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Every organization would like to have employees who are committed to bring their best, and work hard to fulfill the org mission. Ideally, they bring energy, leadership, and contribute to the company culture. However, in many cases, managers and senior leaders forget that high-performers are in fact, human, as well. And with that human-like needs, their team members can experience stress, burnout, and anxiety.
Workplace burnout is an occupational syndrome resulting from intense workplace stress. The World Health Organization actually classified workplace burnout as a workplace phenomenon rather than a medical condition.
The need to address workplace burnout goes beyond having sympathy for your employees. It could have real consequences on your business. That includes high turnover, quiet quitting, and a harsh plummet in productivity.
Addressing workplace burnout starts at the top. It’s not an individual time-management or workload failure, it’s a systemic issue.
This guide will help leaders spot it and implement operational strategies to fix it.
Why Workplace Burnout is an Organizational Issue
A common misconception is that employees cause their own burnout. Some managers think that if their employees manage their time better, then they can fix burnout themselves. This isn’t true, though. If an employee needs extra support to alleviate their workload, then that should be management’s responsibility.
We have seen organizations continue to implement “band-aid” fixes to burnout. Yoga classes, mental health meditation apps, or even office snacks are not going to fix a toxic work environment, or gain credibility with your team members. It is important to note that no organization can eliminate the busy workloads, however, we all can create a sustainable workplace where employees feel they are valued - rather than ignoring the issue and not taking the appropriate accountability.
How to Spot the Workplace Burnout Warning Signs
The first step is to understand how to spot the signs of workplace burnout before it takes a real toll on your business.
The Productivity Metric
If there’s one thing that most managers are good at, it’s putting numbers on productivity. If you notice sudden drops in quality of work or missed deadlines from previously reliable employees, then it’s likely that there’s some underlying factor.
This could probe you to investigate further. Take some time to analyze your employees’ workload. See if their Calendar is unusually booked or if their output is significantly larger than previous quarters.
The Behavioral Shift
Spotting workplace burnout from behavior requires you to get on the same level as your employees. Take some time out of your day to talk with your workers and get to know them.
If you notice increased cynicism, irritability in meetings, or even total withdrawal from work events, then that could be a sign that something is wrong.
The Physical/Emotional Toll
On a broader scale, if you notice an increase in sick days or chronic absenteeism, then that’s another sign that something’s not quite right.
Real Strategies for Leaders to Tackle Burnout
There are some operational and cultural fixes that leaders can implement to address burnout.
Audit and Rebalance Workloads
Leaders could implement regular capacity checks and eliminate low-value meetings. Employees shouldn’t attend meetings where they won’t meaningfully contribute. AI note takers have gotten pretty advanced, they shouldn’t be expected to take time out of their day to just listen in!
These capacity checks could be a weekly mass message on Slack or a quick 15 minute meeting within departments.
Establish Boundaries
This is a really good practice that all organizations should implement somehow. There needs to be strict guidelines for after-hours communication. Late-night pings should be eliminated entirely in favor of scheduled messages or emails.
And to all of you workplace leaders reading this: Lead by example! Don’t email your team on weekends or odd hours.
Foster Safety and Autonomy
Organizational leaders can send out an announcement stating that it’s totally okay to say “no” or “now right now” when bandwidth is full. Employees need control of how and when they complete their work. As long as it doesn’t interfere with work quality, then management should take more of a hands-off approach. This shows your team that you trust them and care about their well-being.
Realign Expectations
Department heads need to take some time and ensure that job descriptions are matching actual daily outputs. This realignment could be eye-opening for both employees and department leaders.
Ready to Tackle Workplace Burnout?
A burnout-free workplace is a real competitive advantage in today’s job market. That’s how you attract and retain top talent that want a real work-life balance. When your organization is known as being respectful towards your employees’ time, everyone’s going to aspire to work for you.
Taking care of your people is taking care of your business. And there’s no reason not to ensure that everyone is as stress-free and happy as possible.
My name is Bhavik, and I help organizations tackle burnout head-on. Click here to learn more about what I do and how I help organizations like yours.