Natalia Peart* says burnout prevention requires a reduction in workplace stress, while also upping employee engagement.
We all know that excessive stress is a health hazard.
What is less talked about are the effects of burnout on the performance of the organisation.
Stress makes people nearly three times as likely to leave their jobs, temporarily impairs strategic thinking and dulls creative abilities.
The more employers realise this, the more the workplace wellness sector grows.
But individual-level perks like onsite gyms and nap rooms are not the answer to our problem.
In a recent study, researchers found that while there is an expectation that wellness programs will reduce healthcare spending and absenteeism within a year or two, they often do not.
This study adds to the growing body of work suggesting that such programs are not as effective as we think.
Instead, employers need to shift to organisation-level approaches for reducing stress at work, ones that foster employee wellbeing while simultaneously improving performance.
My experience as a clinical psychologist and leadership consultant has taught me that burnout prevention requires reducing workplace stress while also upping employee engagement.
Here’s how to do both.
Create a work environment that decreases stress
When employees are put in a high-stress situation — whether from unclear expectations, unreasonable deadlines, or a hectic workspace — they are at risk of moving into fight-or-flight mode.
To counter this effect, you need to build a secure work environment and incorporate stress reduction habits into your team’s daily workflows.
Increase psychological safety
If your employees perceive your workplace as a threat, you cannot build the trust your team needs to collaborate and innovate effectively.
In her book, The Fearless Organisation, Amy Edmondson describes three steps you can take to build psychological safety.
First, make your expectations obvious by giving your employees clear goals.
Second, make sure everyone feels their voices are heard, and that everyone knows you want their voices to be heard.
Third, develop a work environment that is both challenging and unthreatening.
Let people know it’s okay to fail.
Recognise team members who think outside the box and ask for feedback regularly.
Build regular break times into the workday
The human brain can focus for around 90–120 minutes before it needs to rest.
That’s why you should encourage your employees to step away from their desks and mentally disengage from challenging tasks every couple of hours.
Letting their minds rest and moving their bodies will provide your team with the mental space they need to perform well consistently.
Encourage the use of private workspaces when staff need to focus
Open offices are prone to distractions, increasing stress and decreasing productivity.
There is sometimes a built-in expectation that employees must always be available for impromptu meetings and discussions as a result of the office layout.
If you don’t have private workspaces where employees can go to focus or decompress, try using signals like ‘do not disturb’ signs when needed, or scheduling ‘quiet hours’ when people can work.
Set boundaries around time outside work
Teams that are not all in one location might need to sometimes work outside traditional hours.
However, the blurring of work and personal time is a significant source of job stress.
To combat this, set clear guidelines and follow them.
Send emails and make calls after hours only when it’s urgent.
Look into flexible work policies
If you want a highly adaptive team, create an adaptable work environment.
Give your employees flexibility by allowing them to work staggered hours, taking into account their varying needs.
Build employee engagement
Decades of data have confirmed that higher employee engagement has many positive benefits — including reduced stress, improved health and job satisfaction.
Be transparent
If your team members are confused about how their work connects to and serves both short and long-term goals, they will naturally become more stressed and less productive.
Part of your job is to help them see the big picture, or the role they play in helping the organisation achieve its larger goals.
Make sure people are in the right roles
If your team members loathe doing their jobs, they are naturally going to be less engaged.
To ensure their talents and strengths are aligned with the expectations and responsibilities of their roles, check in with each of your direct reports regularly.
These conversations don’t need to be formal — talk to them about their passions, interests, and goals.
Use this information to assign projects they will find meaningful.
Give as much autonomy as you can
When possible, give your team control over how they manage their projects.
Employees are 43 per cent less likely to experience high levels of burnout when they have a choice in deciding what tasks to do, when to do them, and how much time to spend on each.
Create a culture of recognition
Publicly recognising the hard work and contributions of team members decreases feelings of stress and increases feelings of connection and belonging.
Team meetings are a great time to call out exceptional performance.
Unexpected gestures that communicate sincere appreciation can also be effective.
Deepen engagement further by instilling a sense of purpose
If the only thing motivating your team to go to work is a pay cheque, their performance will suffer more than those who feel a sense of purpose in what they do.
Help your team by showing them the impact their work has both within the organisation, in other departments, as well as outside the organisation.
Burnout, and the consequences it reaps when unacknowledged, are detrimental to employee wellbeing and organisational performance.
To battle this growing epidemic and create healthier work environments, leaders need to commit to changing what ‘workplace wellness’ looks like.
Let these steps guide you.
If you are successful, you will create a workforce with happier, more productive employee, and be a better employer for it.
* Natalia Peart is a clinical psychologist and Fortune 1000 executive leadership consultant. Her website is nataliapeart.com.
This article first appeared at hbr.org
