Expressed opinions Entrepreneur Contributors are their own.
Long before the epidemic, employee burnout was a growing problem. A Deloitte research survey conducted just before 2020 shows that 42% of American workers quit their jobs due to burnout. But in the last two years, it has reached unprecedented heights. According to a recent Harvard Business Review poll, “more than half of all American workers have been burned,” indicating that this was a contributing factor to the great resignation.
So how can we as business owners, brokers and managers prevent this from happening?
1. Schedule regular recovery times
This may sound strange, but I’ve found that many employees (especially a sales setting) just don’t take the time. So, one by one or in meetings with my agents, I make a point to ask them about their daily routine. If I hear that no one has taken a break or leave, I immediately go into a deeper conversation in an attempt to find out why. If an employee feels overwhelmed or stressed, I try to determine the cause. I also make it clear that I not only use fitness time, but also encourage it – in fact emphasizing that everyone is spending a certain amount of time each week.
The fact of the matter is that, especially in the case of sales, you must respond quickly to inquiries, difficulties, questions, etc. It’s part of the job. However, if you are on alert 24 hours a day, it will eventually catch up with you. The law of reduction of income will be effective: outside of a certain point, the more you try, the less positive results you will get.
Everyone needs to have time off work to focus on personal relationships, hobbies and other non-work-related activities. Our well-being depends on decompressing to stay fresh – use that time restoratively and constructively. A regular check-in schedule with your team will help you stay on top of any burnout symptoms before they become a significant problem.
Related: Telework burnout and zoom fatigue: They are much more complex than they appear
2. Create a positive environment and reward good work
There are many ways to recognize and reward success – most obviously a bonus or other financial reward – but one of my personal choices is to have a formal awards dinner at least once a year where I can identify the best performers and celebrate and achieve their milestones. It helps to show the great bonding experience and staff for a team that hard work is noticed and appreciated.
Creating frequent casual social gatherings to talk about the events of the day or week is also a great way to reduce isolation, increase friendships and exchange views. Opportunities for team bonding and celebrating success are significant aspects of rewarding good work, but before we get to that point, we need to be aware of our greater responsibility to create a positive work environment where employees themselves feel comfortable. Expressing thoughts and asking questions without fear of retaliation or ridicule should be included in this culture to make employees feel safe. They must believe that they are working towards a common goal in a collaborative space. There should be mutual respect and everyone should think that contribution is valuable and everyone makes a contribution.
Managers and business owners are ultimately responsible for creating and maintaining such an environment. I’ve found that one of the surest ways to lose the best performers is to leave a bully in a team, for example. As a result, managing a toxic environment means spending time, energy and resources on issues that have nothing to do with true intentions, and the employee / agent will soon be looking for a more positive environment.
We all want to be appreciated for our efforts. Recognizing good work, celebrating success and creating a positive environment reassures employees that you are setting them up for professional improvement.
Related: To prevent burnout at work, ask these 3 questions
3. Development and consulting staff
Too much pressure on the similarities and worldly tasks inevitably leads to boredom and dissatisfaction – an environment where work becomes a mental drain. I find this to be especially true of sales roles, where ambition to grow professionally and financially is a big motivation.
As managers and business owners we take the time to develop our employees – help them learn new skills and offer opportunities to expand (including leading projects) – let them grow both professionally and personally.
According to Gallup’s 10th Employee Engagement meta-analysis – published in 2020 and studied by more than 82,000 teams from 230 organizations – employees with high levels of employment produce significantly more, treat customers well (and attract new ones) and More likely to be with a company
While rewarding accomplishments are always present and appreciated, financial incentives can only take you so far to keep people satisfied and productive. Those who are truly involved are healthier, happier, more efficient and less likely to burn out.
How often do you review company objectives with your team? Do you have regular check-ins to see how people are improving? Are you actively involved with them from a professional development perspective? If not here’s a new product just for you!
Related: Want to ensure a positive work environment? Follow these key tips
