Employee Burnout: What Does It Look Like and What to Do - Part 2

Working during the pandemic has been undeniably stressful. But some employees are experiencing a more serious kind of prolonged, work-related stress called “burnout.”

According to a survey done by FlexJobs, 75% of workers have experienced burnout.¹
A poll from Indeed revealed that 67% of workers surveyed believe burnout has worsened over the course of the pandemic.²
Prior to the pandemic, FlexJobs found that only 5% of the workforce said their mental health was “poor” or “very poor.” Now, 18% of employees admit that they are struggling with mental health issues.³

Burnout obviously affects overall workplace productivity. But on an individual level, it’s also a risk factor for depression, substance abuse, and even suicide. The good news is there are lots of strategies that employees can use to improve their health and combat burnout, and many ways that management can support them on their journey to a healthier work-life balance.

Advice for dealing with burnout – at work.

Check In

Make a habit of checking in with yourself. Ask yourself several times during the workday how you are feeling, and see if you can make small changes to improve your general mood and well-being.

Gain Control
Lack of control is one of the major factors that contributes to burnout. Identify the parts of your job where you feel like you have the least amount of control and talk to your manager about ways to reduce them or find ways to buffer the stress that it causes.

Have a Routine

For people working from home due to the pandemic, try to maintain a workday routine similar to the one you had when you worked in an office. Get up at the same time, dress and shower, have meals and coffee breaks at the intervals you did before. This gives your day both structure and predictability, which can help reduce stress.⁴

Take Breaks

If it feels like you always have too much to do, but don’t have the time or resources to accomplish your tasks, your brain and body will be perpetually stressed. This can not only damage your health, it can make you even less productive. To combat this feeling, build breaks into your daily work schedule. Rest or do something you really enjoy in between work tasks, like reading a favorite book, having a quick healthy snack, or going for a walk. Come back to your tasks feeling recharged.

Reframe your Mindset
Consider the role you’re burned out from and remind yourself why you pursued this career in the first place. Make a list of the reasons you previously enjoyed your job, the work-related accomplishment you’re most proud of, and the “wins” that you’ve been part of. While each job has drawbacks and challenges, try not to focus solely on the negatives.

Ask for Help
Let your boss and coworkers know you’re exhausted and feeling overwhelmed. Don’t be afraid to ask them for help, and be specific about what you need.⁵

Brainstorm Solutions
Ask your coworkers for ideas that will bring balance back into your work life. Get together and brainstorm changes that could improve your working conditions, thereby decreasing stress. Would your team like a quiet place set aside for breaks and personal phone calls? Is there a piece of equipment or new program you could use to accomplish your work tasks more efficiently? Is there a small but meaningful perk that the company could provide as a morale booster? A list of constructive suggestions like these can open a dialogue with management about how to make your workplace a friendlier, more productive place to be.⁶

Advice for dealing with burnout – at home.

Try Some Exercise

Adding some extra movement to your day can also be a great way to relieve stress and improve your mood. So dance to your favorite song in the kitchen or go for a walk around the neighborhood – anything to get your heart-rate up in a healthy way.

Build in Transitions

Follow a routine that helps you transition from work to home. Whether it’s listening to a good podcast on the way home, or just taking some mindful deep breaths, do something that reminds you to separate your homelife from your work life. And once you are home, don’t check your work email, or prep for an upcoming meeting. Build boundaries between your vocation and your free time.

Get Creative
Working with your hands on creative projects – like painting, pottery, sewing, baking, or gardening – can help you use different parts of your brain, while channeling your emotions into an object or process. People who make time for hobbies and recreation – even just 15 to 20 minutes a day – are less likely to experience burnout than those who don’t.⁷

Make Time for Self-Care

Many people suffering from burnout have trouble finding time to attend to their own needs. But self-care doesn’t have to take up hours each day to be impactful. Simply spending 10 minutes each morning engaged in a gratitude practice or a guided visualization can help restore wellness and balance. Be sure to augment those efforts by getting adequate amounts of sleep and choosing a healthy diet.

Maintain Your Social Life
Sometimes it helps to talk about what you’re going through with family and friends. Other times it helps to socialize with non-work friends, to step away from stressors and simply use the time to enjoy yourself. So don’t cancel that dinner date because of work stress. Keep outings with friends on the calendar to combat mitigate stress.⁸

Find the Support You Need

Self-care alone cannot solve the problem of burnout. Surround yourself with a protective bubble of support: people who will remind you of your value, who you can lean on as you return to health.

How management can help.

Experts emphasize that employees can’t prevent or recover from burnout on their own. Take a hard look at excessive workplace stress as a by-product of corporate culture, not an individual problem. In order to head off burnout, changes need to be made company-wide.

Steps that employers can take:

allow staff to set their own schedules
reduce interruptions and distractions in the office
check in with employees to encourage well-being
proactively address microaggressions or rude workplace behavior to make it a safe space for everyone
don’t praise working around-the-clock
actively encourage staff to use vacation and sick days
provide robust health insurance options, so employees can get any stress-related treatment they need
encourage employees to have open, productive conversations with HR about solutions to burnout⁹
create communal spaces (like a game room or yoga studio) for employees to spend time together – this helps staff build stronger working relationships
find the right balance between focused work time and open “whitespace” hours that allow for creative thinking, passion projects, and exercise¹⁰

BASIC Can Help

BASIC offers an Employee Achievement / Award Account, Wellness Reimbursement Arrangement and a Wellness Rewards Account from dozens of benefit offerings that can be configured into custom plans that meet employee needs – and can change with them. The Consumer Driven Accounts (CDA) platform lets you design a custom benefit package, which participants can access from the web or our mobile app! Combat employee burnout by providing benefits that employees actually want.

Request a No-cost Proposal