Employee burnout is an unfortunate reality that many Americans face, especially when working for a company whose services are in high demand but the establishment itself is understaffed. Anserve’s services can take some tasks off your employees’ plates as a major step toward avoiding employee burnout. Read on to learn more!
What is employee burnout?
Considered a type of work-related stress, employee burnout can take a toll on an individual’s physical, mental, and emotional health. This physical or emotional exhaustion can cause an employee to become cynical about their work, and result in reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity. There are several factors that can contribute to employee burnout, such as having a constant heavy workload, working long hours, work-life imbalance, lacking control over the work, and dysfunctional workplace dynamics. As a result, many medical conditions can result from employee burnout, including depression, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, anger, vulnerability to illness, and more. When it is not addressed, burnout moves from an individual issue to an organizational issue.
How common is employee burnout?
Employee burnout has always been an ongoing source of stress for employees nationwide. In 2017, the American Psychological Association conducted its Stress in America: State of our Nation study, which revealed that employee stress is among the top causes of stress, with 61% of individuals reporting it as a factor in their mental health. In return, the repercussions of employee burnout can have a financial effect on organizations. The American Institute of Stress reported that job stress costs American companies over $300 billion each year due to accidents, absenteeism, low productivity, employee turnover, workers’ compensation and direct medical, legal, and insurance costs. Although employee burnout specifically impacts individual employees, its negative outcome also creates a domino effect within organizations.
How to prevent employee burnout?
Understanding employee burnout and its causes is an important first step when figuring out the ways in which to avoid it altogether. If your top talent isn’t thriving due to burnout, your organization can also suffer as a result. The best method to prevent this is checking in with your employees and offering helpful resources. Ways to improve your company dynamic include:
- Prioritizing employee well-being and stress management
- Supporting both managers and employees
- Providing recovery time and breaks
- Allowing employees to set boundaries
- Building social connections
- Helping employees find their purpose
- Encouraging flexible work arrangements
- Taking a holistic approach to wellness
- Setting clear expectations
- Providing feedback and transparency
- Offering resources for burnt-out employees
By being proactive to reduce employee burnout, strive to ensure your employees are experiencing the best work environment possible. As a result, employees will become more engaged, allowing your company to thrive. Companies with engaged employees are 78% more profitable, 40% more productive, five times less likely to have a safety incident and likely to have two times more revenue growth than their peers.
To avoid employee burnout employees must take action
Conversely, employees can also take action when experiencing employee burnout in the workplace. If your employer offers a variety of benefits, it’s best to be mindful of these tools and use them frequently and appropriately. As a dedicated and hardworking employee, you are entitled to these benefits, which will go a long way for your mental and physical well being.
- Take a midday break
- Use allotted vacation time
- Avoid too much overtime
Advocating for yourself is a crucial step to maintaining a work life that’s healthy, sustainable and productive. By doing so, you also set a positive example for other employees and can help your company continue favorable and realistic expectations.
Anserve’s services can take some duties away from burned out employees
Prioritizing your employee’s time is an important factor to helping them avoid employee burnout. This includes examining what responsibilities are in need of their time and what tasks can be completed through other means. Anserve has the answer and offers services that can help with your company’s day-to-day operations, including:
- 24/7 Answering
- Answering overflow calls during office hours
- Appointment Scheduling and Confirmations
- Virtual Receptionist services
- Message Taking and Delivery
Contact Anserve to find out how our services can ease employee burnout
If your employees are overextended and experiencing employee burnout, Anserve’s answering services can handle calls and some admin duties to ease the burden. When hiring Anserve, our company becomes an extension of your brand, following customized scripts to deliver your message precisely. Anserve’s live-agents are based in North America and fully trained in customer service, HIPAA compliance, and data security. Anserve manages over 10,000 calls per day and has the ability to answer calls in over 200 languages. Learn more about how we can ease the burden for burned out employees!
