In a time when nothing is certain, and there’s turmoil everywhere, it can lead to a high level of stress on your team. However, you still need your people to meet performance expectations and goals. How can you set them up for success? Here are some tips to help:
Look for signs of burnout.
Employees don’t always let you know when they’re burned out. If you’re suspecting it but not sure, a few signs to look for include: more mistakes, increased absenteeism, and irritability. If a once-strong performer is exhibiting these or similar symptoms, it’s often a sign that stress is too high and burnout is near.
Communicate with your people.
When you see signs of burnout, talk to your employees. You want to show them that you care for them beyond just getting the work done. Meet with each one individually and discuss their issues and concerns. Give them an opportunity to voice their struggles and work together to develop a solution.
Encourage stress relief.
When employees are overly stressed, they’re not going to be as effective. It’s why you need to help them cope, whether by suggesting a few vacation days off, working with them to achieve a more flexible schedule, or re-working their priorities and delegating some tasks to others. In general, please encourage them to take good care of themselves through diet, exercise, and sleep. A few small tweaks can make a big difference in their quality of life.
Promote a work-life balance.
If you have employees working from home, it can be difficult for them to set boundaries with their schedule. For instance, if they’re on their laptop at the kitchen table, they’ll be tempted to check their email and perform work-related tasks during their downtime. One way to avoid this is to suggest a separate work-from-home area. Creating an actual physical boundary makes it easier to stick to a defined work schedule, minimizing the chance for burnout.
Be clear about goals and expectations.
When employees aren’t clear about what you expect, it can lead to confusion, stress, and strain. That’s why it’s important to work with each team member to help them prioritize their work assignments and discuss what you need from them and when. When employees understand your expectations clearly, they will know where to focus, curtailing burnout.
Times are certainly stressful for everyone. However, when you’re more mindful of what your employees need and work to support them, you can help them navigate and come out ahead.
Do you need helping to add to your team to curb burnout?
Turn to PrideStaff. As a leading staffing agency serving Phoenix, we can give you more flexibility – without increasing your company’s overhead – through temporary and temp-to-hire services. Our solutions will take some of the burdens off your core people so that they can maintain productivity and your competitive edge. Contact us today to learn more!
