Burnout is harming your employees and your business

“I just feel so burned out.”

I’m sure you’ve heard that phrase, whether it was in or out of the office. Its casual use and lack of quantitative measurement may make it seem like it’s nothing to worry about. However, three out of four employees experience burnout.

How can a problem of this scale go unseen?

The very real problem of burnout

Burnout can lead to many problems for employees. The American Psychological Association found that employees experiencing burnout were at over 50% increased risk of missing more than two weeks of work due to illness. They were also at 84% increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Burnout can have devastating, prolonged impacts on an employee’s life.

It’s not just an individual issue; burnout will cost, on average, 15-20% of a business’s total payroll due to voluntary turnover. Those who are burned out, who don’t leave their company, tend to take many more sick days. Some might even go as far as treating their sick days as “sick of work” days.

If their work is having a persistent, negative impact on their lives, causing them to be sick, and increasing their risk for serious diseases, who can blame them?

Why is this happening?

Burnout in the workplace develops when certain conditions are present in the employee’s working environment.

The Mayo Clinic found that there are several different causes for burnout.

• Lack of control – when employees don’t have autonomy in their work or are ill-equipped to tackle their work, it can contribute to burnout.
• Lack of clear expectations – when employees aren’t sure what’s expected of them, it can cause stress that leads to burnout.
• Conflict with coworkers – when coworkers feel like they aren’t a part of the team, left out, or micromanaged, they are at risk of burning out.
• Too much or too little work to do – Being overwhelmed by the volume of their workload or bored out of their mind from, yes, really, the lack of work can lead to burnout.
• Lack of support – Feeling isolated at work or in their personal lives can lead to burnout.
• Work-Life balance options – When employees can’t disconnect from work, it can lead to burnout.

If these pressures build up in an employee’s life, it may lead them to take more time off or search for a new job. Taking time off doesn’t solve burnout because it doesn’t address the conditions that contributed to it in the first place.

Burnout isn’t the gasket waiting to explode; it’s the straw piling up on the camel’s back, oblivious to how much more it can take.

So what can you do for your employees?

Now that you understand why your employees are burning out, it will be easier for you to assist them.

Communication is the most important tool in learning how your employees feel about their working environment.

It is essential to talk to your employees about burnout before they reach out to you. You can do this through check-in conversations and surveys.

If one of your employees talks to you about their workload or raises concerns at work, don’t dismiss them. If you’re proactive in showing you care, it can increase the confidence of your employees in you and potentially avoid more trouble down the road.

Pay attention to the habits of employees taking time off. Those who take an excessive amount of time off might be burned out, while those who take little to no time off could be on their way to burnout.

Pay attention to your organization’s workflow, specifically to the workload of each individual and the degree of autonomy they get in the work. Remember, if you want them to “own their work”, they should get the control, flexibility, and resources required for that job.

Communication is key to gauging the health of your workplace when it comes to burnout. Make sure you’re aware of how your employees are doing and if there are any pain points you can help them with.

Help them help you

Support your employees in taking care of their mental health. When you set up a positive work environment for your employees, it will empower them to do their best work. When they feel heard, their input matters, and they can bring pain points to the forefront, knowing you’ll listen to them, they are far less likely to leave your company.

Turnover, to some degree, is to be expected. But turnover due to burnout can be reduced when you are proactive for your employees.