What do you do if your team is showing signs of burnout?

Today's world is all about performance and less loyalty. People at work are more stressed than ever because they are working towards impossible expectations of individuals and not so much the Organisation many a time. As leaders we need to help our people close themselves to the outside noises and look within the voice that will allow them to work more freely with the true entrepreneurial spirit. I believe that when you work for what you believe in, it becomes more fun yet responsible and more accountable rather than chasing someone else’s dream. Working with fun and one's belief is less burnout. This transformed ecosystem becomes more inspiring and motivating to recognition and changes than just trying to reward, motivate and recognise.

Addressing the issue promptly is essential to prevent further negative impacts on productivity and well-being. Begin by recognizing the signs of burnout and initiating open communication about workload. Assess and evaluate workload against work-life balance and provide necessary support. Transition the situation into a positive working environment and monitor progress before setting an example to lead.

Signs of burnout are visible long before the actual burnout. In many cases, the signs are however ignored or not dealt with before it is too late, and it will take a long time to recover. If it is still not too late, act immediately, health has to come first. Taking six weeks off may first sound like too much, but in some cases it may be "cheap". I would recommend the assessment towards the 12 stages: - Stage 1: Excessive ambition - Stage 2: Working harder - Stage 3: Neglecting your needs - Stage 4: Displacing problems - Stage 5: Revision of values - Stage 6: Denial of new problems - Stage 7: Withdrawal - Stage 8: Impact on others - Stage 9: Depersonalization - Stage 10: Inner emptiness - Stage 11: Depression - Stage 12: Burnout

When you feel burnout, what helps me is reconnecting with my why. Emotions create actions and when people have a strong emotional connection to something, they will find a way. At the same time, you might just be at the wrong company, work for the wrong boss, or just need a nice vacation.

Burnout, especially in highly demanding industries is real. Checking in with employees regularly, encouraging some semblance of work/life balance, and encouraging open dialogue are ways to potentially avoid burnout. Offsite retreats and encouraging employees to honor time off are also strategies to create a healthier work environment. Operational redundancies, written processes and procedures, accountability conversations, and core values of honoring and respecting one another can similarly create an environment where employees feel empowered and can thrive.

Since Covid hit, we became a fully remote business. Everyone was very happy with the flexibility but have become isolated. We ran multiple surveys and monitor employee well being and we noticed a dip in peoples happiness at work. Since then we have introduced weekly face to face meet ups and regular "fun" calls where work discussions are banned. This has had an immediate positive impact with employees far more up beat and happy. Small changes with minimal cost is having huge impact.

One thing I have always found useful is taking regular PAUSES. Now how do I define Pause is a breakout - physically (no, dont just sit at home) and emotionally (its bit hard, so thats where physical detachment from workplace and even home helps a lot) I strongly reccomend being very close with nature on a pause period. But then what next? Contemplate. What is making you restless? Pen down everything that is bothering. Work, Family, Social everything. Divide it into Past (events, decisions, relations), Present concerns and Future bothereations. Once you pen down all. Start giving weightages according to.. is it a normal, abnormal or fatal worry. This exercise really helps in assessing and then working on specific actions

I have worked under management where the leadership style and practices, contributed to the stress of our team. Some unrealistic expectations, unclear goals, lack of autonomy, poor communication, insufficient recognition, and conflicting values. In these situation we needed to have coaching, mentoring to help the team develop their skills, resilience, and self-care strategies.

My suggestion is to freely and openly talk with your team if you understand that tough period is coming (or it is already) and the team needs to work under pressure - if people would understand the reasons and the goal you need to achieve, this will be much easier for them. Also you need to set clear expectations regarding the deadlines and make sure to help the team rest after this period.

Finding a balance between ambition and well-being, ensuring that your objectives are challenging yet sustainable. Achieving balance and preventing burnout is an ongoing process. By realigning your goals, establishing healthy boundaries, and prioritizing self-care, you can cultivate a more sustainable and fulfilling lifestyle.

SMART goals are the foundation and Realignment of approach to SMART goals as per ground condition is the key to success of the goals.... Communicate constantly to stakeholders and take a bird's eye assessment continuously on progress , so that chances of slippage, if any, can be seen at early stages and action taken accordingly

If the team is overwhelmed, it might be time to reassess the team’s goals and expectations. Ensure they are realistic and achievable, considering the team’s capacity and resources. Communicate these clearly to the team, ensuring everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. This can help reduce uncertainty and stress.

Revisit your Team's OKRs and KPIs. Normally, you should have planned for 80% utilization of each individual's time leaving 20% for development and well being time. If your team's is experiencing burn out then the objectives needs to be retailer's based on capacity then you will need to rediscuss with upper management after setting everything right for your team.

Celebrating and rewarding team members goes a long way but also understanding what motivates each individual and tailoring recognition to that where possible leaves a lasting impact.

In my personal opinion, I would reward and recognise team member based on his passion. I.e gift a kindle reader to someone who loves to read online, give a camera lens to someone who is learning professional photography, get someone to bungee jumping who loves adventure sports. Customise rewards and recognition based on team members hobbies and passion.

