Experiencing burnout in the workplace a problem many Australians experience at some stage during their professional career.

This has become even more common in the age of covid-19 when a recent survey revealed that almost three-quarters of Australian and New Zealand workers admit to have experienced burnout at some stage during 2020. 

There are many factors that caused this increase in workers feeling burnt out such as the average office worker’s overtime almost doubling of the duration of last year. Furthermore, only 15 percent of Australians who participated in this survey say that they feel completely “heard” by the organisation they work for.

Although the risk of burnout is becoming more frequent in certain sectors of the workforce, people employed in high-pressure roles, such as hospital workers and medical assistance providers, face a higher risk of mental exhaustion. The covid-19 pandemic has made the prominence of fatigue and burnout in these industries.

The consequences of burnout can result in higher rates of staff turnover, disengagement and low productivity. These problems create major challenges for middle and senior managers, who must balance looking after their team with increasing business pressure to deliver, sometimes while working with altered staffing capacity and budgets due to the covid-19 pandemic.

Here are some tips for business owners or Australians who are employed in managerial roles who are wanting to reduce the risk of burnout with their organisation.

Arrange to have one-on-one conversation with your employees – If you are worried about the mental health of one of your colleagues it would a good idea for you to have a one-on-one conversation with them to discuss your concerns. Employees will feel more comfortable and open to discussing workplace issues if it is done in a private setting. Also them knowing that they can talk to you when they need your support will help strength the trust between you and the other staff members.

Avoid Taking Burnout as A Reflection on You – Often when a number of staff members are feeling burnout the manager might view the burnout as a reflection of their management style. This is not often the case as there are a number of factors that are occurring outside the workplace within the employee’s personal life that could be causing stress and taking a toll of the mental health of your employee. These issues could be related to family or relationship problems which have nothing to do with going to work or your management style.

Set The Standard – It is important to be a role model for your employees and to have health conversations about what a healthy workplace should look like. Often when a manager replies to emails late at night and work weekends, they set the standard expected of the wider team, which can place unintended workplace pressure on employees and lead to burnout.

Be an Umbrella for Your Staff – A good manager would try their best to protect their staff by shielding them from any unnecessary demands that might distract them or cause any extra stress.

Encourage Flexible Working Arrangements for Your Staff – Life can be unpredictable and the covid-19 pandemic means that employers must be more flexible in the working arrangements that provide for their staff. Sometimes staff will need to arrive late, or leave early or work from home. It is important to communicate with your staff that they have flexible working options available and offer it to them if you think it will help reduce the stress in their daily lives and consequently boost their productivity when they are working either in the office or at home.