Stress is a normal part of work life, but if employees are subjected to constant, chronic stress, it can lead to burnout. 79% of UK employees experience burnout, making it a common problem, but burnout can be detrimental to people’s mental and physical health. Burnout causes feelings of depression, cynicism and poor self-esteem, and being under regular stress can strain the heart and nervous system.
Burnout also negatively impacts productivity for your business and can lead to more absentees and a high employee turnover. It is important to get on top of burnout before it becomes an issue, so follow this guide to help reduce stress at work and prevent burnout.
What causes employee burnout?
Burnout is more common in employees who are high-performing and perfectionists, as they tend to prioritise work over their personal lives. However, any employee can suffer from a poor work-life balance if they are being put under strict deadlines, high pressure, and unmanageable workloads.
If your employees are showing signs of physical, mental, or emotional exhaustion, irritability, argumentativeness or disengagement, they likely need to reduce their work stress. Similarly, if you notice their work has been of a lower quality, or they are working long hours or missing a lot of work, this could be a sign of burnout.
How to prevent burnout in employees
When trying to reduce the risk of burnout, begin with tackling the causes of stress. Make sure your employees are not burdened with an excessive workload, and if they are, consider hiring more staff to balance the work. Encourage employees to take time off and use their holiday, and ensure that they are not so busy that they can’t afford to do so. You can also introduce flexible hours and provide opportunities to work from home so people can work around their personal life.
Be transparent about the business and have open communication with your employees, to reduce the fear of the unknown. Create clear goals and career paths for your employees and forewarn them of increases in workload or pressure. Ensure your technology and software are up to date and that workspaces are comfortable and not physically straining.
Once the source of the stress is being managed, you can then also improve the company culture and morale to encourage your employees. Build quiet spaces and areas to relax within the office, introduce assistance programs with resources for dealing with personal issues, and allow opportunities for people to get out of the office – such as doing walking meetings. Lastly, have fun at work: plan parties or events to celebrate, or offer free fruit and snacks to show your appreciation.
If you help reduce employees’ stress levels you will have happier, more loyal employees, which will lead to a better reputation, higher productivity levels, and better quality of work.
Discover more ways you can help your business and employees thrive by reading more on our Knowledge Hub.
