Burnout in the workplace is being talked about more and more, and many employers want to manage the impacts of increased demands a job has on an employee's overall health ...
Burnout in the workplace really can affect your bottom line!
The pandemic has really highlighted burnout with fellow team members self-isolating and their colleagues having to take up the slack to get the same results and hit the team's KPIs.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that symptoms of burnout in the workplace include:
mental exhaustion or no physical energy
a lack of commitment to the role/feeling of 'mental distancing'
negative and cynical talk about the job, the company or colleagues
reduced efficiency overall
The WHO says it is always good for senior managers to take an interest in the mental health of their teams, especially with the upheaval from the pandemic and how employees now feel about flexible working.
In many countries, and even in many industries, burnout is all part of the job though it has certainly increased because of the worries around the pandemic. For those employees who weren't furloughed and had to work all the way through, changes to routines and extra workload are compounding the signs of burnout in the workplace, but thankfully employers are taking a lot more notice now.
So, what can an employer do about it?
assess working hours and workloads and see if there are any imbalances
offer the support employees need to meet targets
give them additional training where required
stop employees from taking work home
ensure they are not disturbed during the evening and at weekends
encourage proper rest breaks during the working day
make them use up their annual leave rather than rolling it over
ensure proper holiday cover, so they don't feel the need to check-in
offer flexible working or allow full-time working from home
make sure they can talk to their manager at any time without judgement
Classically, employers have believed that burnout in the workplace is down to the individual to deal with, but this attitude has to change post-pandemic. Just ignoring it will have a massive impact on employee retention and productivity.
And I can guarantee that will affect your bottom line.
Until next time ...
ROGER EDDOWES Business Godparent
Would you like to know more?
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Roger trained at Edward Thomas Peirson & Sons in Market Harborough before working at Hartwell & Co, followed by Chancery, as a partner. He started Essendon Accounts and Tax with Helen Beaumont in 2014 as a general practitioner with a hands-on approach.
Roger loves getting his hands dirty, working with emerging, small-to-medium and family businesses to ensure they receive the best possible accountancy advice. Roger utilises an extensive network of business contacts to leverage the best guidance and practical solutions.
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