If you run a business, employee burnout is an important issue. When your team members are overwhelmed and stressed, it can impact their motivation, energy levels, and mental health. By taking action to prevent burnout, you can build a supportive and caring company culture—all while maintaining productivity and increasing employee retention.

What is employee burnout?

Burnout is a condition that happens when employees experience high levels of unmanaged stress. It usually comes on gradually and can cause symptoms ranging from exhaustion and a lack of motivation to physical health problems.

Employees will react differently to stress—a situation that causes burnout in one person might not have the same effect on another. Here are some of the common factors that contribute to burnout:

  • A workload that’s too big
  • Incompatible management styles
  • Interpersonal conflicts
  • Lack of support, clarity, or autonomy
  • Personal matters
  • Poor work-life balance
  • Limited growth and development opportunities

How to prevent and reduce employee burnout

As a company leader, you can’t always influence all the factors that cause burnout. Instead, focus on the areas within your control—make changes where you can, help employees recognize warning signs, and provide unwavering support. In doing so, you’ll build stronger relationships and show workers you value them as people as well as professionals.

1. Build a supportive, balanced company culture

A supportive company culture creates a sense of safety for your employees. It empowers them to prioritize their mental and physical health without worrying that it will affect their job.

Some ways to build a balanced culture include:

  • Communicate openly. Invite employees to bring issues to you—and more importantly, take them seriously. By getting problems out in the open, you can resolve them quickly before they have a chance to create stress.
  • Discourage overtime and after-hours communication. This strategy makes it easier for employees to relax and enjoy their free time.
  • Be observant. Look for signs that an employee is struggling with their workload and provide proactive solutions. That might include reducing their workload, helping them prioritize tasks, or bringing on a part-time assistant.
  • Reinforce positive behaviors. Reward and recognize actions such as inclusivity, collaboration, cooperation, and teamwork; it’s an efficient way to build a better culture from the ground up.

2. Be flexible

Help your team improve their work-life balance—and reduce stress—by offering flexibility whenever possible. You might allow employees to work from home when their kids are sick, for example, or provide flex time for midday appointments. Another solution is to offer additional personal days employees can use whenever they need time away.

To take this strategy a step further, allow your team to take advantage of flex policies without providing a reason. You’ll demonstrate trust in employees and give them the freedom to practice self-care without justifying it or sacrificing privacy.

3. Provide management training

Chances are, your managers spend more time with employees than anyone else—they can be your secret weapon in preventing burnout. To help them be more effective, consider training them in topics such as:

  • Setting clear expectations
  • Supporting and coaching workers
  • Recognizing employee accomplishments
  • Ensuring workloads are manageable
  • Assessing employee well-being

With the right tools and education, your managers can build a positive and supportive team environment. They’ll also be better prepared to spot the early warning signs of burnout and address the situation quickly.

4. Create recovery experiences

Research shows that recovery experiences—positive, non-work activities—can help your employees reduce burnout. They give workers a chance to unwind, release stress, and disconnect from work.

Here’s the key: Encourage your workers to silence their phones, turn off notifications, and avoid work talk. Fewer distractions help workers stay present and return to their desks feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

How can you incorporate recovery experiences into the workday? Try these activities:

  • Guided meditation. Set aside a dark, quiet room for group or individual meditation.
  • Exercise. Encourage employees to go for a walk outside, host group exercise classes, or provide treadmills or exercise bikes in the office for a 15-minute workout break.
  • Games. Host team board-game tournaments, lighthearted office Olympics, or made-up competitions.
  • Meals. Provide food for each department or the entire company. Shared meals are an opportunity to chat informally, rest, and get to know each other on a deeper level.

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