Are Your Employees Burned Out? 6 Reasons Why You Should Know the Answer as a Manager Employee burnout is one of the biggest threats to worker wellbeing and employee engagement — and it's on the rise. Here are six reasons why
By Joanna Nurmi Edited by Maria Bailey
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
It's only Monday and you just got a call from yet another person who had a series of complaints about the same employee. They've been irritable, sending delayed responses and the quality of their work has been declining for months.
Before you consider whether it's time for an improvement plan or resorting to something as drastic as termination, it's worth taking a step back to determine whether your team member is actually burned out rather than unfit for the job.
Although you might be tempted to think that it isn't your problem and that it doesn't make any difference to you in the end, knowing the answer may help you enormously.
1. You could avoid losing a great employee
Staff members may underperform for many reasons, including being bored, unfit for the job, burdened by personal issues or burnout. Even though burned-out people want to work well, the mounting stresses and exhaustion they experience make it difficult to focus on the tasks at hand. Without addressing their state, any action or improvement plan will be ineffective as the added pressure will only aggravate the problem.
The best place to start is with a conversation.
If the employee performed well in the past, giving them a chance can be worth it. Knowing the reasons behind their stress or burnout might help you find a solution that will enable them to achieve satisfying results again.
What's more, you could retain a great worker even if they need a break to recover. They'll come back to you precisely because of the respectful, professional and fair treatment they received under your management. Also, in case you decide to part ways, in the end, remembering your empathetic approach will help them rejoin the workforce in the future.
Related: Giving up on Employees Only Hurts Your Business
2. If you are the cause, then you can prevent it from happening again
While burnout can be tied to a heavy workload or changed circumstances, it's often the result of a manager's actions. Perhaps it's your leadership style (for example, micromanaging, problems with delegation), over-or under-communication or ineffective project planning that is causing problems.
If that's the case, knowing how your choices affect the staff members will give you a chance to improve as a leader and prevent losing more employees down the road. You owe it to your team to facilitate their workflow instead of making it more complex and time-consuming.
It's a humbling experience to admit that our behavior (however well-intended) can be harmful to others. Still, this realization will ultimately help you to become a stronger leader and grow as a person, so don't be afraid to think it through.
Related: 3 Strategies for Avoiding Employee Burnout
3. You'll be able to maintain team spirit and project momentum
Without question, someone who underperforms causes problems for the rest of the group. They may be forced to pick up the slack and become discouraged or angry. This may tempt you to make a knee-jerk decision, but I would caution you against that. Your team is watching your reactions closely.
Being professional allows you to take a gentle approach by showing a willingness to hear the employee out instead of jumping to conclusions. Seeing you treat the underperformer fairly and with respect will indirectly demonstrate to the others that they can count on you too. They will only trust you more.
Related: There's a Smart Way to Do More Work Than You Ever Thought You Could
4. You can make changes that actually work instead of incentivizing employees with wellness perks that don't make any difference to them.
More often than not, employees care more about having pleasant and productive work relationships than free food, designer chairs or obligatory Zoom "happy hours" each Friday. By talking to them honestly, you'll be able to come up with easy and practical changes. Some can be implemented quickly, like more (or less) frequent status updates or meeting-free afternoons a few times a week. Their results may surprise you.
Also, if you take the initiative to have open conversations about burnout, perhaps you'll be able to spot its signs in your staff before they show up in underperformance, low-quality work or absenteeism. Giving your team the ability to suggest improvements will help to prevent conflicts and quality decreases from surfacing in the first place.
Related: The Surprising Perk Employees Want That Costs the Company Nothing
5. You can increase team performance, too.
Even when it's just one person who is showing signs of burnout, that doesn't mean the rest of the group is free of it. Burnout comes in many stages, and not all of them are easy to detect. What's more, the fact that your employees aren't exhausted yet doesn't mean that they work in an optimal environment.
By implementing the changes outlined above, you can not only help with their well-being but also facilitate teamwork and improve their overall workplace satisfaction.
Related: Understanding BIZ Experiencesial Burnout (And How To Deal With It)
6. It'll help you to feel more human
Knowing why the employee is underperforming will give you a chance to understand hidden dynamics and become more empathetic. Not only will that help you to process the situation, but it will also enable you to overcome any feelings of resentment, disappointment or stress created by this challenging event.
Remember that, as a manager, you're also susceptible to burnout, and taking care of your mental health is as important as taking care of your team.
