Have you heard of burnout? Probably. It has been one of the most searched terms on Google during the pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified this syndrome as a case of “poorly managed chronic work-related stress.” Furthermore, burnout is not only a work-related problem: it also disrupts employees’ personal lives.
In this article, we'll help you understand what burnout really is and how to avoid it to optimize your business performance. So pay attention to the details below.
What is burnout?
Burnout is a response to prolonged exposure to emotional, physical, and interpersonal stressors. As stress builds, employees begin to feel emotionally and physically exhausted.
They also become cynical about their work, leading to high levels of apathy and decreased effectiveness. In the workplace, stress comes from many sources, including team conflict, tight deadlines, and heavy workloads.
The Effects of Burnout on Employees' Lives and Finances
In addition to increasing anxiety, burnout can have physical impacts on health. It can lead to high blood pressure, headaches, severe fatigue, and muscle and joint pain. Workers may become less effective, withdrawn, and experience feelings of exhaustion and depression.
All of these factors can negatively impact employees’ finances, forcing them to face unexpected and often considerable expenses to deal with the effects of work stress. Costly medical care or urgent repairs are examples of these unexpected expenses. Additionally, if burnout prevents them from working, it can jeopardize their financial plans.
Measures to prevent burnout
Preventing burnout is possible through understanding and support from managers. Below are 6 essential steps you can take as a manager or employer to prevent this problem in your company:
1. Prioritize employee well-being and stress management
A lack of well-being makes it more difficult for employees to manage stress, increasing the risk of stress. When employees are engaged in their work, they feel good and find meaning in their professional lives.
2. Plan for recovery time and breaks
Everyone needs a break to recover. Employees who push themselves to the limit at work are likely to experience more stress. Therefore, managers need to adjust workloads and create realistic expectations.
3. Recognize your employees
Employee recognition plays a crucial role in preventing burnout. This recognition can take the form of rewards, gifts and other gestures of appreciation. These initiatives boost employee morale, encourage greater commitment, and help create a positive work environment. Rewarding effort and results helps increase motivation and reduce stress, which ultimately helps prevent burnout.
4. Build social connections
The more support employees have from others, the better off they will be. So plan weekly team lunches, walks with colleagues, or a team-building activity.
Celebrate your employees and bring your teams together regularly. This is a burnout prevention measure that you should not underestimate.
5. Adopt a holistic approach to wellness
The term “well-being” often focuses on physical health, but true well-being has multiple dimensions. A holistic approach recognizes that employee well-being is influenced by a wide range of factors, so employees need to be given the tools they need to manage stress effectively.
Implementing a holistic wellness program reduces employee stress, increases engagement, and improves productivity. In reality, holistic wellness addresses the following four dimensions:
- Physical health
- Emotional and mental health
- Social welfare
- Financial Well-being
6. Set clear expectations
While keeping their boundaries in mind, make sure your employees know what you expect of them. Understanding what is expected of them gives them a sense of greater control over the situation. This reduces the risk of burnout caused by ambiguity and role conflict. When setting expectations, be as clear as possible to avoid misunderstandings that can increase stress.
Why is employee recognition important?
The lack of an effective recognition program within companies can have significant repercussions. Recognition plays a vital role in strengthening the connection with the company culture, while helping to reduce burnout. It also creates a work environment where employees feel psychologically safe and united. This promotes their happiness and improves their working conditions.
Recognition is of paramount importance because it meets a fundamental need for both employees and managers. In addition, it increases job satisfaction, the quality of work performed, and employee commitment and loyalty to the company.
Accolad: an essential pillar to prevent burnout
Giving an employee a simple gift can help them feel better and more valued within the company. To prevent burnout, employee recognition is a valuable asset.
Accolad, as a leader in employee recognition solutions, stands out for its innovative approach. It offers a complete solution to recognize your employees through the automated sending of original gifts. In addition, it allows you to offer highly personalized gifts.
Accolad’s impact goes far beyond giving gifts. It helps create a positive work environment, strengthen company culture and drive employee engagement.
Would you like to reduce burnout in your company and increase the quality of work provided by your employees? Contact us today.