Job burnout is so prevalent today that the question isn’t whether your employees will experience burnout, but when it will strike. A study by Deloitte found that even employees who are enthusiastic about their jobs are susceptible. Overall, out of 1,000 respondents, 77% said they had experienced burnout at their current position. Here are some indicators your employees might be feeling fatigue.
Productivity Has Decreased
Job burnout equals exhaustion, and when your employees are exhausted, their output will understandably decrease. The urgency of your response should be dictated by how drastically productivity has declined. A mild drop-off may just be a sign your team may just be overworked, and some shuffling of responsibilities may be a quick fix. Plummeting output, on the other hand, is a red flag for burnout, and more immediate and thorough measures may be in order. This is particularly true because burnout not only diminishes the quantity of work, but the quality as well. This can be disastrous on multiple levels.
Cynicism Has Increased
One of the most disheartening symptoms of burnout is when your most dependably upbeat employees show signs of becoming jaded. If they start complaining about their work conditions or their clients, burnout may be to blame, and it’s critical to act fast for two reasons. First, cynicism is contagious, and if an employee who’s been a shining light flickers and fades, your whole team could wind up in darkness. The other reason is that pessimistic employees can ruin the customer experience.
Your Team Is Growing Detached
Has absenteeism increased? Are employees who show up just doing that? Is your team surviving instead of thriving? Burnout causes all these patterns of disengagement. Watch for long silences in meetings – when people you normally can count on to participate appear distant, burnout is a likely culprit. And it’s a fact of business life that disengaged employees result in dissatisfied customers.
What Can You Do About Burnout?
Obviously, the best way to cope with burnout is to avoid it sneaking up on you in the first place. Schedule frequent check-ins with your employees to see how they’re feeling. Let them know your door is always open if they need to talk.
If you already see signs of burnout, you can help alleviate it by helping your employees to help themselves. Promote exercise, healthy eating and self-care. And make sure they know how to take advantage of employee assistance programs.
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