Burnout in the Workplace or Not Waiting for the Smoke To Clear
Are Your Employees Fired Up or Are They On Fire?
According to LinkedIn and Gallup’s State of the Global Workforce Report, and other multiple sources, a major uncontrolled wildfire is burning and raging in the workplace today.
It is not the consuming fire of tariffs, the combustion of inflation or the ignition of AI.
It’s your employees, and they are on fire and not positively.
Burnout in the workplace symptoms include:
- An increasing lack of energy.
- Mental disengagement from one’s work.
- Inability or lack of desire to be productive.
Today, the ravenous flames of burnout are being fanned by stress which can be fueled by long hours, unclear expectations, lack of recognition, lack of resources, and the lack of trust or freedom in making decisions.
Our human resources are being consumed by the wildfire of burnout and if firewalls are not in place, can leave in its path the ashes of team morale, productivity, and neutralize effective leadership.
Contributing Factors:
- Unfortunately, the mirror reveals one of the primary factors causing employee stress. Gallup found out in its State of the Global Workplace Survey that although employees are more engaged, they are also more stressed. Managers seemingly play a significant role in the rise of employee stress levels.
- Adding to the impact, there are small episodes of stress known as microstresses. These frequent interactions of employees with leadership through the workplace, in of themselves are generally manageable, however, like compound interest, they accumulate. Consequently, if not managed or dispersed, they build up waiting to erupt.
- Also, although, employees are super-engaged, stress levels often increase because the worker’s skills and talents are not equal to the task. This “friction” creates sparks which begin the burnout process.
Friction events can be caused by:
- Lack of control.
- Work overload.
Other friction points include:
- Inequity at work.
- Not enough benefits.
- Breakdown of community.
- Value conflict.
As an employer, you can be a “fire watch.” It’s your opportunity to control the sparks and prevent fire. That means reaching for your “fire extinguisher” before burnout takes hold.
Some motivating factors for your business to mitigate burnout include:
- Maintain or increase productivity.
- Decrease absenteeism.
- Prevent high turnover.
Effective fire extinguisher techniques you can use to douse burnout before it causes serious damage include:
- Checking the “stress temperature” of your employees.
- Regular one-on-ones and pulse surveys to help identify early signs of stress.
- Listen actively, and take concerns seriously.
- Focus on workload balance.
- Education.
- Redistribute tasks when possible and encourage employees to take time off — without guilt.
- Respecting work-life boundaries is one of the most powerful ways to reduce burnout risk.
Another key technique is recognition.
Burnout often stems from feeling undervalued. Simple acknowledgments of hard work, public praise, or small rewards can go a long way in reigniting motivation. Don’t forget to invest in growth, too. Offering learning opportunities and clear career paths helps employees feel inspired and supported.
Lastly, model healthy behaviors. When leaders set the tone for rest, balance, and mental health, it gives everyone else permission to do the same.
Fire up your employees by preventing burnout.
📞 Contact us today:
Cell: 321-363-9708
Email: lisa@withpurposellc.com