Billions Of Dollar In Burnout: “Sunday Night Dread” Speaks To A Costly Employment Issue

Key tips to help reduce employee stress

The World Health Organization (WHO) now considers burnout to be a syndrome, and a new study has found that ‘burnout’ costs the healthcare industry $4.6 billion a year. Another recent study found that nearly half of firefighters grapple with burnout, which is linked with sleep issues and mental health concerns. 

Burnout is a common denominator across every industry. And, research shows that workplace dread spikes around Sunday night, with workers experiencing extreme stress related to returning to the workplace on Monday morning. Millennials are hardest hit by this Sunday night dread, and a full quarter of them say that they experience mental burnout each day.

Preventing employee burnout is important for a company’s bottom line. One million workers skip work each day due to the physical and emotional stress of employee burnout. It is estimated that employee burnout costs employers nearly $300 billion annually. So, while some employers may balk at encouraging employees to enjoy their job, it could be a crucial part of your business’ success and longevity.

While it may not be possible to eliminate job stress altogether for your employees, you can help them learn how to manage it effectively. Common job stressors include a heavy workload, intense pressure to perform at high levels, job insecurity, long work hours, excessive travel, office politics, and conflicts with co-workers.

Employers can implement various activities to help reduce employee stress, which in turn can improve health, morale and productivity. Here are the key tips:
 

•    Make sure that workloads are appropriate.
•    Have managers meet regularly with employees to facilitate communication.
•    Address negative and illegal actions in the workplace immediately. Do not tolerate bullying, discrimination or any other similar behaviors.
•    Recognize and celebrate employees’ successes. This contributes to morale and decreases stress levels.
•    Encourage a positive work-life balance.
•    Promote exercise at your organization, as it’s a proven stress reliever.
•    Encourage employees to utilize their paid time off.
•    Incorporate company-sponsored activities to give employees a reason to leave their desks and take a break.
•    Train managers on how to keep employees engaged and motivated at work, and how to address burnout with employees.