Burnout is really dangerous in the modern workplace. Not only will workloads increase as more people work remotely from home, as more and more people work remotely from home.
The lines between work and home are blurring. Fatigue from long days, stressful conditions, shortages of staff, and the general pandemic is tiring people up, so it’s very important for leaders to recognize the exhausting reality and understand the factors that drive it. Here are 10 factors you need to proactively manage to keep your employees from getting tired.
Table of Contents
Unrealistic workload
When people have too much work to do and not enough time to do it, their stress levels rise. They make mistakes, make bad judgments, and often leave the rest of the team to take over, creating a cycle of overwork permeating the organization.
What to watch out for:
- Align the skills of the people with what they are doing
- Provide adequate support
- Set clear expectations
- Ensure timelines are realistic
Also Read: 5 signs of burnout that employees should watch out for
Boring work
A job that isn’t enjoyable or stimulating is just as risky as exhaustion. ‘Bore out’ occurs when people feel stuck and unmotivated, boredom causes stress and anxiety, and makes them feel irritable, cynical, and useless. In this case, try this:
- Essentially, it brings fun to repetitive tasks.
- Establish strong links between day-to-day work and strategic goals.
- Provides cross-educational opportunities.
- Mix things up sometimes.
Balance of Authority and Control
Employees must have an appropriate level of control over their jobs and how they perform. This means that you not only have access to the resources you need, but you know that you have discretion over the details of your work. Here are some tips.
- Match responsibility with competence.
- Encourage collaboration.
- Avoid micromanagement.
- Allow free decisions
Don’t give uncertain expectations
Whether it’s a deadline, goal or career advancement, employees need to know what to expect for success. As such, managers must understand what their employees want and want and provide opportunities for success. Without this level of clarity, people feel like the wheels are spinning, which creates unnecessary tension and stress. Here’s how to avoid this:
- Talk about your ambitions and make a plan to achieve them.
- We support a variety of career advancement paths.
- We provide professional development.
- Establish clear results.
Mistreatment
Mistreatment is toxic – it is demeaning, rude and can tire you out very quickly. People need to feel safe in the workplace, and when decisions are made unfairly because of prejudice and favoritism, it undermines trust and leads to disillusionment. To avoid this you should:
- There must be no discrimination of any kind in the workplace.
- Be consistent
- Establish clear policies for salaries, evaluations and promotions.
- Manage transparently.
Boss not supporting
There is a lot of truth to the adage that people leave their bosses, not their jobs. Supervisors are the main supporters of employees and their actions are essential to keeping them tiring. People have to trust that they can open up their problems and concerns to their boss and that their boss will help them. Here’s how.
- Take responsibility and avoid being defensive.
- You don’t have to admit your mistakes and be perfect.
- Establish policies that members can easily approach.
- Communicate candidly and frankly with employees.
Feeling not recognized
The need for recognition is universal. Whether it’s a light appreciation or a formal award, being recognized for a job well done is one of the best anecdotes about a stressful week, disappointing setbacks, or tight deadlines. It’s a great way to inspire pride, loyalty, motivation and keep you from getting tired.
- Consider unexpected fun and ‘no good reason’ rewards for everyone to enjoy.
- Make sure that your day-to-day work and larger milestones are recognized.
- Pay attention to individual and team rewards.
- Make sure the reward package is fair and sufficient.
Away from the team
This is especially relevant for all telecommuting scenarios right now. Isolation can be very stressful and overwhelming. While it may be good at first to not be disturbed by co-workers or to listen to office gossip, after a while, the inability to communicate easily and freely connect can lead to depression and stress. Similarly, in an office environment, the same level of disconnection occurs when people and teams do not communicate effectively. Consider:
- Set aside social time (virtual or in-person) to get to know each other.
- Use friends and mentors to answer questions and stay in touch.
- Establish robust communication practices and policies.
- Invest in team-building activities.
When failure is unacceptable
Making mistakes is part of human nature. That’s how we learn and grow. The risk of burning is high, especially if you are intolerant of failure at work and the consequences are dire. The fear and pressure to be perfect will almost certainly lead to fatigue. Here’s how to avoid it.
Practice stress relief at work with yoga, exercise, meditation, and more. When the consequences of a mistake are naturally high (for example, in health care), we communicate more openly and frankly than when we try to cover up. Admit mistakes and report them thoroughly later. Encourage new ideas and take risks as needed.
Rigidity vs Flexibility
No one is committed to strict rules, policies and practices. People need to be aware that their personal circumstances are taken into account, and they need to know that they are a person before they are an employee. Being flexible with work and expectations will help people feel comfortable and secure rather than feeling stressed or tense.
Flexible working options Sufficient vacation support with vacations, personal days and short working days. Unlike a one-size-fits-all approach, we consider all requests with respect. Let the flow go – work hard when you need it and have a little fun during downtime. You can avoid burnout even during a pandemic! Whether the job is inherently overbearing, or the environment changes to create unexpected stress and pressure, how employers deal with the factors that cause fatigue can make all the difference. And while people cannot completely eliminate the stressors of the workplace, we encourage them to understand what causes fatigue, reduce their distractions and establish practices that help create a collaborative, respectful and fair workplace.