When we’ve never experienced the symptoms of work burnout, it can be really easy to overlook them in those around us. In fact, without prior knowledge, it can be easy to overlook them in ourselves too! I say this from experience, because it happened to me just a few years ago—making it a subject that is very close to my heart, and something that I watch out for on behalf of all the custom apparel creating team members here at K Factory.
Of course, everyone has a tough day at work from time to time, when they just don’t feel like being there. But when things like cynicism, irritability, headaches, insomnia, and fatigue start to stack up, it’s time to pay attention. Because, work burnout is bad for health and happiness, whichever way you look at it. It’s bad for business too, so how can we spot the signs when they’re right in front of us?
What is Work Burnout and Why Does It Matter?
Turning to an old reliable, Mayo Clinic describes work burnout as “a special type of work-related stress—a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.” Researchers have connected it with medical conditions like depression, too, and warn us that allowing work burnout to linger can impact our physical and emotional well-being. Let’s take a look at the symptoms:
- Feeling cynical about what you do and not caring any more
- Feeling like you’re dragging yourself through the day
- Having difficulty starting tasks and staying productive
- Experiencing unexplained headaches
- Feeling cranky and impatient towards colleagues and customers
- Not being able to concentrate
- Feeling disillusioned about your work
- Experiencing a disturbed sleep pattern
- Noticing other physical problems like digestive issues
As you can see, that paints a pretty un-fun picture of what it’s like to experience work burnout. For employers running a business like myself, being familiar with these indicators is extra important, because those who are really invested in the work that they do are actually more likely to experience burnout. Yes, you heard that right—it’s your most incredible team members who go all-in that are most vulnerable to this issue! So, if you want to safeguard their well-being and support their ability to do fantastic work, it’s vital to understand what causes burnout, and how to stop it happening in the first place.
Burnout happens when a person experiences a prolonged period of stress caused by things like too much pressure, work overload, a lack of feedback, unclear or conflicting direction, or not enough support. When these kinds of stressors go unmanaged, the impacts of burnout can spill over into other areas of the person’s life, and even have a contagion-like impact on your whole team. In contrast, when employees are fully supported and engaged, it shows not only in their morale, but also in their performance. Did you know that engaged employees generate 78% more productive and produce 40% higher profits? So, let’s figure out how to slay this burnout monster once and for all!
How to Help Your Team Thrive Under Pressure
Here are some kick-ass ways that you can help your team keep burnout on the back track and thrive while doing the work they love:
- Ensure roles are clearly defined and well structured
- Keep work hours reasonable and encourage work-life balance
- Pay attention to your employees’ talents and interests, giving them a chance to use and develop them
- Make physical and emotional health a priority
- Communicate with authenticity and make sure your team understand what drives their actions
- Encourage supportive camaraderie, teamwork, and shared accountability
- Have an open-door policy and listen to work-related problems
- Give strength-focused praise and constructive feedback so that your team can grow
These tips might seem simple, but they can carry your employees for miles when it comes to ensuring enthusiasm, productivity, passion, and purpose. If you’d like to show your team how much you value them with some awesome custom printed apparel or embroidered branded accessories, then K Factory has got you covered. Kitting out incredible teams is one of our favourite endeavours, so contact us today if you’d like to know more!
