How To Identify And Prevent Employee Burnout

By Michael Timmes, Forbes Councils Member

The global coronavirus pandemic escalated a growing concern in American workplaces: employee burnout. According to Gallup research, before the pandemic, 76% of workers reported feeling burned out sometimes, while 28% of workers said they were burned out “very often” or “always” at work. With the events of last year, those numbers are likely trending upward.

Elements contributing to rising burnout levels in 2020 include an economic downturn, pay cuts, job losses and general uncertainty of what the future holds. With a patchwork of conflicting public-health guidelines, remote working-related stress, work-life imbalances and health concerns factored in, it is no surprise workers are worn out.

Even with growing optimism that widespread vaccinations could usher in the end of the pandemic, burnout levels will likely remain high for some time, and it can be detrimental to workers' well-being and their employers’ bottom line.

Companies should keep an eye out for signs of employee burnout and use the following tips and resources to help workers overcome it.

How To Spot Burnout

The Mayo Clinic lays out nearly a dozen burnout symptoms, including expressions of cynicism or criticism, trouble getting to work, irritability, impatience with co-workers and an absence of energy to remain consistently productive. Others include an inability to concentrate; disillusionment about work; use of food, drugs or alcohol to alter moods; and unexplained physical maladies.

Sources of burnout can come exclusively from work or from home — where families are facing stressors like working from home, distance learning and healthcare for family members — or a combination of the two.

In some cases, employers will be able to identify clear symptoms exhibited by employees. Even if signs of burnout are obvious, asking employees about their personal lives can lead to meaningful conversations and help employees feel that their employers care about their mental health.

How To Prevent And Address Burnout

Burnout can cause a raft of issues, including fatigue, insomnia, increased vulnerability to illness, sadness, anger and irritability. Employers should offer up an employee assistance program to provide workers access to various mental-health support tools. If that is not possible, employers should curate a list of social-service nonprofits to help workers in need. Some companies have also expanded access to activities to reduce stress: Meditation and on-demand yoga or workout apps have become popular new benefits for employees.

Increased communication between managers and their employees may also yield ways to mitigate specific stressors in any unique situation an employee may face. Building a framework that allows co-workers to offer support or lend a shoulder can also be beneficial.

On a larger scale, companies can preemptively focus on preventing burnout by regularly checking in with their employees through one-on-one meetings or group surveys. Gathering feedback is essential and should be taken seriously. Surveys can illuminate trends or growing concerns. It is a good bet that if several employees have similar opinions on specific issues, others will share those same feelings.

Employees should also be encouraged to speak freely with supervisors about feeling burnout. Having an open-door policy without fear of repercussions can go a long way in proactively preventing burnout or quickly addressing it once it appears.

Especially during the pandemic, employers should implore workers to log off each day and ensure they keep a firm wall between their work and home lives. Remote workers are more likely to blur the lines between professional and personal, often because they work where they live. Employers should direct employees to shut down their work computers and put their email accounts to sleep at the end of the day. In emergencies, employers may call their employees when necessary. Managers and executives should model this behavior for their employees.

The issue of burnout existed before the pandemic struck, and it will exist long after the pandemic passes — even as Covid-19 exacerbates it. Addressing burnout needs to be built into standard operating procedures over the long haul for this reason. By taking proactive steps, burnout can be widely mitigated or eliminated in many individuals.