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Grace is an excellent employee. She works hard, takes on projects, and knows exactly how to give your clients what they need.
She took the switch to virtual seamlessly. Her work didn’t suffer at all and she even added to the accounts that she services.
You’ve told her she’s on the right track and if she keeps up the good work, she’s in for a promotion soon.
But over the last two weeks, something’s changed. She doesn’t have the same spark. She pings you messages all through the day and night, but her productivity has dropped. She stopped telling her regular knock-knock joke to start off your digital team meetings, and she missed her last 1:1.
In fact, it feels like the whole team can pick up on the change, and everyone’s mood has been subdued. What should you do?
The Burn is real
While everyone talks about productivity, we rarely think about how constantly firing on all pistons can be harmful in the long run.
So what is burnout?
Workplace burnout is an occupational phenomenon that the WHO defines as a syndrome resulting from inadequate stress management. Phew! That’s a mouthful.
In layman’s terms, it is the overwhelming feeling of dread and mental exhaustion that comes from not managing work pressure.
A study by Gallup suggests that just over 66% of full-time workers felt burned out at work, and 23% felt it frequently.
The pandemic hasn’t exactly helped the situation.
People aren’t used to working within the confines of their homes for this long. With conversations becoming more digital, employees feel increasingly disconnected. They now work longer hours, have no social life, and are subjected to higher amounts of stress. As a result, the risk of burnout is the highest it’s been in two years.
Spotting burnout in the workplace
Unfortunately, the biggest roadblock that most leaders face while diagnosing employee burnout is the stigma that comes with it. While most people experience stress, very few bring it up. A fear of judgement, perhaps? Or just the general assumption that expressing vulnerability can go against you in a competitive work environment.
So what are the signs of workplace burnout? And how can leaders spot an employee suffering from it?
Low-energy: One of the most telling symptoms is the significant drop in energy. Burned out employees come across as being unmotivated, depressed, or emotionally detached.
A decrease in confidence: People with burnout experience a 13% drop in self-confidence and are 50% less willing to discuss performance goals with their managers (Gallup).
Cynicism: It’s common for them to feel like their work has no value. They contribute less and even become defensive when questioned.
Reduced output: Individuals who are burned out are constantly playing catch up. They may miss deadlines and get very little done despite working very hard.
General irritability: Staying on-edge all the time can cause a great deal of irritability, restlessness, impatience, and mood swings. They have trouble concentrating and frequently zone out of conversations.
Withdrawal: Constant stress can cause withdrawal or disconnection from peers. They seem unwilling to collaborate and may avoid social settings.
Physiological symptoms: Stress-related headaches, exhaustion, and a generally compromised immune system are some physiological symptoms of employee burnout. Affected individuals are also 63% more likely to take sick days (Gallup).
Analyzing root cause
Certain jobs come with a higher risk of stress than others. But understanding root causes and addressing them can ensure the situation doesn’t spiral out of control or spread to others in the team.
Staying available all the time: Workplaces often reward availability. As a result, people log in on evenings and weekends and even keep their phones or laptops close while on vacation. They are constantly on alert, checking notifications every chance they get, and they don’t really tune out from work.
Not only do such employees experience higher levels of stress but they let such behavior bleed into their personal lives. And this can very easily lead to exhaustion.
Time pressure: Everyone has days when they feel there’s just not enough time to get things done. This usually happens once every couple of weeks. But when they become a regular occurrence, it’s time for the red flags to go up. People who face regular time pressure in their jobs are 70 percent more susceptible to burnout in the workplace.
Lack of control: Workdays can be quite a hit or miss. With pressures piling up and deadlines zooming past, not having the freedom to maneuver can be frustrating. Naturally, when employees spend more energy figuring out what they need to do and less time actually doing them, we have a problem.
Dysfunctional workplace: A wise person once said, people don’t quit on their jobs, they quit their bosses. Dysfunctional work relationships are the worst. An overbearing boss or a micromanager can make employees feel vulnerable and may even push them to quit. Similarly, being around colleagues that do not show respect or give credit when it’s due can really drive a wedge in the relationship.
Lack of clarity: Everyone needs a clear line of sight of their role in the organization. One can only be successful if they understand the full scope of the job and what is expected. Not knowing the level of authority of the position or the general direction of the company can make for uncomfortable situations in the workplace. Sometimes, it even boils down to job fit—a stellar performer doesn’t always transition into the best leader.
