Tips to prevent employee burnout

In our last issue, I gave you a glimpse into my brain, which I admitted is filled with melodies and song lyrics. Music is intertwined into every part of my life. A few days ago, I heard “Feel Like a Number,” an oldie from Bob Seger that spurred some relatable concerns.

I feel like just another
Spoke in a great big wheelLike a tiny blade of grass
In a great big field
To workers I'm just another drone

To Ma Bell I'm just another phone
I'm just another statistic on a sheet
To teachers I'm just another child

To IRS I'm another file
I'm just another consensus on the street

And I feel like a number...

First, I chuckled because there’s an unbelievable number of people who won’t get the Ma Bell reference. I am “landline old.” But that’s not the point.

It’s mid-year, and with the bulk of you doing year-round production, it’s definitely time for a team check-in. (That said, I hope you’re doing those every few weeks and not only a couple of times a year.) Do your managers feel like “another statistic on a sheet,” or does your production crew think they’re a “tiny blade of grass in a great big field?”

Instead of everyone just going through the motions, offer a chance for people to say what’s worked and what’s been a miss so far this year. Some people are uncomfortable saying that in front of a group — like during a morning production meeting — so empower your managers to have those one-on-ones with the team.

Operation burnout prevention is vital. There is no quick fix for burnout, and the cure is certainly not a pizza party.

There’s also not a blanket response for burnout. Everyone feels it differently.

That’s why it’s crucial to actively listen to your employees’ concerns and ask thoughtful questions.

Some causes of burnout, according to a study from the Mayo Clinic:

Lack of control. This includes not having a say in how you do your job or not having what you need to do your work.

Lack of clarity about what is expected of you. Do you have standard operating procedures mapped out? Are they clear to everyone?

Lack of support. Crews need to know who they can talk to with concerns. And those people need to be accessible.

Monitoring for burnout is a constant process. Make sure your teams feel comfortable talking about it before it’s a serious problem.