Four Ways to Prevent Your Employees from Burning Out

“Employee burnout” may sound like a trending topic from years ago, but it is just as real and prevalent now as it ever was. The World Health Organization (WHO) categorized burnout in 2019 as a “syndrome conceptualized from chronic workplace stress” characterized by exhaustion, negativity or cynicism, and a decreased sense of accomplishment. This can lead to disengagement, physical sickness necessitating time off, and even job hunting as employees look for greener pastures.

Thus, preventing employee burnout before it happens is in the best interest of the organization as they benefit from the collective input of engaged individuals who help foster high performance across the company.

Impact of Employee Burnout on Organizations and Individuals 

It may sound trivial at first to worry about  one worker’s lack of engagement and exhaustion, or perhaps even a handful of workers. But even a few instances of burnout can have significant impacts on a business, and it’s likely that if a few employees are burnt out, the rest might not be far behind. In fact, a recent study from Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) “found that 44% of 1,405 surveyed U.S. employees feel burned out at work, 45% feel ‘emotionally drained’ from their work, and 51% feel ‘used up’ at the end of the workday.”

When it comes to employee burnout, solutions are often less expensive than dealing with the fallout, which can manifest in many ways. Employees experiencing burnout exhibit higher rates of absenteeism, leading to missed or inefficient work, which ultimately costs the company time and money. Not only that, but physical and mental exhaustion could lead to costly mistakes or even result in accidents and physical injuries.

When it comes to attrition considerations, the costs of turnover are much higher than retaining current employees. According to data from SHRM in 2022, average recruitment costs alone for

each individual hire was about $4,700. When you factor in “soft” costs, such as lost productivity and the time requirement from leaders and managers involved in the hiring process, the cost of turnover increases significantly and can well exceed the position’s salary itself. Why is this important?

Workers who are burned out are three times more likely (45%) to be actively job searching than their counterparts (16%) not experiencing burnout

Another important “cost” comes in the form of lost creativity and productivity. When workers are burnt out, it’s more difficult to maintain motivation and employees experiencing burnout may not only be less likely to engage in problem-solving and idea generation, but may also consciously hold onto ideas, saving them for a future role or company.

All in all, the effects of burnout can be costly to companies and workers.

Some of the Causes of Employee Burnout 

In order to address burnout, we need to understand its root causes. There are many reasons a person might be burnt out, including a poor work-life balance. Dale Carnegie’s recent global research revealed that 30% of employees feel they can never fully disconnect from work and only 24% are very satisfied with their current work-life balance. Reasons can be that they’re expected to work long hours or overtime and be available on weekends and during vacations. We also cannot ignore the increased usage of technology in organizations and how this can impact a feeling or expectation that workers must always be available.

Not only are employees battling long hours, but their workloads have only seemed to increase as they experience limited or diminishing resources for help. Many businesses are going lean, which one writer defines as operating “with the goals of maximizing profit, productivity and consumer value while minimizing expenses, overhead costs and negative effects on quality.” While this certainly sounds like a good business strategy, we want to be sure to consider the implications on the workforce tasked with operating and producing within these environments and what the long-term effects will be to the company.

In addition to a heavy workload, employees can often have little say in how they complete their tasks or when. This lack of autonomy gives them little control over their own work, tying their hands and leaving them frustrated. Ultimately, these employees will feel no sense of ownership over their tasks or the outcomes of their work, further leading to disconnected and disengaged employees.

Another reason employees might disengage and burn out is the lack of employee recognition. Even considering a lack of autonomy, high workload, or poor work-life balance, employees who feel valued for their contributions will be less likely to succumb to burnout.

In short, employee burnout can happen because companies lack proactive burnout prevention strategies. Having a mindset of putting people first and including this area as part of planning strategies can help reduce employee burnout significantly by attacking the root causes.

Four Ways to Help Employees with Burnout

Dealing with employee burnout should start with prevention. Here are four ways you can combat burnout before its negative effects manifest.

