5 Tips to Eliminate Company Burnout
At some point in life, plenty of us have probably experienced symptoms of the occupational phenomenon that is burnout. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines burnout as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has failed to be managed successfully. WHO characterizes burnout by these three elements:
Feelings of exhaustion or energy depletion.
Negative or cynical emotions related to one's work and increased mental distance from one's job.
Having reduced professional efficacy.
Over time stress caused by burnout can be severely detrimental to our health and well-being. An organization with burned-out staff will only lead to poor productivity, a drop in profits, resentful employees, a higher turnover rate, and a damaged corporate reputation. Often, the one who puts in those additional work hours goes the extra mile and hustles harder gets praised. In reality, done without proper balance, this specific work ethic can be toxic. Sometimes pushing harder is not the solution. Not for the individual or the organization.
To help you avoid getting to that point, we’ve compiled five tips to help eliminate company burnout once and for all!
Work Smarter Not Harder
You might be familiar with the expression, "work smarter, not harder." Referencing this expression comes in handy when you've found yourself stretched too thin, with more on your plate than you can adequately handle. So what's one thing you can do about it? Delegate! Now would be the time to take a step back and organize your tasks and responsibilities, prioritizing what's of most importance and approaching first. Are there systems and tools you could use to optimize your workload? Have you taken on responsibilities that fall outside of your job description? Are you in need of support in other areas of daily life that affect your work life? Consider these questions when you feel out of alignment and unnecessarily burdened by work.
Set the Standard and be an Advocate for Rest
What does it mean to advocate for rest as an individual or a corporation? A rest advocate sees rest as one of their core values and something to be implemented daily. A company culture that offers flexibility demonstrates an environment that speaks to the needs of its employees and results in happier workers. If you're in a leadership position, you can focus on structuring the rest into the foundation of your company. An example of this might include adequate break time, nap rooms, or simply communicating this as a value in a job description. The options are endless, so get creative! In general, it's important to reframe our relationship to rest and not view it as something we need to work for but rather instead deserve.
Implement Fun Team Activities Around Health & Wellness
Team building activities around health and wellness are fun ways to alleviate work stressors while strengthening overall group engagement and a sense of belonging. Stress is one of the primary symptoms leading to burnout, and as we know, a lot of this takes place at work. Activities that boost serotonin and dopamine levels, or our "happy hormones," relieve depression and anxiety and produce pleasant sensations in the brain. Examples of creative team building activities that minimize stress could look like: Nature walks/hikes/tours, a fun fitness class, group meditation or sound therapy session, or a healthy cooking class!
And, if you're in the DC area, check out Happied's list of the ten best team-building activities.
Encourage Transformative Transparency
There's a lot of power in effective and transparent communication that can be healing. Low vibrational feelings can occur when one has to fill in the blanks of a situation because of a mishap in communication or a lack of it. Clear lines of communication help ensure that things get done effectively and efficiently. Transparency also creates a safe work environment where people can express their needs and desires. Little changes such as these go a long way and ultimately transform your inner world, bringing forth calm and peace.
Reassess Incentives
Taking care of our mental health is crucial, and now more than ever! Due to economic inflation and massive sociopolitical changes, rates of depression and anxiety are at an all-time high. It's a great time to reassess the incentives offered to employees and job seekers to look for jobs that provide mental health resources that meet your personal needs. A quality mental state is one of the most effective ways of preventing burnout.
