Stamp Out Burnout

Do members of your team appear tired? Are absences up?  Do you hear cynicism from staffers? Joking about assignments, colleagues, clients?  Have team members expressed feelings of lack of productivity and achievement?

If so, you may be witnessing cries for help with burnout.

In a leadership role you must recognize that burnout is rarely an individual phenomenon and needs to be addressed and fixed with expediency.  Here’s some advice on how to help your team thrive.

Watch for Warning Signs
The signs of burnout are obvious in some people but subtle in others.  Keep an eye out for tiredness, lack of focus, hostility, depressed mood, and expressions of hopelessness.
Regularly check in with team members to gauge levels of physical, cognitive, and emotional energy levels.

Set Limits on Workloads
Engage your team in setting collective capacity goals, and ensure that assignments and deadlines do not exceed them.
Shield your team from unexpected, unclear, or unreasonable external pressures, whether they originate from management or clients.

Insist on Renewal
Communicate that optimal performance requires rest and renewal.  Encourage all to set sensible limits to work hours.  Set an example by keeping reasonable hours yourself.
Make sure your team members take their full vacation time.

Boost Control
Clarify expectations; grant flexibility on where, when and how team members get work done.  Advocate, loud and clear for resources your team needs.  Be a hero in that regard. Create uninterrupted time for people to get important things done.

Make Recognition Matter
Stop and regularly celebrate the wins, even the little ones.  Recognize and reward people for helping others.  Note the positive impact of your team’s work on others.

Emphasize Learning
Create a personalized learning plan for each team member.  Routinely check in on progress and ensure that they have the resources needed. Share what you are learning and how you’re doing it.

Facilitate Mutual Support
Talk regularly about progress toward team goals. At team meetings ask what help people need and can offer one another.  Be open about asking for and giving support.

Build Community
Do not tolerate incivility on your team.  Set an example for respectful, compassionate behavior toward others.  Encourage people to share what’s happening in their lives outside of work.