29 Jul What to Do When Your Team Is Burned Out
Burned-out employees are common in all industries, companies, positions, etc. According to a Gallup study of 7,500 full-time employees, more than 23% of employees reported feeling burned out often and 44% reported sometimes feeling burned out.
As a team leader, how can you help your employees overcome these feelings? How can you help employees who currently feel burned out?
Encourage Breaks and Vacations
Your employees need a break from work. They need a chance to refresh and rejuvenate their minds. To do this, they need to make their breaks a priority and take some time away from work. Encourage your employees to take their breaks each day and to get away from their desks by going on a walk, sitting outside, reading a book, etc. If employees are wanting to use their vacation time, be as accommodating as possible.
Consider Employees’ Family Life
As you schedule and assign your employees, make sure you think about their family life. For example, you may have employees who have young families at home or those who are working a side job to make a little extra money. Take these circumstances into consideration as you schedule your employees. This will prevent you from overworking your employees or causing added stress in their lives. Some employees may prefer that they have a similar schedule from one week to the next and you will want to work closely with them to make that happen.
Surprise Your Employees
Many employees become burned out because their days are very similar. There are a few differences in the tasks they complete and their day-to-day activities. Have some fun and surprise your employees. For example, bring them lunch or breakfast one day or leave some swag on each desk for your employees to find in the morning. You don’t have to surprise your employees every day but random surprises will add a little excitement to the job.
Set Goals With Employees
Goals are necessary to help your employees progress and become a little bit better. During your one-on-one meetings, work with your employees to establish goals and to create an action plan. Check-in often with your employees to see how they are doing with their goals and to see how you can help. Your employees will appreciate you showing interest in their careers and their successes. Plus, regular check-ins will provide much motivation for your entire team.
Don’t forget that once your employees reach their goals that you acknowledge them and recognize their accomplishments in front of the team. This will not only benefit the employee who reached the goal but it may help other employees who are struggling to find the motivation and the energy to keep working as well.
When team members are facing long hours, unique circumstances, etc., it is easy to become burned out. As a team leader, you must recognize when your employees are starting to lose their drive to prevent absenteeism, high turnover rates, and poor performance.