Stop the dreadwalking
Workplace burnout can be particularly tricky to deal with because everyone responds to it differently. What worked for one person may not work for everybody else. There is no one solution—it takes a lot of patience and empathy. Here are a few things you can do to avoid employee burnout:
Stay approachable: The first thing burned-out employees need is validation. They need to know they can always come forward and talk about their problems as and when they face them. Great leaders know precisely how to broach the subject, keep the dialogue open, and offer a helping hand.
Overcommunication is a good strategy. Set aside time to chat at least once a week. This will give them a chance to open up and fill you in on what they’re feeling. Make them feel valued. Lend an ear. Ask the important questions. And do what you can to help. If you are not able to, guide them to seek professional help.
Model good behavior: Leading by example is one of the most effective ways to influence people. Modeling kind behavior can instill confidence, build cohesity, and allow team members to pick up the right habits.
Successful leaders know that building a strong work ethic starts with them. Demonstrate what you want to see in your team. Seek out opinions and nurture respect. Extend a helping hand whenever possible. Weed out petty politics. And most importantly, be honest—even when you don’t have the answer.
Time management: The biggest cause of work-related stress is improper time management. There’s always going to be something that needs to be done pronto and accommodating an extra task often involves a fair bit of calendar wrestling. This can spiral into chaos, especially when you have a packed schedule.
Work always piles up. The trick to effective time management is to prioritize. If you need someone working on an impromptu task, accept delays in something else they’re working on. Give them space to plan their day around it. Encourage them to take breaks. And set realistic deadlines. If this is a regular occurrence, help them plan their days better. Set aside an hour or so of their time for ad-hoc requests.
Mental health days: Leaders aren’t used to hearing “I’m just not up to it today” as a reason to take a day off. Everyone feels the heat. It’s only natural to want to pause and gather your thoughts. A well-timed mental health day may be just what your team needs to step away from the fire and circle back with double the vigor.
The first rule is to not be dismissive about it. Encourage your teams to be open about how they feel. Instill the idea that taking a mental health day is nothing to be ashamed of. And be receptive when approached.
Disconnect effectively: It’s 7pm and you’re sitting on your couch after a hard day’s work. Netflix is fired up and you’re on season five of The Office. Suddenly, you hear your phone buzz—it’s your boss. He wants to go over a report you sent in earlier. This scenario has probably played out at some point in our lives.
The lesson here is about boundaries. Employers need to steer clear of making work calls after hours. If your employees carry work back home with them, you’re promoting a toxic work culture. Encourage your teams to turn off notifications when done with work. And when they’re taking time off, they’re off-grid. This isn’t always possible but you’d do well to keep it at the absolute minimum.
Keep it light: Employees respond really well when they’re treated like actual people. A sense of humor can really help build rapport, trust, and openness with your team. Never pass up the chance to celebrate an occasion. Spend some time outside the office—catch a movie or grab a beer at the lobby. But again, be mindful of boundaries.
A change in scene: Sometimes, the physical space you’re in also contributes to your mental state. We’ve shifted work home for the best part of a year now. Working from the same home office day in and day out can seem gruelling. Over time, the walls start to close in and you begin to associate the physical space with the toils of work. And suddenly, it’s a part of the house you come to hate.
A shift in scenery can shock the system into loosening up. Get your team to shift their desks around or work out of a local coffee shop from time to time. A workcation can also change things up—as long as they have access to stable wifi, the sky’s the limit.
Take the lead on addressing workplace burnout
Dealing with workplace burnout can seem challenging, but it’s actually very reversible.
Schedule time to talk, and don’t name the meeting “We need to talk”. She likely already feels the stress of underperforming and is just waiting for bad news.
Start by appreciating the great work she’s doing and remind her why her work is important. Use this time to reassure her. Be frank about what you’ve observed, and then stop and just listen. When she stops talking, say, “And what else?” Be genuinely interested and don’t belittle any issue.
Stress the importance of her mental and physical health and suggest some ways for her to cover including time off and reshuffling her tasks to others. Ask for her ideas, but don’t put her on the spot to solve the issue.
Burnout is a very real thing, and we all experience it in different ways. As a leader, it is your job to help people on your team find ways to prevent it from happening. Everyone will have a different plan, and it’s your job to help them find it.
Workplace burnout is not only exhausting, but it also makes people not want to talk about it openly. No one should have to deal with burnout on their own.
