Employee burnout is a growing concern in today’s fast-paced world of work, and recognising the signs isn’t always easy.
As part of National Wellness Month, we’ve launched a Wellness at Work campaign that looks at the impact work has on our mental and physical health.
According to our earlier research, 38% of UK workers do not feel comfortable telling their managers that they feel stressed. (Mental Health UK, 2024)
It’s therefore crucial that you’re aware of the signs of burnout, can recognise them in your staff and therefore act on them.
Below are 8 of the key indicators of burnout.
1) Increased absences
2) Decreased productivity
3) A change in attitude
4) Reduced engagement
5) Physical symptoms
6) Lower quality of work
7) Expressing of feelings
8) High turnover
We’ve devised a list of the ways you can support your staff if they’re feeling the effects of burnout.
1) Foster open communication
The above statistic shows that creating an environment where your staff feel as though they can talk to you is crucial.
Encourage your employees to voice their concerns, without the fear of being judged. Introduce one-to-one meetings more regularly, check in on their well-being, discuss workloads and offer support.
2) Promote work-life balance
Encourage your team to take regular breaks, use their holiday days, and give them the freedom to disconnect not only on these holiday days but also outside of work.
We all know that things beyond our control happen, and life gets in the way. If your employee has an issue regarding childcare, a medical appointment or a family issue, evaluate how you can best support this.
Whether that’s through adjusted working hours, a day from home or allowing them to make up time at an alternative point.
3) Set realistic expectations
Unrealistic deadlines can be a huge stress contributor. If you delegate a huge task to one of your employees, ensure that your expectations for the delivery of this are achievable.
You also need to ensure that your employees have all of the resources they need to complete their work.
4) Provide opportunities
Professional development doesn’t always mean climbing up the corporate ladder. In some cases, offering development opportunities, such as new learning or training, can re-energise your employees and give them something to work towards.
5) Encourage taking time off
Sometimes what your employees need is some R and R. Encourage them to take their holidays and then respect this time off, by avoiding unnecessary contact.
6) Promote mental health support
Whether it’s through HR or an external well-being business, ensuring your employees are familiar with the mental health resources available to them is key.
If you don’t currently have something in place to support your employees mental wellbeing, we would encourage you to develop this.
7) Recognise and reward
Working tirelessly with no recognition can ultimately lead to burnout. Regularly acknowledging your employees’ effort and achievements is a sure way of making them feel valued.
8) Lead by example
As a leader in your organisation, how you behave in the office will set the tone for other employees.
If you prioritise your health and wellbeing, take regular breaks and manage your stress effectively, others will do the same.
Supporting your staff who are experiencing burnout is more than just responding to crises when they happen.
It’s about recognising the warning signs, creating a supportive environment and offering flexibility when it’s needed.