The anatomy of Burnout.
Running on empty is common while driving with no fuel in your vehicle and that gives you crazy panic. The vehicle will eventually go off laving you with zero mobility to your destination.
Burnout is preventable. It affects employee performance and customer service.
According to Asana, burnout is defined the feeling of emotional, physical, or mental exhaustion that happens as a result of overwork. Working for too long without adequate rest and health breaks wears you out slowly.
The current work environment places unreasonable job expectations, competitive pressure, unclear job descriptions and little or no recognition for a great job. These work environments become very cannibalistic to employees whereby they zone out on by one. No employer would desire to have a ‘zombie culture’ creeping into their team where everything is running on pilot mode.
Here are some quick facts about burnout;
- It can affect anyone whether you work from the office or remotely.
- Burnout is not stress.
- It is experienced differently depending on personality types.
- There are mental, physical and emotional signs of burnout.
- Burnout is also experienced in all aspects of life.
Employers have the power and capability to address burnout. Just like stress or alcohol addiction, the first step is acknowledging that it happens hence there is no need of living or managing your team in denial. Another important thing to note is that burnout prevention is better than cure. The effort of preventing burnout is more cost effective than curing it.
Some of the measures employers and team leaders should take to reduce workplace burnout are;
Scheduling Breaks – It is important to have breather moments from work and projects to help in recharging. Schedule power breaks in between tasks even though there are tight deadlines. Remember you need your team healthy and not exhausted.
Be observant – be on the lookout for signs and symptoms such as unusual absenteeism, mood swings, low motivation, irritable behaviour or lack of concentration. Don’t ignore these signs or else they will escalate and cause damage to your team’s performance.
Plan Team Bonding Sessions – Be intentional and deliberate about letting your team and employees have bonding retreats, events and hang outs. This calms their minds and boosts team awareness amongst individuals.
Build a culture of trust – Trust is the currency for productive teamwork. Create an environment that encourages open feedback. Also recognize and celebrate wins no matter how small.
Burn is preventable is not a death sentence.
