We are nearing the two year mark of the start of the pandemic and in some ways, not much has changed. Employees are leaving the workplace in droves and those who are staying are at risk for, or actively exhibiting, signs of burnout. Those who have trudged on as essential workers or companies who have returned to work (or never left) are particularly at risk of burnout. Avoiding employee burnout in 2022 means knowing how to better support employees before they leave.
Be flexible
The need for a flexible workplace has never been as evident as it is now. Record numbers of women left the workplace by the end of 2020 and many of them haven’t returned. To get them back, flexible schedules are a must. Give your team flexibility to better balance work and life demands. Flex schedule examples include employees working a split day or working longer some days and taking other days off. Another unique employee benefit is to give employees the day off when it’s their birthday or provide PTO for all employees between Christmas and New Years Day. These extra PTO days go a long way toward reducing burnout and improving employee morale.
Go hybrid
Hybrid workplaces are another option to avoid employee burnout. A schedule that blends work days at home and work days in the office is the preference for most workers in 2022. A hybrid arrangement can range from one day to four. Beyond that, there’s little agreement about the perfect blend of at home and in office days. The arrangement is influenced by industry and ultimately, by each individual on your team, which can make it difficult for an organization to do hybrid right. What is agreed upon is that only one-third of the population wants to return to work full-time while the other two-thirds want a hybrid workplace. Offering this solution will reduce employee burnout.
Prioritize wellbeing
Gallup explains the need for focused wellbeing initiatives this way, “When an organization makes wellbeing a priority of its culture and provides resources for employees to live healthier lives, they take better care of themselves…when wellbeing is a priority, managing burnout is an imperative. In contrast, when wellbeing is an HR-driven nice-to-have rather than the norm modeled across the organization, the workplace culture can perpetuate burnout.” The organizational decision about how it incorporates wellbeing into its culture is the difference between avoiding employee burnout and creating it.
Recruit good technology
Equip your remote and hybrid employees with good technology to make their work more efficient. Use communication channels like Slack and Zoom to connect with your dispersed team. Leverage the best wellness technology like BetterYou to help employees take back their time and more importantly, take a step toward improving their mental health. By improving digital wellness, employees are healthier and happier, and happy employees are more productive and engaged every day. They experience less burnout than those whose wellness isn’t supported. Technology can help avoid employee burnout.
If you’re not sure if your employees are experiencing burnout, check out this previous article on the topic. Avoiding employee burnout in 2022 includes many of the same strategies as in previous years, with more mindfulness and focus on the need for a compassionate, empathetic workplace after two difficult years for your employees.