Thankfully, no one on your team will ever need to.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Grace is an excellent employee. She works hard, takes on projects, and knows exactly how to give your clients what they need.
She took the switch to virtual seamlessly. Her work didn’t suffer at all and she even added to the accounts that she services.
You’ve told her she’s on the right track and if she keeps up the good work, she’s in for a promotion soon.
But over the last two weeks, something’s changed. She doesn’t have the same spark. She pings you messages all through the day and night, but her productivity has dropped. She stopped telling her regular knock-knock joke to start off your digital team meetings, and she missed her last 1:1.
In fact, it feels like the whole team can pick up on the change, and everyone’s mood has been subdued. What should you do?
The Burn is real
While everyone talks about productivity, we rarely think about how constantly firing on all pistons can be harmful in the long run.
So what is burnout?
Workplace burnout is an occupational phenomenon that the WHO defines as a syndrome resulting from inadequate stress management. Phew! That’s a mouthful.
In layman’s terms, it is the overwhelming feeling of dread and mental exhaustion that comes from not managing work pressure.
A study by Gallup suggests that just over 66% of full-time workers felt burned out at work, and 23% felt it frequently.
The pandemic hasn’t exactly helped the situation.
People aren’t used to working within the confines of their homes for this long. With conversations becoming more digital, employees feel increasingly disconnected. They now work longer hours, have no social life, and are subjected to higher amounts of stress. As a result, the risk of burnout is the highest it’s been in two years.
Spotting burnout in the workplace
Unfortunately, the biggest roadblock that most leaders face while diagnosing employee burnout is the stigma that comes with it. While most people experience stress, very few bring it up. A fear of judgement, perhaps? Or just the general assumption that expressing vulnerability can go against you in a competitive work environment.
So what are the signs of workplace burnout? And how can leaders spot an employee suffering from it?
Low-energy: One of the most telling symptoms is the significant drop in energy. Burned out employees come across as being unmotivated, depressed, or emotionally detached.
A decrease in confidence: People with burnout experience a 13% drop in self-confidence and are 50% less willing to discuss performance goals with their managers (Gallup).
Cynicism: It’s common for them to feel like their work has no value. They contribute less and even become defensive when questioned.
Reduced output: Individuals who are burned out are constantly playing catch up. They may miss deadlines and get very little done despite working very hard.
General irritability: Staying on-edge all the time can cause a great deal of irritability, restlessness, impatience, and mood swings. They have trouble concentrating and frequently zone out of conversations.
Withdrawal: Constant stress can cause withdrawal or disconnection from peers. They seem unwilling to collaborate and may avoid social settings.
Physiological symptoms: Stress-related headaches, exhaustion, and a generally compromised immune system are some physiological symptoms of employee burnout. Affected individuals are also 63% more likely to take sick days (Gallup).
Analyzing root cause
Certain jobs come with a higher risk of stress than others. But understanding root causes and addressing them can ensure the situation doesn’t spiral out of control or spread to others in the team.
Staying available all the time: Workplaces often reward availability. As a result, people log in on evenings and weekends and even keep their phones or laptops close while on vacation. They are constantly on alert, checking notifications every chance they get, and they don’t really tune out from work.
Not only do such employees experience higher levels of stress but they let such behavior bleed into their personal lives. And this can very easily lead to exhaustion.
Time pressure: Everyone has days when they feel there’s just not enough time to get things done. This usually happens once every couple of weeks. But when they become a regular occurrence, it’s time for the red flags to go up. People who face regular time pressure in their jobs are 70 percent more susceptible to burnout in the workplace.
Lack of control: Workdays can be quite a hit or miss. With pressures piling up and deadlines zooming past, not having the freedom to maneuver can be frustrating. Naturally, when employees spend more energy figuring out what they need to do and less time actually doing them, we have a problem.
Dysfunctional workplace: A wise person once said, people don’t quit on their jobs, they quit their bosses. Dysfunctional work relationships are the worst. An overbearing boss or a micromanager can make employees feel vulnerable and may even push them to quit. Similarly, being around colleagues that do not show respect or give credit when it’s due can really drive a wedge in the relationship.
Lack of clarity: Everyone needs a clear line of sight of their role in the organization. One can only be successful if they understand the full scope of the job and what is expected. Not knowing the level of authority of the position or the general direction of the company can make for uncomfortable situations in the workplace. Sometimes, it even boils down to job fit—a stellar performer doesn’t always transition into the best leader.
