How to prevent employee burnout

5 Practical Strategies to Prevent Employee Burnout

In November 2021, Google reported a 221% spike in searches for signs of burnout. Burnout, absence and resignation are real risk factors for any organisation. Sandra Ordel explores what leaders can do to support team wellbeing and drive engagement.

Here are her 5 practical strategies.

1. Make wellbeing part of the organisational culture

Behaviour breeds behaviour. The actions of the leaders drive the culture. If the culture promotes long working hours, the habits that lead to burnout will be difficult to break. Leaders need to set the example.

2. Openness is contagious.

When people of influence speak about their wellbeing, it opens the door for others to share. When leaders share their challenges, it sends the message that it is ok to ask for help.

3. Equip managers to prevent burnout

This is about education.

• Educate managers on how to have wellbeing conversations with their team.

• Create awareness among managers about the habits that contribute to burnout.

• Equip managers to be the canary in the coal mine. Train managers to spot the signs that someone is struggling. Managers are not expected to be therapists and counsellors. But they need to know how to signpost to get help.

• Create opportunities for managers to come together. We are social creatures and we work well together. Get managers together to share what is going well and where they have struggled. This can be a fabulous way to ensure support.

4. Put wellbeing data on your dashboard

However you want to measure wellbeing, keep your finger on the pulse. You need to see where the hotspots are and what is working well.

5. Plan wellbeing interventions that are inclusive and flexible

Find out what works for your people. Don’t just push your ideas on them. Have a portfolio of employee wellbeing programmes to support different people. Also, offer life stage support. People in their 20s will need something very different to someone in their 40s, or someone who is looking after elderly parents. Flexible interventions for different life stages can help retention, engagement and burnout.

How The Wellbeing Project can help your managers prevent burnout and maintain team performance.

The good news is you don’t need to figure this out alone. The Wellbeing Project offers a range of solutions to support managers and leaders. Here are some of our most popular solutions to prevent burnout:

1. The Human-Centric Manager

Our development programme equips managers with the skills they need to prevent burnout. Managers will learn how to role model healthy performance and enable a team culture where everyone can thrive.

2. Leadership Development

Our Leadership Development programme supports leaders to navigate a complex business environment while actively prioritising the mental health of their teams.