3 ways to put a stop to employee burnout

Employee-employer relationships are reciprocal; the more an employee gives, the more an employer should give in return. However, even the best employers aren't immune to the issue of employee burnout. It happens for various reason and can damage the productivity of a business. According to Forbes, there are three major ways to alleviate feelings of burnout among employees: showing appreciation, creating incentives, and developing talent.

Showing appreciation

From the perspective of employees, employers that care are worth working for. Burnout can result when employees think their efforts are not being properly recognized. Owners of small businesses should make a point of showing that they care for their workforce. Something as simple as complimenting high-quality work can go a long way to keeping employees motivated and productive. Being social, too, can help fight burnout. No one wants to work in an where everything revolves around business. Employees want to be social, and both socializing with them and encouraging collaboration with conversation and fun activities can put a smile on many a worker's face. 

Encouraging employees to be social can go a long way towards improving mood and motivation at the office.

Creating incentives

Perhaps the most obvious method of dealing with burnout is to offer incentives for workers who perform well. However, this is best approached with caution. Incentives offered in response to burnout can be perceived as shallow attempts to keep employees motivated. Offering bonuses or perks for employees can foster a competitive spirit, but also worsen existing burnout. Instead, businesses that proactively offer incentives are able to deal with burnout before it manifests. 

Incentive processes should be clear to everyone and offered to as many employees as possible, fairly. Clarifying the process through the employee handbook or a memo can go a long way to legitimizing and motivating the offerings at hand. The more employees believe that they will be rewarded for their effort, the more motivated they will be, and the less burnout they will feel.

Develop talent

A frequent mistake made by businesses of all sizes is to not build up their talent. Employees are an investment, not just a static resource. Employees that feel their company is interested in their professional development and advancement are more driven than those that don't, according to LinkedIn.Offering feedback to employees and giving them ambitious goals to work towards, such as a promotion, helps keep employees grounded. Furthermore, offering classes or other development programs will make your workers feel like you want them to succeed, and that you are just as interested in their future as they are.

Small business owners of all stripes will have to deal with low employee motivation at some points. Those that go out of their ways to treat their employees as individuals are the ones who will have the highest levels of success in dealing with burnout.

Categorised in: Business Law

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