Research “burnout” and its related keyword phrases online and you’ll discover that people search on these terms more than 100,000 times per month or millions of times per year. In researching and writing about this issue for years now, I’ve discovered a couple of interesting distinctions. First, the term burnout has become a catch-all phrase for lots of people who feel periodically overwhelmed at work. You know, “I am so burned out in this job.” That type of thing.
Second, employers are wary of admitting that any of their people might actually be experiencing feelings of burnout. Why? Because that would imply they and their organization are the source of these symptoms. Problem is that when they refuse to acknowledge that the pace and demands of today’s workplace may be contributing to this loss of focus, energy and balance, the people working for them don’t think they care.
With few exceptions, we can all feel overwhelmed at times. But when the pressure to perform becomes unrelenting, people begin to feel trapped. Thoughts about work become all-consuming. Worries about keeping up manifest both physically and emotionally. Not only do you feel tired, but now you might be battling a head cold that won’t go away or constant headaches that drain your energy. Yet when the boss asks, “How ya doin’?” Most people are likely to say “fine.” Then the boss says “great,” and the problem persists.
Not only does all this have an impact on individual contributors, it impacts organizational productivity and increases turnover. After all, who wants to remain in an environment where management doesn’t care about worker well-being? It’s not a black and white as that, of course. But if you’re experiencing these pressures, it’s only natural to focus on whose fault it is. In an overwhelming number of cases, that fault is attributed to the person in charge, fair or not.
So what can you do to ameliorate this issue as a manager? Here are three quick steps I’ve seen managers use to improve the situation in short order, if they are practiced consistently.
First, make time for small talk. I know, who’s got time for small talk these days? But even introverts enjoy the occasional chat on the job about something other than work. But digital technology now obstructs this natural flow of relationships. So much of communication has become transactional, as in emails and texts, that people are simply not conversing with each other. As a result, they don’t get to know each other. Besides, telling a dad joke or making a smart-ass comment is just not the same if you have to type it out. The same is true with meetings. With so many now conducted virtually, people sign in one minute before the meeting is scheduled and depart immediately afterward. There’s no time for “How was your vacation?” or “What happened to the Broncos on Sunday?”
Now, I’ll stipulate that you can’t force these kinds of interactions and some people will just not participate. But these sorts of conversations will be embraced by some if you let it happen or even kick it off. As the age-old saying goes, “All work and no play can make for a very boring and impersonal workplace.” And also ripe for retention problems.
Second, encourage hourly breaks. There is abundant research indicating that taking ten or so minutes once per hour to think about something non-work-related eases stress and promotes creativity. If you’re interested in the research backing this up, let me know. Encourage people take a walk around the workplace or outside, grab something to eat or drink, read a book, do some exercises at their desk, have a non-work-related conversation and so on. The only don’ts related to this are checking social media and helping someone else with their work. You should be doing this as well, by the way. This takes a while to implement simply because people may be wary of you telling them to take regular breaks, especially if the culture has not embraced it in the past. But give it a try anyway.
Third, make personal check-ins a part of your workplace rhythm. Now, I realize that there are a bunch of ways to ask, “How ya doin’?” As with encouraging hourly breaks, some people may not believe you actually care initially. So it takes some consistency and perseverance. The managers I’ve noticed who are successful at doing this ask the question in informal settings rather than official check-ins. They also stop and wait for an answer past the obligatory “fine.” This takes more emotional energy for some managers than others. But it is well worth the effort. Remember, it is not money and rewards that retain people. It’s relationships.
The key to these three strategies is consistency. For some people, developing this consistency will require some effort. For others it comes naturally. On top of that, it takes time to become believable, especially if it doesn’t seem to exist elsewhere in the organizational culture presently. Having the presence of mind to take a couple of minutes for a bit of small talk while passing someone in the hall, reminding someone to take a break even if they resist the idea and sincerely asking about how a person is feeling and then waiting for a few seconds after they say “fine” will encourage them to open up. Will this work for everyone? Of course not. But a sincere effort will result in a better rhythm under your watch and the growth of trust that every team so desperately needs these days.