During times of uncertainty, employees are likely to encounter stress at work, which can prompt burnout. It’s essential that managers consistently monitor their direct reports and guarantee they’re getting the support they need, both as employees and as individuals. High-impact roles that regularly work in silos, similar to tech jobs, require extra supervision to manage employee commitment and stay away from burnout. The following are 6 tips tech pioneers can use to keep away from employee burnout.
1) Focus on feedback:
Give and gather input during routine one-on-ones with your direct reports. This helps construct a more effective manager employee relationship and presents people a private chance to talk about problems they’re meeting. For remote employees, utilize a video conferencing platform so you can still talk face to face.
Provide employees with feedback they can use to improve in their job. Both constructive criticism and applause positive impact on engagement. Infact, 69 percent of employees state they would work more diligently if they got more acknowledgment for their efforts, and 24 percent would think about searching for work somewhere else if they got insufficient feedback from their managers.
2) Make wellness and mental health a priority:
The physical and emotional damages of employee burnout cost approximately $125-190 billion in medical care expenses each year in the U.S. It’s challenging to maintain a work-life balance in a digital world where we’re constantly plugged in, but it’s even more difficult for remote employees whose home life and office overlap.
According to Robin Brown, CEO of VIVIPINS “Burnout can result in lower productivity and engagement, as well as higher absenteeism and turnover. Meditation is one of the best ways to counter burnout. It will restore your energy and focus while concentrating your mind and expanding your awareness beyond the crisis of the moment. People who meditate regularly have more energy, heightened focus, and increased resilience”
Urge your direct reports to set time for themselves as needed. Remember that each person is different and will need various forms of support to stay physically and mentally healthy. Enable your team to take benefit of the wellness opportunities offered in your employee benefits package as a way to promote your company culture.
3) Give mental breaks:
Some employees will be reluctant to unplug out of concern of missing an update or falling back. Implement various activities into your team’s routine that offer a mental break from the grind.
For instance, before your first meeting of the day, get your whole team together for a virtual meditation session. This could hold goal setting for the day, repeating a mantra, or guided breathing exercises.
4) Set and Keep Realistic Expectations:
Nothing will demotivate and disengage an employee quicker than Unreachable goals. Feeling like they’re following a moving target and constantly missing the mark will break an employee’s self-confidence. Goals should be both progressive and flexible; you shouldn’t expect a new hire to perform at the level of a two-year-tenured employee.
Furthermore, you may come across crashes in the process that requires you to shift your approach entirely. If that’s the case, employees should not be beholden to outdated or overly competitive aims. Key performance indicators (KPIs) and targets should be adapted as needed and especially as the employee progresses in their role.
5) Onboarding process improvement:
Your onboarding process is an employee’s first true introduction to your company. A powerful onboarding sequence sets employees on the path to progress; 53 percent of HR experts report elevated levels of employee engagement due to better onboarding methods.
Sam Olmsted from Online Optimism says “As a manager, it’s your job to provide employees the tools they need to succeed in their role by clearly describing their responsibilities and goals”
If employees know what’s expected of them, they’re more likely to take dignity and invest in their work. Additionally, introduce new employees to your team members and help them understand your type of organization culture. Doing so will allow them to build a connection with other employees and cultivate a sense of belonging.
The founder of Haro Responder says “Make sure to play your part in optimizing your virtual onboarding plan for today’s remote world”
6) Flexible schedule offering:
Providing employees, the freedom to modify their working hours to their personal lives positively affects engagement. Not only does it help them build a work-life balance that meets their needs, but it also gives them a sense of autonomy, which improves their overall employee experience.
Furthermore, customizing their work schedule allows employees to hone in on their most fruitful hours. If people know they tend to check out after 4:00 p.m., they can shift their day to start earlier and sign off before productivity plummets. For remote teams, this is an accessible way to avoid workplace burnout without overhauling your efforts; with everything online, employees can easily catch up on projects if their schedules don’t align.