How to Spot the Signs of Burnout

Are you worried that your employees are under too much stress? Perhaps you have already had a case of burnout and are keen to prevent this from happening again?

Either way, as a business owner, it is vital that you know how to spot the signs of burnout so that you can safeguard your team and keep your business operating as it should.

Read on to discover the most common signs of burnout. Plus, how you can avoid burnout in your employees in the first place.

What is burnout?

As the name suggests, burnout is when someone is both physically and mentally exhausted. It can occur when an employee has experienced prolonged stress in the workplace or if they have worked in a physically or emotionally draining role for a long time.

Although burnout can be an awful experience for the person affected and those around them, the good thing about it is that it can be easily prevented.

What are the most common signs of burnout?

Suppose you are worried that one of your employees is under a lot of stress and that they are close to burnout. In that case, it can be a good idea to know the most common signs of this all-too-common occurrence and how to spot the signs of burnout so that you can provide them with the help they need.

These signs are as follows:

– Feeling or drained most of the time
– Feeling helpless, trapped or defeated
– Feeling detached from the world around you
– Having a negative outlook on life
– Procrastinating or taking too long to complete tasks
– Feeling overwhelmed
– Coming in late to work or skipping work entirely
– Withdrawing from responsibilities
– Isolating oneself from others
– Using food, alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism
– Inability to carry out one’s job
– Reduced performance at work

It is worth noting that the signs of burnout are similar to those of depression.

How to avoid burnout

Of course, no business owner wants one or more of their employees to suffer from burnout, so you need to know what steps you can take to avoid it from happening in your workplace.

Some of the most effective ways to avoid burnout include:

Encourage communication in the workplace

You need to ensure that your employees feel comfortable talking to you about how they feel.

Talk to your team about mental health and actively encourage them to share their thoughts and emotions on the subject.

Make well-being part of your company culture

Make sure you prioritise well-being in your company culture and provide resources to help your employees lead healthier lives and take care of themselves in the best possible way.

Employ a mental health coach

Suppose mental health is an issue in your workplace. In that case, it can be beneficial to enlist the services of a mental health coach to help your employees manage their mental health and overall well-being.

Take steps to reduce stress in the workplace

Whether you are currently setting unrealistic expectations or you do not support a good work/life balance, you must take steps to actively reduce stress in the workplace if you want to avoid employee burnout.