Burnout is a very real and serious workplace problem. This can become very evident at the end of the year when employees are rushing to finish everything before deadlines or to take a long vacation.

According to the job site Indeed, COVID-19 has taken a toll on workers even more in 2021, compared to 2020. The survey conducted by Indeed found that 52 percent of those surveyed felt “burned out” in 2021. Sixty-seven percent of those asked said that feeling burned out has become more pronounced as COVID-19 has progressed. It’s more noticeable among remote workers (38 percent), compared to 28 percent of employees working in person.

Gallup reported in October 2020 that between 2016 and 2019, worker burnout was already on the radar. Once COVID-19 hit workers in 2020, those working remotely 100 percent of the time are reporting even higher levels than those who work outside the home.

The beginning of a new year is the best time to reevaluate your company’s strategies for avoiding burnout and find ways to energize your employees for a more productive future. Here are a few tips to help your employees find the energy they need to power forward.

Tips to Help Your Employees Power Forward

  1. Give thoughtful feedback—Good employees want to improve and feel like they are a part of something larger than themselves. Lackluster feedback can be frustrating and demotivating to people who really want to work on improving their performance. Managers should take the time to give meaningful feedback. Employee evaluations should be considered important tools for energizing and motivating employees, rather than just a to-do for managers to check off.
  2. Recognize good work and commitment—Recognizing good work is just as important as constructive criticism. Employees need to know when they do a good job so that they will repeat those behaviors in the future. Showing employees that you appreciate their good work or their long-term commitment to the organization also makes them feel valued, which will make them more likely to want to stay in their jobs.
  3. Set goals—Giving employees something to achieve is a great way to energize and motivate them. Instituting goal-setting is also now possible with benchmarking software and all-in-one HR software. Employees who know what it is they’re working for are more likely to hit the mark and to work harder to get there, even if they fall short.
  4. Give opportunities for growth—Stagnation is one of the biggest reasons employees lose energy. If a worker doesn’t see an opportunity beyond their current station, they will likely not be motivated to do better work. Giving employees room to grow and showing them how to do so can infuse some energy into the workplace. This doesn’t have to be a promotion or a raise every time, there are other things employees may be willing to work for like leading point on a big project or a chance to work more from home.
  5. Be appreciative—Even when your employees aren’t at their very best, it’s important to appreciate the work that they do. Good work should be expected, but an employee that feels like what they do isn’t appreciated is less likely to care and find the energy to do even better.
  6. Acknowledge and address problems—Burnout does happen. Employees can get overworked or stressed by complications. When these things happen, don’t ignore them. Acknowledging that something has gone wrong or that work has been tough helps employees feel valued. If these issues are systemic, it’s important to find a way to address them.

At LBMC Employment Partners, we do more than just routine HR tasks. Our team can also help your company build a culture that energizes employees, making them happier and more productive. To hear more about what LBMC EP can do for your company, contact us today.

All content and services on this page are offered by LBMC Employment Partners, LLC. LBMC Employment Partners, LLC, is part of the LBMC Family of Companies and is an independent entity with services and products being provided exclusively by LBMC Employment Partners, LLC.

LBMC Employment Partners, LLC, a member of the LBMC Family of Companies, is a world-class professional services firm. LBMC Employment Partners provides a comprehensive suite of human resource-related services to businesses including Professional Employer Organization (PEO) services, HR Outsourcing (HRO), Payroll, Human Resource Consulting, Employee Benefits, and ACA Compliance Consulting. For more information visit www.lbmcep.com.