Let’s face the reality that many of us are burnt out. For the vast majority of the working population, we’ve spent the last 20 months navigating a mix of issues such as, the never-ending pandemic, schooling children from home, assisting aging parents, dealing with staff issues at work, and dealing with political issues that extend into the workplace. It seems like everywhere we turn, there is something that is leaving us feeling deflated and devalued. It’s important for leaders to understand that your best employees may be operating from a depleted source that can cost you time and money over the long term. So, how can you best support a staff that is burnt out?

According to Gallup, 23% of employees report feeling burnout at work very often or always, while an additional 44% reported feeling it sometimes. You may be able to quickly identify these employees by observing behavioral changes. For example, fatigue, poor performance, and low motivation are just a few signs that a member of your team may be burnt out. As a leader, you are charged with not only ensuring that your deliverables are met, but also charged with the wellbeing of the staff that is responsible for delivering that work.

Here are a few simple ways that you can help your staff with work-related burnout.

Don’t Speak – Listen. This is probably one of the first things you can do to assist a team member who is burnt out. This will allow you not only to access their wellbeing, but also identify any work-related priorities that may be in jeopardy. You should take caution in providing any advice to the employee, especially where it’s not work related. If your company offers a service such as EAP (Employee Assistance Provider), you should feel free to make that recommendation.

Encourage Time Off. Some people find work therapeutic and will work countless hours. As the old saying goes, “too much of a good thing can lead to a bad thing”. While they may be certain their hard work is helping the organization move in the right direction, you need to ensure that they are prioritizing their wellbeing. As the manager, you should tell the employee that you recognize and applaud their efforts, but you also want them to take time off as needed.

Establish Safety. Some employees just don’t feel safe when approaching their leadership about burnout – they feel it’s a sign of weakness. Here’s an opportunity for you to be vulnerable with your staff. Leaders have felt some form of stress and burnout at some point during their career.  Use that personal experience to connect with your staff of how you overcame that challenge, and you want them to be able to do the same thing for themselves. This is a great way to create safety and establish dialogue with your employee.