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Early Signs of Workplace Burnout – Recognize Them in Time!
It's not uncommon for employees to become disinterested in their work over time, both professionally and personally. Slowed performance, increasing errors, constant fatigue, and lack of enthusiasm are some of the signs of workplace burnout.
Since this process doesn't happen overnight, the best thing you can do as an employer is to focus on prevention. How can you find a timely solution to this company-wide problem? This article seeks to answer that question!
What is Burnout Syndrome, and How Can It Be Recognized?
Although we often use the term burnout colloquially, it actually refers to burnout syndrome, which signifies a chronic state of stress. It is characterized by physical and emotional exhaustion that affects not only work performance but also leads to a loss of motivation in personal life. The path to burnout is slow and gradual, so there's plenty of opportunity to work on reversing the condition before it completely overwhelms the employee.
What Are the Early Signs of Workplace Burnout?
- Constant fatigue without an increase in tasks
- Lack of motivation and enthusiasm
- Decreased performance
- Irritability and extreme reactions to problems
- Forgetfulness
- Frequent illnesses
The Physical Side Effects of Workplace Burnout
As mentioned earlier, burnout develops gradually. If you notice early, milder signs of these symptoms in an employee, even small steps can be transformative. For example, if a team member has only shown signs of burnout for a few weeks, send them on a vacation or discuss their work schedule with them. Offer the possibility of part-time work as long as they need it. Flexible working hours benefit not only employees but also ensure the company has loyal, mentally fresh staff. Hence, it's crucial to pay attention to individual life situations.
How to Prevent Workplace Burnout with Company Practices?
If many colleagues are leaving or you notice that employees lose enthusiasm for their work quickly, it may be time to rethink your company practices.
Workplace burnout often results from disorganization, poor management decisions, or excessive control. Employees in profit- and performance-oriented workplaces can quickly exhibit the above signs. As a leader, it's vital to support employees' mental well-being, possibly with the help of good HR professionals, coaches, or workplace psychologists.
Y Generation's Tips for Preventing Workplace Burnout
If your company hasn't employed a mental health professional so far, even the HR colleague or the manager can listen to all colleagues once a month, asking them about their tasks, problems, and feelings. Possible questions include: How do you perceive the workload? Are you overwhelmed or bored due to too few tasks? Have you experienced workplace conflict with colleagues? How exciting and varied do you find your tasks? Do you feel that the quality of your tasks aligns with your abilities?
Based on the answers, tasks can be reorganized or exchanged among colleagues as needed. In some cases, the position may need to be changed, as the employee may have outgrown the role they started in and need higher responsibility and corresponding higher pay to maintain motivation.
Need Enthusiastic Employees? We Can Help!
At Y Generation Student Cooperative, we work to provide your company with the best student workforce and offer young people the best professional opportunities and development.
