EMPLOYEE BURNOUT
How To Assess & Prevent
Employee Burnout
Remotely
Staying connected in the remote workspace is challenging
on the best of days . Despite the convenience of not having to commute , working from your home office can leave you seeming inadvertently aloof when it comes to checking in on your team ’ s mental health .
In addition to social disconnection , there ’ s a common misconception that employee burnout doesn ’ t occur while working from the comfort of home . Those who have now experienced the great telecommute over several months heartily know this is not the case .
As an employer , you need to be able to read the signs of employee
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Trust in Tomorrow .” and “ Grinnell Mutual ” are registered trademarks of Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company . © Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company , 2020 . burnout before it happens so you can address and prevent it . Here are a few tips for assessing burnout in your team and preventing it from happening in the remote environment .
The first sign to look for is the number of hours your team is working . Have you noticed Tom is actively instant messaging around the clock ? Is Andrea sending messages late into the night ? These are both early signs that employees may soon become burnt out .
Taking a mental break from the workload is just as important as getting away from the structure and routine of work . You can prevent burnout in these employees by gently reminding them that it ’ s okay to remove themselves from the work scene outside of office hours .
In many cases , employees are increasing their hours for fear of losing their job . You might also provide some reassurance of job security to ease that financial tension .
On the other hand , you may notice that an employee is consistently showing up late , taking excessive or extensive breaks , or calling in sick repeatedly . If this is unusual behavior , be sure to “ sit down ” with this employee to discuss what may be the cause of their changed behavior . If it is work related , you may suggest some time off to recover .
Enforce the maintenance of social boundaries while working from home . When an employee is outside of working hours , respect their personal time despite their still being accessible to you . With this said , be flexible with working hours for those still challenged with maintaining a work-life balance in the midst of pandemic circumstances .
Work with your team to designate important tasks and train them to handle the workload in priority sequence instead of working to appear productive . A Harvard study indicates that focusing on the most immediate tasks instead of the most important is counterproductive and can lead to burnout in the long term .
Finally , have a plan in place for preventing burnout . Communicate with your team often and ensure they are comfortable approaching you with any mental health concerns or insecurities related to their role . Pay close attention to the working habits of your team and always have a backup plan ready in the event you need to issue some immediate time off . Your employees will appreciate your flexibility and compassion as they work through these challenging times . +
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