The constant pressure to be ‘always-on’ and the rise of the ‘hustle culture’ is contributing to even greater burnout in the workplace today than ever before.
With data from Statista revealing that more than three-quarters (76%) of UK adults are experiencing high to moderate workplace stress, burnout has become a growing concern for employers, as employees struggle to balance the demands of the workplace with their home life. Understandably, employees who are struggling to cope with economic precarity coupled with professional stress are refusing to suffer the repercussions of workplace burnout. And this is where the rise of ‘Bare Minimum Mondays’, a TikTok phenomenon – has been born from. The concept essentially refers to employees’ decisions to cut to-do lists right down, starting the day focusing on wellbeing in order to have a less stressful first day of the week.
As the latest in a long line of new workplace trends, this, however, should be seen as a huge red flag by employers, signalling broader workplace issues at bay, ranging from heavy workloads burdening employees, to high-intensity productivity pressures, and poor work-life balance for some individuals.
As new workplace trends encourage employees to focus on themselves, businesses need to act now in order to show employees that they have their backs and that they’re putting action into place to support employees in tackling the root causes of these bigger issues. This is critical for employee retention, with data from Visier revealing that as many as 70% of employees would leave an organisation for another with better resources to reduce burnout. In order to avoid a wave of resignations and hold onto top talent, business leaders must prioritise preventing employee burnout. So, how do they move with agility and accuracy to do this?
The snowglobe of the working world
Three years ago, the snow globe of our working world was shaken up entirely, and just like when you turn over a snow globe, the snow never quite lands in the same place. Prior to Covid, we all worked in offices chatting by the coffee machine and sending emails to colleagues a mere two metres away from each other. Even when it didn’t feel like much had happened in the day professionally, there was a feeling of ‘togetherness’ in the same ecosystem. Now with the two-dimensional aspects of hybrid work, it can feel like a much more demanding mental challenge.
Employee burnout occurs when work-related stresses, coupled with emotional or physical exhaustion, create a feeling of workplace anxiety. This is not one singular issue, but rather a million tiny events that combine together, sparking a ripple effect for employees. Of course, it’s not helped by the rising cost of living and stagnation of real wages in the UK. This challenging economic environment contributes to people feeling stretched thin and undervalued.
So how can businesses support their people to combat burnout? It’s important for leaders to dive into their data to determine patterns among specific demographics in their teams. For example, data can reveal links between remote working arrangements, gender, or general employee sentiment. Businesses should use the rich source of fuel in these data sets to drive business decision-making, or they risk making the wrong moves altogether.
When using data to drive insights, it’s vital to ignore wishful thinking and instead trust the real data you are capturing. Detailed analysis of figures such as resignation rates, absence data, and pulse surveys can paint a detailed picture of burnout in your organisation. Correlating these findings with real-time business results helps leaders understand exactly where and why investments are required to reduce burnout. Using workplace tools to gauge stress levels and ensuring your people are taking adequate time off will provide targeted support where it is needed the most.
Spotting the red flags before it’s too late
To retain existing employees, organisations will need to prioritise stopping burnout in its tracks. If employees feel spread too thinly or undervalued in their role, with trends like ‘quiet quitting’ still hovering around, it’s more than likely that they will be tempted to go elsewhere.
One key piece of the puzzle here is in ensuring staff aren’t feeling snowed under with workloads. Adding new tasks to an employee’s plate when they feel overwhelmed, or the temporary addition or expansion of an employee’s role without reward can have a damaging knock-on effect on an individual day-to-day. And for individuals struggling to get through a long to-do list, their general proactive behaviours and creativity may decline.
To avoid the longer-term repercussions of burnout, managers should have a clear understanding as to what their teams’ to-do list looks like to ensure they aren’t drowning when it comes to capacity. Employees in turn should feel comfortable setting their own boundaries if they feel they can’t take on more work- where even tiny administrative tasks can pile up.
The key to combating burnout? Transparency and candid conversations
There are tough times ahead in many people’s home and work lives’, so ensuring there is an open and honest culture of communication can help alleviate feelings of workplace stress. For example, sharing financial or business strategies with staff for visibility can help quell nerves. According to Visier data, 23% of people want more transparency in business strategy and general organisational financial performance.
Ignoring employees’ calls for greater corporate transparency can cost vital members of the workforce. Employees are more likely to stick around longer in transparent businesses, saving the hefty expense of hiring and training new hires. Companies can also reap the rewards of having an empowered and engaged workforce.
Ensure your culture has an open communication style, where employees at any level feel comfortable and heard to express their ideas, issues, and challenges with one another in an honest manner. Leading teams this way can help nip burnout in the bud, resolve workplace conflict, and champion better collaboration- whether teams are sat at home, or together in the office.
Burnout has permeated many UK workplaces, and the Bare Minimum Monday trend could get worse if organisations ignore the warning signs. By creating an open environment of transparency and trusting data patterns to do the talking, leaders can effectively manage employee burnout. With the right measures in place, nobody should have to fear the first day back at work after the weekend.
By Ben Harris, VP Sales of EMEA North
Featured Photo by Johnson Wang on Unsplash
