American workers are experiencing burnout: when an employee feels like they are unable to physically or emotionally able to withstand any additional stress or frustration. This is typically caused by the lack of managerial and peer support or workplace resources in conjunction with tight or unreasonable deadlines.
Dealing with stress at work may be a normal part of employee lives, however, managers and peers should be on the lookout for employees who are exhibiting low morale, anxiety or depression, and may have a short temper. These warning signs may help identify an employee who may be close to “burnout.”
But employee burnout doesn’t just affect the employee, contrary to its name. Employees who are experiencing this level of stress and fatigue are more likely to miss days of work, leading to added stress on their team and additional costs in health premiums. This individual may also become short-tempered with their peers, which could further impact the team’s production.
Employers can work to help reduce employee stress by integrating some of these tips:
- Performance goals and workloads should be reviewed annually, at least, for each employee. Workloads should be appropriate for each employee and adjusted quickly in the instance they are not.
- Ask managers to regularly meet with employees. This will help to keep the lines of communication open.
- Celebrate employee wins and successes both one-on-one and with the entire team. This will help contribute to morale and decrease mounting stress levels.
- Encourage employees to take needed mental health days while also encouraging managers to have discussions with employees that support a healthy work/life balance.
As an employee, it is always important to try to self-identify any of the aforementioned warning signs in yourself. If you believe you are experiencing any of these issues or feel like “burnout” is on the horizon, it may be time to talk to your manager or supervisor about the physical and emotional stress or fatigue you are feeling at work.
Every employee is important—it is each business’ most important asset. Employers should strive to ensure all employees, from the janitor to the CEO feel important, as they are part of a team, and that they are able to communicate freely with their manager in regard to work-related stresses.
Keep your business operating smoothly, your employees motivated, and the stress levels low. Human Capital has the right support team to apply a modern and effective approach to address the HR needs of any business. Let us show you how.
