Burnout

Burnout

Overly stressed employees can negatively affect productivity and profitability.

The flatness of modern management structures has reduced the administrative and even the social distance between managers and employees, especially in small, owner-managed companies. As a result, owner-managers can be more aware of employees who are discontent or exhibiting behaviour that indicates something is wrong. Stress at home combined with stress at work can lead to a combination of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion that affects employee productivity and ultimately your profitability.

Recognize the Signs

Learn to recognize the indicators that something is wrong. Signs that an employee may be suffering burnout include: 

 constant criticism of other employees or work situations 

 lateness in getting to work or completing a task or project 

 impatience with fellow workers or clients

 taking too many Monday “sick days” 

 appearing tired or listless on the job 

 taking too long returning from lunch or break 

 withdrawing from the social network at work 

 thinking they are the only ones who can do their job 

 frustration at not achieving desired results at work or in their personal lives.

Stress levels can be created by the attributes of the job. Some individuals may thrive on a repetitive, slow- paced routine while others may interpret the lack of change as a lack of challenge and find stability itself stressful. On the other hand, some employees may find that a constantly driving corporate culture is overwhelming. In addition, if the worker’s moral compass is not pointed in the same direction as that of the company, stress will follow.

Stress can destroy the productivity of even loyal employees.

Health Problems

Stress can destroy the productivity of an otherwise qualified and loyal employee. Stress can create the conditions that can lead to alcohol or substance abuse, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, obesity, injuries and more frequent small illnesses such as colds. All of this translates to lost productivity and the potential loss of a great team member.

Even normally dedicated workers may be headed for burnout if: 

 their job does not match their abilities or their job skills 

 they are being abused by a bully 

 their responsibilities are not supported by sufficient authority 

 an inadequate job analysis has resulted in a misleading job description 

 every decision is questioned

 co-workers do not have a clear understanding of the dedicated worker’s responsibilities.

It is in the best interests of the business to retain individuals who are responsible and reliable. Replacing good employees is an expensive proposition and thus, if a valued employee is exhibiting signs of burnout, soft intervention may be the key.

Steps to Consider

A deteriorating employee performance does not necessarily justify dismissal; it may be an indicator that a closer look at the employee is necessary by way of a gentle intervention.

The first step is to meet and speak frankly and confidentially with the employee to understand what may be bothering them:

1. Be receptive and non-judgmental when listening to the employee’s side of the story.

2. Determine the major issues and agree that these need to be overcome.

3. Review the employee’s responsibilities to understand not only what they do but also to become aware of the job process overall. This will help you see the issues and enable you to determine whether any process, personnel, or job skills need to be changed.

4. If problems outside the workplace are the main issues, determine whether they can be dealt with by giving the employee time off. It could be that they have been stressed by family sickness, divorce or financial troubles. Regardless of what those issues are, your understanding provides reassurance and tells the employee you value them enough to want to help them get over this hurdle and remain with the company.

5. If the problem is job-related, work with the employee to determine what changes to the job would fix the problem. Perhaps it is less overtime, more training, flex time or moving an individual to a different task to make the job more interesting.

6. If the issue stems from management (your managers or perhaps even you), the employee might provide insight into issues of which you are already aware and this may lead to a productive review of management methods.

7. Ask the employee what they would do not only to improve their outlook on the job but also the outlook of other employees (after all, they are part of the team). Do they need more frequent breaks, incentives, recognition or rewards to build a more positive attitude toward the workplace?

8. Consider a “buddy system” and team the individual with a co-worker who has a more positive attitude. 9. Ask the employee whether they see any advantage to seeking counsel from a professional.

10. Follow-up is an important part of the process. As the initial meeting draws to a close, summarize the major issues, agree to a timetable to implement any changes and set a date for follow-up meetings to evaluate the steps taken and agree to any modifications.

Watch and Listen

Watch and listen to your employees. Their behaviour will tell you whether anything is wrong. Learn to recognize the indicators of stress. Show your employees how much you value their involvement with your organization. A disgruntled employee may be the first sign that you need to re-examine your business model and create an environment that is less stressful but more productive and profitable.