sustainable for your workforce.
Unnecessary worry
One way to reduce the risk of employee burnout is eliminating unnecessary worry and pressure. While you may want to set high targets in order to push your employees and maximise their potential, they shouldn’t be unrealistic.
Sit down with them to discuss their targets. Take the time to understand what they want to achieve and explain what you think they should focus on. This should produce challenging, but attainable targets.
But, remember, if these goals are unrealistic, it can be incredibly demotivating and can lead to burnout.
In most jobs, a high workload is simply unavoidable. However, you can alleviate the pressure by sharing the workload with other team members.
Maybe there’s another employee who has the capacity for more work? Even taking a few responsibilities from someone on the brink of burnout can work wonders.
Encourage a strong work-life balance
If promoting and encouraging a good work-life balance at your company isn’t already a priority, it’s time for you to make it one.
Professionals are looking for more than good money when applying for jobs; and a good work-life balance is becoming more important. If you can’t offer this, then chances are another company will. And you’ll probably lose out on talented employees as a result.
You can encourage a healthy work-life balance by insisting that employees leave their work at the office. Don’t promote a workplace where it’s acceptable to work late into the evening or over the weekend.
By creating a culture where you care about your employees’ wellbeing, you’ll attract top talent and retain key members of staff. Skilled professionals will want to be in an environment where they’re challenged, but not exposed to high levels of stress. So, be sure to bear this in mind when you look at your company culture.
How to spot a stressed employee
It may be subtle, but there are certain signs to look out for when it comes to burnout. For starters, your employee will be exhausted, which is normally quite easy to spot. They’ll be lethargic, bleary eyed, constantly yawning and generally working at a slower pace.
A disinterest in tasks or their actual work is another significant warning sign. If an employee that is usually enthusiastic and productive begins to look frantic, disinterested and tired, then they may be on the brink.
While burnout isn’t a diagnosable psychological disorder, it can still have physical symptoms. Chronic stress can lead to headaches, stomach aches, irregular eating patterns and even emotional outbursts. So, if you notice your employee complaining of any of these symptoms, it’s time to act fast!
How to avoid your employees suffering from burnout
Most professionals will have deadlines, targets and a busy workload. However, it’s when these expectations become unreasonable that stress and burnout can strike.
It’s understandable to want your employees to work towards your company’s objectives. After all, it’s your business.
However, if you push too much on your teams, you risk losing staff, damaging productivity and causing employees to suffer from burnout. Ultimately, this will only hurt your bottom line and prevent your organisation from growing.
Take the time to understand your employees’ ambitions, their targets and their workload. This will not only show you care, but also help employees avoid the risk of chronic stress and keep your company expanding!
advo hr helps companies support their employees. If you would like to know more about how advo hr can help your organisation then in the first instance email hrexperts@advo.co.uk
This article is based on a press release by the CV Library.