Employee Burnout: Strategies And Solutions To Support Your Workforce

Burnout management is a wellbeing building block

 
Workplace burnout is very real and has been an increasing concern since the March 2020 onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States. Ignoring this risk sets the stage for workplace problems, deteriorating mental wellbeing and increased attrition. Fortunately, there are strategies and tools available that HR teams and senior leaders can leverage both to identify the drivers of employee burnout and enhance employee wellbeing to address it.

Workplace stress levels are high, according to our recent LifeWorks Mental Health Index (MHI) update. MHI data is based on a survey of 5,000 U.S. residents who are currently employed or employed within the last six months. In November, the overall level stood at -3.7, indicating a drop of nearly four points from the pre-pandemic benchmark. A negative MHI score represents a decline in mental health compared to 2019. It is also associated with lower productivity and an increase in feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression.

Looking at burnout specifically, according to a recent survey of 1,000 U.S. full-time workers from people analytics and workforce planning firm Visier, nearly nine in 10 (89 percent) reported they’ve felt job burnout during the past year. Of those, 27 percent felt burned out “all of the time.” How important is burnout to the average employee? The survey also found that 70 percent of them would contemplate quitting their current organization to join one that provides policies, support and benefits that reduce burnout.

The first step to improving burnout is making sure that executives, managers and employees know how to identify it. The World Health Organization describes burnout as the result of “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” People suffering from burnout may feel apathetic, distant or negative about their job. They may feel emotionally, physically and/or mentally exhausted or rundown. They may have trouble remembering things and/or sleeping well. In general, they are unable to work at their full capacity. (Keep in mind that burnout is different from depression. See the bottom of this article for a brief description.)

Here’s how your organization and its people can successfully manage burnout:

End the stigma: It’s important to educate your workforce that anyone can suffer from burnout, even the most positive or high-performing employees. Feeling burned out is not cause for embarrassment or shame. Particularly during this time of pandemic-induced stress, be sure to remind your people that burnout is more common than most perceive it to be, and there is no need to hide it.

Help with burnout planning: Employees deserve clear direction in everything they do; dealing with burnout is no exception. As part of your overall wellbeing strategy, your organization can offer burnout planning tools that help employees identify when they might be slipping toward burnout – because it’s important to deal with these feelings as early as possible. The plan can also include a checklist of action items, including the option of speaking with a manager.

Offer leaders coaching and training: Make sure your executives and managers are instructed in how to listen for signs of employee burnout and respond to employees who admit to feeling run down. Develop FAQs and discussion guides so that managers have standardized, easily accessible resources to access at a moment’s notice. Your managers should not attempt to take the place of trained counselors, but they do need to act with authenticity and empathy – and steer employees in the right direction for help.

Open the lines of communication: When burnout is destigmatized, it’s easier for your employees to talk about their feelings – and communicating about it is absolutely vital to managing it. Invest the time and resources to educate managers and employees about the different communications options open to your people.

Employees should look not just to their managers about burnout, but also to others in their personal and professional circles. Additional possibilities include an HR professional; a trusted friend or family member; a doctor; or through their employee assistance program (EAP). Employees also should have easy access to individualized digital wellbeing services to help manage burnout. An experienced wellbeing platform provider can offer employees 24-hour availability to counselors via a laptop or smartphone.

Understand that burnout management is a wellbeing building block: While burnout is indeed making headlines, it should not distract HR pros from developing or updating a holistic wellbeing strategy. Think of burnout management as one key building block to a comprehensive plan that considers employees’ wellbeing at every touchpoint your people have with your organization – not just in periods of crisis.

The strategy should consider not just mental-health needs, but also social, financial and physical health. It’s all about maintaining a “balanced diet” for employees’ bodies and minds. Covid-19 lockdowns have forced so many of us to restrict our life activities – only work and kids, only work and cooking, etc. However, going forward, employees are going to need a variety of activities to enhance their wellbeing and stave off burnout.

Lean into your EAP: The need for counseling and other supportive resources to combat burnout is more critical than ever. Employers can play a significant and meaningful role in the lives of their people by offering a continuum of high-quality and easily accessible resources. Many employers have EAPs, but sometimes take them for granted. Be sure to promote your EAP often and consistently. An EAP is a trusted resource for managing burnout. EAPs assist employees with cases of burnout every day.

Ideally, if burnout is caught early by an EAP, it can help your people with strategies to bounce back while they continue to work productively. In recent years, many EAPs have evolved significantly in the depth and breadth of the support they provide. HR professionals should lean into these programs by showcasing their services to employees and promoting their use.

While burnout is a highly personal issue and employees should have access to personalized care to manage it, burnout is also an organizational challenge. As such, it’s important to monitor and measure your company’s efforts to alleviate burnout over the long term. Surveys, focus groups and manager meetings can help you obtain data on how your anti-burnout strategy is working, what you can improve and effective tactics where you should double down.

It’s key to understand that burnout is not necessarily depression and vice versa. In February 2021, the Kaiser Family Foundation released a study showing that approximately four in 10 U.S. adults have reported anxiety or depressive disorder symptoms during the pandemic, up from one in 10 reporting these symptoms in the first half of 2019.

Signs of burnout and depression sometimes can cross over, but not always. Oftentimes, an employee will bounce back from burnout when the causes of burnout are removed. If burnout is not addressed and the sources continue, then depression is more likely.

We’ve discussed the symptoms of burnout above. Common indicators of depression can include waning interest in favorite activities; a sense of emptiness or sadness most of the time; anger and irritability; changes in appetite; low self-esteem; pulling away from people who care; and thoughts of self-harm or suicide. Pervasive symptoms of burnout or depression should always be dealt with by a professional.

One of the very few upsides to the pandemic is that it has raised our collective awareness of employee burnout and other key issues related to workplace mental health and wellbeing. Successfully managing burnout and enhancing employee wellbeing is quickly being recognized as a strategic business imperative, not just nice to have. These issues are more important than ever not only in recruiting and retaining top talent but also in helping drive innovation and productivity for organizations during a period of nearly constant change.