The title of this blog could easily be: Beware of Burnout Hurting Your Business. How’s that? Well, it comes in the form of burnout’s toll on your employees.
Sure, the term ‘burnout’ gets tossed around like the most recent joke gone wrong. Yet, it’s been in the headlines a lot, especially because of the pandemic. All those nurses and doctors working tirelessly, it’s no wonder they’re frayed by stress. And, what about teachers and students who fulfill their roles remotely? Most likely you can relate if a good part of your workday is likewise – chronic stress is around every corner.
But, burnout with your staff–how can that be? Lots of them work from home, with some coming to the office a couple of days a week. Their work is design, sales, tech development, and secret jobs. Seems like there’s little reason to get burned out. Then again, you’re a savvy management type. Guess it’s time to be aware and learn how to prevent it, or burnout and acute stress might interfere with business.
Burnout Stress Gets the Best Of Them
Yup, your shining stars, and top-notch staff are at risk for serious work fatigue or worse, burnout, and mental health concerns. Being aware begins with learning that this is an occupational phenomenon, as described by the World Health Organization. Although it's in a classification of diseases, it’s not considered a medical condition. The tricky part of that is burnout's ability to lead to health concerns. That's the information you need. After all, absenteeism, the costs of worker’s comp and health insurance, and low morale hurt your bottom line.
Yet your main concern is your staff and maintaining workplace wellness, even as you seek ways to manage stress. Whether there are a few staff, or they’re spread over vast distances, you know the value they bring to your vision and workplace. Now’s the time for a quick rundown of what to watch for.
Signs of Burnout
At first glance, burnout looks like depression, anxiety, or need for stress management support. According to scientists who study the burnout experience, it has some clear indicators. These boil down to exhaustion, job alienation, and diminished work performance. That sounds like a recipe for disaster each and every workday.
Burnout’s Physical & Emotional Tolls
A burned out employee feels emotionally fatigued. They’re drained and overwhelmed, finding it hard to cope with even small annoyances. They’re crabby and hard to be around. They don’t let on that their stomach is upset, or they have unrelenting headaches. Coworkers complain about their cynicism.
If you were to sit down with that employee, you’d hear how they no longer feel adequate for the job. Their performance is subpar and they wish it were better. The trouble is they’re utterly stuck and fried. Like a way-overdone fish filet.
Burnout’s Business Toll
And here you are, feeling for anyone whose despondency and stress effects are taking a toll. You also know the business realities. A well-functioning team makes your organization thrive. Plus it keeps sick time and insurance premiums within reason.
Your predicament is how to tame burnout, especially when your place is short-staffed week after week.
Workplace Factors That Bring On Burnout
There are concrete factors that cause burnout. The last couple of years have left managers racing to get everything done. Ongoing competition pressures in the midst of understaffing contribute to tasks and goals sliding or falling through the cracks.
There’s the stack of outdated job descriptions. Those provoke misunderstandings between managers and frontline crew. In the rush to hire, some staff skills were mismatched with their primary duties. If that weren’t enough, team members became more isolated from each other. Thanks, COVID! Lesson learned. Time to obliterate burnout risks with a little deep breathing. Your team deserves more!
You Can Create A Burnout-Resistant Business
Wakeout is here to give you a boost of fresh air and activity! Okay, you’re wondering how this helps burnout worries. First, our physical activity breaks get people moving – these offer stress relief and even laughter. We’re all about supporting people getting into a good workday groove. Our healthy work secret sauce includes using the active breaks philosophy to build community within organizations like yours.
One burnout solution: Begin and end meetings with a Wakeout stress less ‘break.’
- These are great for in-person and remote meetings. They work for a few people or a few hundred.
- Bring our physical activity breaks to your next national conference. You’ll get people moving, laughing, and wanting to know more about desk exercises.
- Exercise breaks boost productivity. Wakeout has some tension reducers, and others that prevent burnout.
- Be sure to begin and end with a deep, relaxing breath of fresh air!
Next step–get your team moving wherever they are with Wakeout’s exercises that raise spirits. Burnout–be gone!
Wakeout
