It’s important to learn how to recognize the signs of employee burnout so that you can address the issues right away and get your employee back on track. Here’s what to keep in mind.
Signs of Employee Burnout
1. Changes in behavior. Has your usually prompt employee suddenly been showing up late? Has he been acting irritable? Does he appear disheveled or unkempt? Does he isolate himself more (for example, eating lunch alone or not going out for drinks with colleagues even though this was something he used to love doing)?
Changes in behavior are symptoms of an underlying problem. The problem might not always be workplace burnout (a new baby in the home could also result in all of the above, as many sleep-deprived parents can attest), but until you can rule it out, burnout should stay on the list of possible reasons.
2. Changes in attitude. Sure, your employee might never miss a deadline, but something about the way she goes about doing her job is “off.” You detect an edge that wasn’t there before. Or perhaps you hear the employee make snide comments under her breath. Or maybe you witness eye rolling during meetings.
Again, changes in attitude don’t always indicate the employee is experiencing burnout at work. The person could be experiencing personal problems at home. But if those problems are affecting the employee’s attitude at work, that’s still an issue (and could lead to burnout).
3. Changes in work quality. If your once responsible and responsive employee is suddenly delivering sloppy work, then something is up. You need to determine whether it’s due to employee burnout or some other reason (e.g. a sick family member).
4. Changes within the organization. When a company makes sudden and/or sweeping organizational changes (e.g. layoffs, buyouts, mergers), this will naturally cause some employees to experience fear, confusion, and stress—all of which can lead to burnout.
If your company has gone through any big changes, you should pay careful attention to your employees and be on the lookout for burnout.
How to Manage Employee Burnout
Directly address any changes as soon as possible. The goal isn’t to admonish the employee, but to have a conversation and listen to what the employee says. Take the person aside for a private conversation. Tell the employee that you’ve observed some changes (be specific) and you wanted to check in to see what was going on and if you could offer any help. Then, LISTEN to what the employee says.
If you approach the conversation in a truly helpful and authentic way, then the person might open up. It’s important for the employee to know the conversation is confidential and that what he or she says won’t be used against him/her. Some people might be reluctant to talk about workplace stress because they don’t want you to think they’re weak.
Remember, the employee will take his or her cue from you and from the corporate culture in general. So even if you come across as willing to help, but the overall climate in the company is cutthroat, don’t expect your employee to necessarily reveal the root of his or her problems.
If the employee does open up and the issue is indeed work-related, then you and the employee will need to develop strategies for combating the workplace burnout. Some ideas to consider:
- Provide coaching/training
- Offer a mentoring program
- Adjust workloads and deadlines
- Allow/encourage flex schedules and/or telecommuting
- Make sure employees use vacation time (and that they don’t feel guilty for doing so)
- Discourage the temptation to always be “on” and available (in other words, make sure employees know that their evenings and weekends are their time)
- Make constructive changes at the organizational level (e.g. creating programs that boost employee morale overall)
In addition, you should make sure that you and anyone who is involved with managing employees follows important basics:
- Acknowledge what the employee is doing well—and continue to acknowledge accomplishments (this goes across the board for all workers).
- Communicate regularly with your staff during good times and challenging times (especially during the hard times).
- Make sure you and your employees are on the same page regarding expectations.
- Hold regular performance reviews.
- Continue to hone and improve employee motivation strategies.
How do you handle employee burnout in your business? Share your strategies in the comments below.