How to Balance Businesses Profitability and Employee Burnout
If your employees are feeling the burn after nearly two years of pandemic living and working, they’re not alone. Professionals across all industries are reporting higher levels of stress in their lives. Add to that the worker shortage – and that your team is doing more with less – and it’s a recipe for disaster.
How can you maintain your company’s competitive edge, while meeting the work-life balance needs of your staff? It takes the right approach. Here are some tips for managing your way through it and keeping your team intact:
Recognize burnout.
Simply discussing mental health issues openly with your team can go a long way in alleviating stress and burnout at work. When your employees know they’re not alone and you understand the stress they’re under, you’ll open the door to communicating about it and dealing with it effectively.
It also creates an environment where your people feel safe and supported in discussing the struggles they’re facing. This enables you to better understand and help them, so they can maintain a healthy balance in their lives and continue to meet work goals.
Keep in mind, it’s never the perfect time to talk about or deal with burnout. However, if you don’t tackle it head-on, it can cause high rates of absenteeism, turnover, critical errors, and other negative consequences.
Talk to each employee independently.
Once you’re more open about discussing burnout, meet with each of your employees independently. A 15-minute conversation can help you gauge what’s really going on with them. Some ways to have this conversation include through questions such as:
• How was your week?
• What were some of the high points? What about struggles?
• How can I help?
Everyone has different levels of stress at work, unique situations at home, and a wide range of coping skills. So, while one worker might be managing well, another might be ready to throw in the towel. Once you know who needs some extra support, you’ll be able to take steps to give it.
Provide help and resources.
Now, more than ever, your employees need help maintaining a healthy work-life balance and avoiding burnout. Support them in the ways you can. For instance, if one employee is feeling overworked, try to re-assign some of their projects to others, or put them on pause for the time being. Other ideas include:
• Revisit any workplace policies around scheduling, so you can offer as much flexibility as possible.
• Research Employee Assistance Programs to see if you’re able to offer employees additional mental health benefits.
• Encourage employees to take breaks and vacation so they can recharge.
• Host a yoga retreat or time for meditation during the day to help employees relax and focus.
Most importantly is creating a two-way conversation to ensure your employees are comfortable opening up to you. This way, you’re aware of the challenges they are facing – and you can help them regain control and overcome their struggles.
Need more staff, so your people aren’t stretched thin?
Get help from Gill Staffing, one of West Michigan’s top staffing agencies. Whether you’re interested in temporary workers or a full-time addition to your team, we are your source for talented and skilled professionals. Simply contact us today to learn more.