If you want to improve worker retention, one of the biggest things you should focus on is how to prevent employee burnout. According to a recent survey from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 44% of workers said they felt burned out from their work. Forty-five percent for that group said that they were actively looking for another job, which is three times higher than workers surveyed who did not report burnout.
Burned out workers also told SHRM that they were less likely to “go above and beyond” for their employers (40% to 56%). For these employees, burnout is a mental health issue that may be affecting their productivity on the job.
Luckily, burnout isn't inevitable, and with the right structures put in place, companies can help their employees alleviate exhaustion and fatigue in the workplace. This is not only significant for retention but for your operational efficiency as a whole.
Here are five ways to manage burnout in your organization to ensure you don't lose your best people:
1. Promote a healthy work-life balance
It's critical for your workforce to find the proper work-life balance to reduce stress and maintain morale. Employers can support this initiative by helping their employees prioritize certain responsibilities or projects to ensure they have time for a life outside of the office. This is vital to keep employees happy and loyal long-term.
For manufacturers, maintaining a stable workforce has a direct impact on production quality, which can contribute to millions of dollars in higher costs related to disruptions and rework, according to research from the Wharton School.
2. Open your lines of communication
When employees begin to show signs of burnout, such as fatigue, absenteeism isolation and irritability, it can be difficult to determine what exactly is causing these feelings. Getting to the root of the issue will be the linchpin in working towards fixing the problem. Implementing an open-door policy is essential to improve communication with your workforce and identify what needs to be done to boost morale and support employee well-being.
3. Provide flexible working options
Hybrid work options and other work-from-home opportunities are increasingly sought after by employees, and providing them is an effective way to curb burnout at your company. This gives your workers the opportunity to save time and money from commuting while putting more energy into other parts of their lives. A report from Findstack showed that utilizing flexible working arrangements is even advantageous for your overall retention, as 74% of workers say the option to work remotely would make them less likely to leave a company.
Research also supports that offering schedule flexibility may improve retention. The journal Nature recently reported on a study that showed that hybrid work-from-home schedules reduced attrition by 33 percent at one Chinese company. The study involved more than 1,600 workers at the company.
4. Prioritize your employee's well-being
Putting your workers' well-being at the forefront of your initiatives might include introducing a wellness program, offering mindfulness training and fostering a supportive company culture. Not only is this an effective way to curb organizational burnout, but also to boost morale and, subsequently, increase employee loyalty.
5. Monitor workloads and ensure expectations are reasonable
One of the main causes of burnout is an overwhelming workload. Unreasonable expectations combined with excessive amounts of work can make your employees feel as if they are failing or underachieving, which can quickly develop into severe burnout. By monitoring workloads and scheduling, managers can ensure their workers don't have too much on their plate at one time and have the chance to reach their full potential.
How Employbridge supports work-life balance
The stability of our workforce directly affects our clients. To promote retention among our associates, we offer access to healthcare benefits, an Employee Assistance Program, and no-cost work and life skills courses. To learn more about our solutions, including how we support efforts to reduce employee burnout, contact us today.
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