3 Ways to Help Prevent Employee Burnout and Encourage Success

Has a previously great employee been displaying poor work ethic? Maybe he or she isn't as productive, doesn't engage in discussions or consistently shows up late. These may seem like signs of laziness, but if these habits are a new problem, you may actually be witnessing job burnout.

Job burnout is a type of job stress that has physical, emotional and mental tolls. It can cause fatigue, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, heart disease and more. And it's a prevalent issue, too. According to a Kronos and Future Workplace survey, 95 percent of HR leaders say employee burnout is negatively impacting workforce retention. But burnout can be addressed — here's how you can help prevent it and keep employees motivated:

1. Evaluate your company culture.

A negative company culture can be a major contributor to burnout. Here are a few ways you may be able to improve company culture:

• Determine your company's mission and values and make them well-known. Acknowledging these values lets employees know how their values align with the company's.
• Encourage lunch break and vacation usage during which no work is expected. This ensures employees take some much-needed time away from work.
• Limit after-hours work to prevent a culture where overworking is expected.
• Plan company outings. These can not only give employees a break from work, but build morale and provide an opportunity for team building.
• Allow stress relievers such as music while working, a more casual dress code, flexible work hours and telecommuting.

2. Have a discussion with employees.

To understand the finer points of what may be causing burnout, it's imperative that you open a dialogue between you and your employees. Here are a few ways you can do that:

• Hold regular meetings with staff, on a group and individual level. This gives employees an opportunity to comment on their workload, goal progress and more.
• Give regular feedback, including public praise and private constructive criticism. This feedback supplies employees with a gauge of where they are, what they're worth and how they can improve.
• Allow employees the opportunity to comment on and influence company decisions so they can witness their impact on the company as a whole.

3. Provide health resources

Making changes at the workplace may not be enough to alleviate job burnout and its symptoms. You can further assist employees by offering an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Employers can offer EAPs either through the company itself or through insurance. These counseling services can help employees with a variety of issues, including workplace conflicts, financial challenges, mental health and more.

Preventing burnout begins with you

Burnout can be experienced by any worker at any time, but upper management and human resources should take the lead in preventing its occurrence. Work in conjunction with the leaders of your company to look for signs of burnout so it can be addressed right away. With fewer incidents of burnout, you may start to notice improved employee retention and engagement. For more ideas to help your employees and your business succeed, visit California Bank & Trust's Business Resource Center [cite::171::cite] [cite::172::cite].