Job burnout, which is described as “an individual’s response to chronic emotional and interpersonal stressors within the workplace” can have a profoundly negative impact on a business. Not only does it decrease job satisfaction among employees and create a breeding ground for conflict, it can be a serious hindrance to overall productivity. Here are some ways to help your team avoid burnout and optimize your overall work environment.
Don’t Overwhelm Employees with Tasks
A surefire way to stress an employee out is to throw a laundry list of tasks at them – to the point that they’re completely overwhelmed. When faced with a seemingly never ending to-do list, many workers feel the pressure, and their performance begins to suffer. That’s why you should be realistic about assigning tasks and not throw too much at your employees. This is especially true for new workers who are still learning the ropes. Ideally, you will give employees enough tasks to challenge but not exhaust them.
Don’t Spread Your Staff Too Thin
One mistake that some employers make is trying to cut costs by reducing the size of their workforce. While it’s fine to scale down and make a company lean, it shouldn’t come at the cost of overloading your employees. In most cases, its’ better to hire an extra worker or two part-time so there’s enough manpower, rather than trying to cut corners to the point that everyone is burned out.
Provide Adequate Breaks and Days Off
Another way to not only avoid team burnout, but increase productivity, is to offer employees plenty of breaks. According to Entrepreneur, “studies show that performance increases after breaks of all durations: from extended vacations down to microbreaks of 30 seconds.” The logic behind this statement is that humans can only remain focused for so long before their performance is inhibited and fatigue sets in.
That’s why it’s smart to have an efficient break schedule in place so that employees can take their minds off of work and recharge their batteries. It doesn’t need to be anything over the top, but a brief 5-to15-minute break every few hours should do the trick.
Promote Team Chemistry
If your team is able to get along and build a sense of camaraderie, they’re more likely to experience job satisfaction and have heightened morale. In turn, this can be helpful for minimizing burnout as well. Some ideas for promoting team chemistry include having company picnics, playing recreational games, going to an amusement park, etc.
Burnout can have disastrous effects on a workplace and should be avoided at all costs. But by following these tips, you should be able to reduce your employees’ stress, keep them more engaged and create a more efficient team. To learn more about staffing solutions and optimizing your workplace, click here.