When it comes to burnout, a lot of the attention shifts to employees and checking in to see if they feel invigorated and passionate about their jobs. While an important practice, managers themselves need to ask themselves the same questions. In many instances a staff will only be as motivated as their manager, and if demeanor or productivity starts to change, employees will notice and it can have a domino effect. To help identify and resolve instances of burnout, Mind Tools outlined five key strategies that employees and managers alike can enact in the workplace.
1. Finding a purpose in your work. Especially true after the 'honeymoon' months of a new job come to an end, some of the tasks that first were fresh and exciting can become more routine or even at times monotonous. Instead of treating each day like a checklist en route to cashing a paycheck, take a deeper reflection into why each task is performed each day, what coworkers or clients it has a positive impact on, and what can be done to further improve that impact. Putting thoughts to paper and mapping these concepts out can serve as a reminder to stay motivated each day and prideful in what you do.
2. Conducting a job analysis. Part of burnout can stem from doing either too many tasks or some that are ultimately unnecessary. By conducting a job analysis, which includes laying out each daily or longer-scale task and how much time is dedicated to it, you can gauge which responsibilities are the most important, fulfilling, or perhaps better off being delegated elsewhere. This can help with overexerted workloads or an excessive amount of tasks that ultimately wear you or your department down.
3. Apply a "giving first" mentality. It doesn't have to be some grand gesture of even done every day. But occasionally surprising a coworker or employee with a coffee, surprise half-day or even a quick kudos can go a long way towards not only their morale, but your own.
4. Regular exercise schedule. While it can be hard to find time some days, exercise goes a long way toward not only improving physical health, but mental health — giving you more energy throughout the day while helping with consistent sleep. Implementing a company-wide fitness challenge with incentives is a good way for employees to interact while enjoying the benefits of exercise routine.
5. Stress management. It's much easier said-then-done, but there are some tried and true ways to tone down on burnout-inducing stress. Deep breathing exercise are one trusted and low time-commitment method. Writing down your thoughts at the end of each day can also help to pinpoint what exactly may be bothering you and where steps to resolve it can be found.
For tips on employee engagement, click here.