Stop the dreadwalking
Workplace burnout can be particularly tricky to deal with because everyone responds to it differently. What worked for one person may not work for everybody else. There is no one solution—it takes a lot of patience and empathy. Here are a few things you can do to avoid employee burnout:
Stay approachable: The first thing burned-out employees need is validation. They need to know they can always come forward and talk about their problems as and when they face them. Great leaders know precisely how to broach the subject, keep the dialogue open, and offer a helping hand.
Overcommunication is a good strategy. Set aside time to chat at least once a week. This will give them a chance to open up and fill you in on what they’re feeling. Make them feel valued. Lend an ear. Ask the important questions. And do what you can to help. If you are not able to, guide them to seek professional help.
Model good behavior: Leading by example is one of the most effective ways to influence people. Modeling kind behavior can instill confidence, build cohesity, and allow team members to pick up the right habits.
Successful leaders know that building a strong work ethic starts with them. Demonstrate what you want to see in your team. Seek out opinions and nurture respect. Extend a helping hand whenever possible. Weed out petty politics. And most importantly, be honest—even when you don’t have the answer.
Time management: The biggest cause of work-related stress is improper time management. There’s always going to be something that needs to be done pronto and accommodating an extra task often involves a fair bit of calendar wrestling. This can spiral into chaos, especially when you have a packed schedule.
Work always piles up. The trick to effective time management is to prioritize. If you need someone working on an impromptu task, accept delays in something else they’re working on. Give them space to plan their day around it. Encourage them to take breaks. And set realistic deadlines. If this is a regular occurrence, help them plan their days better. Set aside an hour or so of their time for ad-hoc requests.
Mental health days: Leaders aren’t used to hearing “I’m just not up to it today” as a reason to take a day off. Everyone feels the heat. It’s only natural to want to pause and gather your thoughts. A well-timed mental health day may be just what your team needs to step away from the fire and circle back with double the vigor.
The first rule is to not be dismissive about it. Encourage your teams to be open about how they feel. Instill the idea that taking a mental health day is nothing to be ashamed of. And be receptive when approached.
Disconnect effectively: It’s 7pm and you’re sitting on your couch after a hard day’s work. Netflix is fired up and you’re on season five of The Office. Suddenly, you hear your phone buzz—it’s your boss. He wants to go over a report you sent in earlier. This scenario has probably played out at some point in our lives.
The lesson here is about boundaries. Employers need to steer clear of making work calls after hours. If your employees carry work back home with them, you’re promoting a toxic work culture. Encourage your teams to turn off notifications when done with work. And when they’re taking time off, they’re off-grid. This isn’t always possible but you’d do well to keep it at the absolute minimum.
Keep it light: Employees respond really well when they’re treated like actual people. A sense of humor can really help build rapport, trust, and openness with your team. Never pass up the chance to celebrate an occasion. Spend some time outside the office—catch a movie or grab a beer at the lobby. But again, be mindful of boundaries.
A change in scene: Sometimes, the physical space you’re in also contributes to your mental state. We’ve shifted work home for the best part of a year now. Working from the same home office day in and day out can seem gruelling. Over time, the walls start to close in and you begin to associate the physical space with the toils of work. And suddenly, it’s a part of the house you come to hate.
A shift in scenery can shock the system into loosening up. Get your team to shift their desks around or work out of a local coffee shop from time to time. A workcation can also change things up—as long as they have access to stable wifi, the sky’s the limit.
Take the lead on addressing workplace burnout
Dealing with workplace burnout can seem challenging, but it’s actually very reversible.
Schedule time to talk, and don’t name the meeting “We need to talk”. She likely already feels the stress of underperforming and is just waiting for bad news.
Start by appreciating the great work she’s doing and remind her why her work is important. Use this time to reassure her. Be frank about what you’ve observed, and then stop and just listen. When she stops talking, say, “And what else?” Be genuinely interested and don’t belittle any issue.
Stress the importance of her mental and physical health and suggest some ways for her to cover including time off and reshuffling her tasks to others. Ask for her ideas, but don’t put her on the spot to solve the issue.
Burnout is a very real thing, and we all experience it in different ways. As a leader, it is your job to help people on your team find ways to prevent it from happening. Everyone will have a different plan, and it’s your job to help them find it.
Workplace burnout is not only exhausting, but it also makes people not want to talk about it openly. No one should have to deal with burnout on their own.
Thankfully, no one on your team will ever need to.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