When people don't feel valued, their job satisfaction can plummet, leading to disengagement, fatigue, and ultimately burnout. Leaders can mitigate this by fostering an environment where recognition and appreciation are part of the daily culture. Regular acknowledgment of team members' hard work boosts morale and enhances productivity and loyalty to the company. Managers must proactively recognize their teams' efforts to maintain high levels of energy and commitment.

A football team doesn't just celebrate when they win the championship, they celebrate every match win and every goal along the way! During a prolonged period of intense work, fatigue can set in. So it's very important to break big things up into phases and milestones - then celebrate those appropriately. Incentivise your team for the small wins, and they will naturally achieve the big wins.

- It is critical to reasses goals and expectations if you see burn out in the team. - As a leader it falls on you to manage the expectations and align the management so that the team can get that break. - Also it is very important to discuss with the team where there time is getting spent and try to help them navigate the organisation in an efficient manner.

One thing I’ve found helpful was arranging a light gaming session over which personal things can be discussed and laughing more openly with them. Believe me, laughing along is the best therapy. I have actually seen my team members opening up. Sometimes the issues are personal, sometimes professional and sometimes procrastination. And after that , they are all set to work, in fact with better ideas of doing things.

Make the team socialize, involve them in some social activities which in turn affect their productivity and enhance their social interactions .

Saber ouvir a sua equipe e absorver, não só as sugestões de melhoria como as críticas é fundamental. Um feedback bem realizado com a equipe pode auxiliar muito em descobrir os gaps que levaram a esse burnout

Promote a collaborative work environment where everyone feels included and heard. Encourage team-building activities and open discussions. This not only improves communication and relationships within the team but also makes work more enjoyable and less stressful.

Understand why the team is burnt out. If there is a specific task or process that drains the team of energy, help the team with resources or a different way of looking at the task. From an individual perspective dig deeper to truly understand what is happening. Most importantly offer support and empathy while making sure the team and individuals feels like they are winning and being successful.

In my entrepreneurial journey, while building a team of leaders, what has worked out is - one rule. I call it 50:30:10 rule of communication For 50% of the time, the communication is all about daily tasks to plan and complete, say sales meetings, closures this week or sprints or brand campaigns progress etc. For 30% of time, its about long term, say yearly targets, new product, hiring for sr. positions, learning & development etc. Last 10% is all about Heart to heart conversations -- AGENDALESS TALKS Its about HIM/HER only. Whats happening in life - on physical and emotional level. What are your aspirations, life view, work view etc. Magic happens here! The key point is to make time for this 10% & never to compromise on it.

Implementing changes is just the first step. It’s crucial to continuously monitor the situation and follow up on the measures taken. Regular check-ins and feedback sessions can help you understand if the strategies are working or if further adjustments are needed.

Recognizing the "time famine" syndrome as a root cause of burnout, we can combat it with STING and the 80/20 principle. STING prioritizes tasks for maximum impact, while the 80/20 rule focuses efforts on the most significant tasks. Celebrating small achievements along the way boosts motivation. Effective planning and prioritization empower the team to work smarter and achieve balance, fostering sustained motivation.

One of the ways that I have seen and did this is by setting up a very strong HR team and reinforcing them with only one mission that employee satisfaction is of utmost importance. The HR team can through processes and efforts find out the insights from people as to what is leading to dissatisfaction and we can even get solutions as to how the work life can be improved. There should also be a cultural committee in the organisation which will comprise mostly of people outside of HR team. They should be given some budget to continuously do things to improve the culture of the organisation.

Monitor team progress and well-being closely. Track performance metrics and regularly check in with the team. Provide ongoing support and reinforcement of positive outcomes.

Employees burnout is a dangerous situation as it doesn’t sound that it requires an immediate action, however; down the line; the downturn will be sudden and disastrous. it’s dangerous as it might be wrongly perceived as being workaholic, might be contagious and this becomes a root cause for wrong organizational culture reform, a culture that doesn’t cultivate interpersonal relation or leverage the right needed balance for any employee to be a sustainable, effective, productive but happy & engaged element as well. As far as solutions are concerned, and though empathy and rewarding might sound like a good remedy, but as a matter of fact they are all tranquilizers, what is needed is intervention towards workload balance or brining resources.

Constant engagement with team members and keeping a pulse on how everyone feels is essential. Burnout does not just occur. It is a composition of several other factors, and addressing these on time is necessary to deal with team burnout.

Create an environment of open communication where team members feel comfortable expressing their concerns and challenges. Through these discussions, gain insight into their workload, identify sources of stress, and understand any personal obstacles they may be encountering. Encourage team members to take regular breaks and utilize their allocated time off to recharge and prevent burnout.Additionally, consider redistributing tasks among team members to ensure a more balanced workload, Introduce strategies like flexible work hours can empower employees to better manage their responsibilities while maintaining a healthier work-life balance. Offer support and recognition for their hard work and dedication can go a long way in combating burnout.