Burnout is common. In fact, one study reports over 20% of employees are burned out more often than not. That is a high percentage. If you are a manager and your team is experiencing burnout, making a few changes now can help. Improved employee morale will make the office more enjoyable and is good for business. Thankfully, there are ways to move forward.
Step #1 – Notice Decreases In Quality
Managers need to trust their team. After all, a manager has to craft long-term plans and attend an array of leadership meetings, so they lean on their employees to take care of day-to-day tasks. That said, a manager has to notice when employee burnout creeps onto a team and causes work quality to go down. You need to notice when deadlines are missed and substandard work is turned in. Then, you can take steps to fix it, including one or more of the following:
- Talk to team members about their workload.
- Bring in staffing support to take on work tasks.
- Adjust deadlines so employees have the time they need to finish a project well.
- Offer training or education tools, if required.
Noticing a change in work quality is an opportunity for you, as a manager, to correct the issue before it gets worse.
Step #2 – Motivate Team Members
When employees are disengaged from their work, burnout could be to blame. Unexcited team members are expensive for businesses, because they are not performing well and they are a drag on the morale of their team members. Motivating employees can help.
How to best motivate your team will vary. Some managers find that taking the time to praise employees and give them positive feedback is helpful. Other team leaders find giving workers a sense of autonomy can lead to positive results. For example, you can bring your employees into the goal setting process so they have a larger sense of ownership over each project.
Step #3 – Take Care of Yourself
While taking care of your team is important, the reality is if your team is experiencing burnout you, as the team leader, may be burned out too. If you feel overworked and uninspired, seek support to guide you through the rough patch so you bring energy and innovative ideas to each work day.
Part of work self care is making sure your department is fully staffed, trained, and ready to complete all pending projects. If you and your team are overwhelmed, either because you have landed a new project or a staff member or two is on leave, consider talking to the employment professionals at Quality Placement Authority about temporary hires and other short-term support options.
Are you in need of staffing support because your team is overworked? Quality Placement Authority is a full-service staffing and recruiting firm with nationwide service capabilities. Let our experts help you find the best candidate for your business. Connect with Quality Placement Authority today.
