Employees working in high-pressure environments might seem like the norm in the current landscape, where many businesses survive on limited resources and staff, with ample workloads, and some often require that people wear many hats. However, employee health and wellness should be a priority, even in high-pressure environments.
The risk of employee burnout is higher than the amount of time it takes to ensure that the people who dedicate themselves to your business are in the right mental and physical state. In this article, we’ll discuss six ways you can prevent employee burnout.
1. Assess Capacity
Employees may find it difficult to express when workplace demands are too much to handle. According to Insightful, 90% of employees report feeling stressed on the job. This is an alarming number and potentially indicates that there’s a gap between employee capacity and the employer’s understanding of manageable workloads.
This is why it’s crucial that you continuously assess workloads and capacity. This does not mean your team should not do the work that needs to go out, but in many instances, the issue isn’t only the workload, but the timelines in which tasks are given and deadlines that must be met. Hence, time management is a crucial aspect in any workplace.
2. Improve Time Management
Having realistic expectations from your team plays a fundamental role in their meeting deadlines on time. According to research by Frontiers in Organizational Psychology, 35% of employees have reported feeling overwhelmed by unrealistic demands, and 40% say they are battling to juggle tight deadlines.
Preparing for high-pressure tasks ahead of time can help businesses minimise stress levels amongst employees. Time management should not only be for employees. It should also be practised by leadership. If managers constantly give urgent tasks at the last minute, employees will always feel like they are working in crisis mode. If employees work in such environments, they can get stressed and end up producing poor-quality work.
A good way to improve time management is to separate urgent tasks from important tasks. This allows employees to know what is needed immediately and what can wait. Additionally, you must also ensure to dedicate enough time between tasks. This can be done effectively through planning tools such as shared calendars, project boards, or weekly priority lists.
3. Encourage Breaks
Employees might feel guilty for taking breaks, especially in businesses where everyone is busy. However, working without rest only leads to frustrated employees and poor quality work.
Breaks should be treated as part of the workday, especially in industries where individuals sit in one position for long periods. Employees need time to step away from their screens, eat properly, stretch, or simply breathe. Even a short break can help someone return to their work with better focus.
Business owners should also be mindful of communication after hours. While some urgent instances may require it, contacting employees after hours can make employees feel like they are always on duty. Where possible, set clear boundaries around work hours.
Rest also includes leave. Employees should be encouraged to take their annual leave and not feel punished for being away.
4. Create a Culture of Open Communication
Managers and employers should create an environment where employees can speak honestly about their workload, stress levels, and challenges. This does not mean every complaint can be solved immediately, but employees should feel heard.
One way to encourage open communication is through regular conversations between managers and employees. These meetings should not only focus on performance. They should also give employees space to talk about what is working, what is not working, and where they need support.
It is also important to listen without becoming defensive. If an employee says they are overwhelmed, the first response should not be to remind them that everyone is busy. Instead, ask what is making the workload difficult and what support would help.
5. Ensure Your Employees Feel Seen
When employees feel unseen or undervalued, they tend to lose the drive to dedicate their time and effort to their work. This is even more relevant in businesses where employees wear several hats.
Ensuring your employees feel seen doesn’t require you to deplete cash flow on bonuses you can not afford. You can celebrate them through initiatives such as employee of the month, giving off days during slow seasons, or highlighting their progress in front of the whole team.
Even a small amount of recognition can go a long way. However, it’s important to note that recognition does not replace the need for a healthy work-life balance. Employees still need sufficient time for rest, as well as other life responsibilities such as time spent with friends, family, and oneself.
6. Offer Practical Support
Preventing burnout is not only about telling employees to manage stress. Businesses also need to provide practical support to manage work stress. This may include training, better tools, clearer processes, or extra help during busy periods. This may be something as simple as a team-building exercise where you walk around the block and invite an expert to talk about the importance of health and wellness.
Sometimes employees are overwhelmed because they do not have the resources they need to do their jobs properly. For example, an employee may spend hours doing a task manually when a simple system could make the work easier. Another employee may struggle because they were never properly trained.
Burnout is a real risk when it comes to people. People are not machines, but in order for them to remain productive and efficient, it’s vital to take care of the employees who allow your business to grow. Set the tone and lead by example about creating a work-life balance that allows for a “work hard, rest hard” mindset.