1. Promote Work-Life Balance 

Dale Carnegie’s teamwork research found that 73% of those indicating a good work-life balance were part of this connection to outcomes should cause leaders to take note and consider how the needs of the company can be met while simultaneously being conscious of the needs of employees. This is not an either/or consideration; company success is directly impacted by worker perceptions and experiences, in this case surrounding work-life balance.

Encourage your employees to take breaks and vacations—and don’t expect work-related engagement from them while they do! In a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, 52% of workers with available paid time off said they don’t feel the need to take all their vacation days while 49% worried about falling behind at work if they do. Help employees find a balance between work and home life that doesn’t burn them out and helps reduce stress and worry. Set more realistic timelines and expectations and consider reevaluating what employees are asked to do. Is every task necessary? Does it add value? How can we do this differently to create a win-win situation? Make it clear throughout the company that you value their personal lives and just because you send an email (for example), does not mean they need to check it or respond until work hours.

   2.  Be Attentive to Intrinsic Motivators 

Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators can spur employees to action and drive behaviors. It’s easy for companies to focus on extrinsic motivators such as money or other rewards for example, but individuals could also be extrinsically motivated to avoid something, such as being reprimanded. Intrinsic motivators, on the other hand, come from within the individual and can include things such as purpose, enjoyment, satisfaction, fulfillment, or personal growth.

Intrinsic motivation has been shown to have a strong positive relationship with one’s psychological well-being, impacting creativity as well as overall work performance. Since this type of motivation comes from within, leaders and managers can’t rely on observation alone to determine the intrinsic motivators of their employees. Take time to interact with your workforce in a way that shows a sincere professional interest in them as a person, develops a relationship that encourages conversation, and helps to learn more about their goals and what drives them.

    3.  Foster Autonomy and Empowerment 

Give employees a level of decision-making power surrounding their role. While this may sound scary at first, autonomy in work has many benefits, allowing workers to take ownership of their tasks, projects, and outcomes. While many leaders would likely shy away from handing over decision-making responsibility in a number of areas or instances,   research suggests that companies could potentially look at redesigning job roles in a way that can offer employees more autonomy surrounding their tasks. In this way, you can control the level of decision-making surrounding a position that works for both the company and the employee.

Working autonomy into your company culture is only half the battle. Employees must also be empowered which comprises speaking to their intrinsic motivators, creating a trust-centric workplace, and providing the necessary hard and soft skills training that supports success. Connect each employee’s view of their purpose with the broader purpose of the organization. Offer growth pathways to help empower employees to better themselves personally and in their work, and support and empower them to take ownership of their professional journey.

    4.  Provide Recognition and Appreciation

It’s no secret that recognizing employees for their hard work can go a long way in keeping them engaged and happy. That’s why the phrase “give honest, sincere appreciation” is Dale Carnegie’s second principle. Make acknowledging achievements and contributions and celebrating successes (big and small) a part of your company’s culture. In the American Psychological Association’s 2023 Work in America Survey, 66% of respondents said it is very important to them to feel respected at work. People who feel appreciated are more connected and involved when their efforts and contributions are recognized.

Take Action

Knowing how to manage employee burnout as an organization is only half the battle. Without action, the best plan on paper is unsuccessful. This is where professional training can help stakeholders within your company decrease burnout. Dale Carnegie himself knew the secrets to releasing stress, which he chronicled in his book How to Stop Worring and Start Living. Today, these principles and techniques are the foundation of our modern courses such as Limiting Stress and Burnout and Workers Are Burned Out: What Bosses Can Do to Respond. These courses address a real need and opportunity for growth within organizations.

To learn more, browse available resources or find your local Dale Carnegie partner at dalecarnegie.com and review our courses here!

We thank Myron A. Harmon, Vice President of Human Resources at Dale Carnegie and Ass., for his valuable contributions to this blog article. His insights and feedback were incredibly valuable, making the article more informative and engaging for our readers.