Workplace burnout is defined as chronic work-related stress with physical and emotional exhaustion. This can lead to reduced productivity and a loss of sense of self.i
A recent survey by Indeed showed that workplace burnout is at an alarmingly high rate with 59% of Millennials and 58% of Gen Z reporting that they feel burnt out. The survey also reported that 67% of respondents believe that the pandemic has made things worse.
Based on these statistics leaders might want to make managing workplace burnout their top priority. And modify their practices to adjust to the current requirements of their employees.
In this article, we will discuss the leadership behaviour that can reduce employee burnout and ultimately increase productivity.
Practice Empathy
The CEO of Dosh started giving his employees impromptu long weekends during the pandemic to help them de-stress. Because well-rested and mentally recharged employees can do much better jobs than burnt-out ones.
Leaders might want to have a collaborative attitude towards the employees instead of a commanding one. They should be able to relate to the employees’ workplace struggles and understand their requirements.
Set Realistic Expectations
Setting clear expectations can reduce confusion and help your employees achieve their set goals.ii Otherwise, your employees might undergo mental stress trying to determine their success parameters. This can lead to them feeling unaccomplished and burned out.
A research by Gallup showed that you can increase employee engagement by 15% by setting clear as well as achievable expectations.
Take a Break when Necessary
If the COVID pandemic has taught leaders anything, it is that unprecedented challenges need unprecedented solutions. LinkedIn top management realised this and in April 2021 gave all of their 16,000 employees a full week off as a proactive measure before a major burnout happened.
All leaders should take such precautionary steps for a more productive workforce.
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Ask if more Resources are Required
Leaders should try to get honest feedback about the working conditions for the employees and ask if they have enough resources to produce the desired results.
Encouraging employees to bring issues to management’s attention without fear of repercussions is a healthy practice to reduce burnout because then you can take preventive measures and save your employees from overworking themselves.iii
Increase Working Flexibility
The Adecco Group conducted an international survey where they saw that 74% of workers want to continue a hybrid model of work i.e. a mix of office and remote work even after the pandemic.
It’s not possible for all fields. But leaders could practice giving their employees the freedom to choose their hours and locations whenever they can, of course, if it’s not counterproductive to the work and expected outcomes. iv
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With the given global situations and changing work cultures, it is getting imperative for managers to adopt a more sensitive and reasonable approach toward their employees. Making the workplace positive and the overall environment encouraging and inspiring could greatly help in making the employees relate to their work, not just professionally, but perhaps personally too. Needless to say that this approach could do a lot more good than one realises. A significant reduction in burnout might be just one of the good side effects.
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