How to Handle a Burnt Out Employee

One of your bright and talented employees hasn’t quite been themselves lately. When once they were the first in their seat, happy and excited to begin the workday, now you notice them sauntering in late. They seem distracted and easily annoyed—definitely not the person who once cranked out top-notch work. A change in an employee’s behavior is cause for concern, because it can be a red-flag indicator of burnout.

Possible Causes of Burnout

In order to help the employee, it helps to first take a look at the potential root cause. Though the employee may be experiencing trouble at home, one of the most likely reasons for burnout is the job itself. Employees can get frustrated when overworked, underappreciated or confused—for example, when they don’t know your expectations or what constitutes a job well done.

Four Ways to Help a Burnt-Out Employee

If you notice a star performer has had enough, it may be too late to turn things around, but the plight is not entirely hopeless. It’s especially important to take steps because if one employee is upset with something in your workplace, this could spread to others, leading to turnover. You can try to amend the situation in the following ways:

Recognize and Reward

Everyone likes to feel appreciated. It’s good for self-esteem to know your work made a difference. You can recognize a job well done by simply saying thank you—in person, by email or even with a note. If you have a company intranet, posts about top performers can go a long way towards a positive work environment. And rewards, in the form of cash, gift cards or merchandise, can also be a perk for hardworking employees.

Be Clear About Job Expectations

Workers need context to do a good job. Meet with your workers regularly one-on-one to review their performance. Let them know what they’re doing well, what could be improved and how to make improvements. When you assign a task or project, help them understand what you need them to do, as well as the deadline. The more employees understand the guidelines, the more they can work to meet or exceed them.

Encourage Stress Relief

Taking a moment to clear your head is something many of us need throughout the workday. Encourage your workers to take a quick breather if they need to, including breaks, lunch, and PTO. Other forms of stress relief can include being able to listen to music with earbuds while they work, flex their schedule to accommodate appointments, work from home, or dress down during the week.

Increase Pay

Do your workers get regular merit increases, with the opportunity for bonuses and promotions? This gives them something to work towards, which can be motivating and prevent a feeling of stagnation.

Assign Work Appropriately

Understanding employees’ strengths will help you dole our assignments and responsibilities. Work outside someone’s skill set can be overwhelming. Provide appropriate training and leadership, when necessary, especially for workers who wish to try something new.

In Need of Additional Staff Members?

Sometimes workers are burnt out because they’re working short-handed. If you need to staff up, contact Inter-Connect. We’ll work with you to understand your staffing needs and find candidates who fit.

There’s a Smarter Way to Hire

At Inter-Connect, we’re driven by your success. We understand the challenges presented in finding and keeping great people, and we can help you meet them head-on. Our firm offers temporary, temp-to-hire and permanent staffing services to employers throughout the Tri-State region of Illinois, Missouri and Iowa. Whether you need to scale up production with a stellar temporary workforce or fill a key position with the best talent in the area, we have the skills and experience to help you reach your objectives.

With Inter-Connect you can:

• Reduce turnover cost and disruption
• Ensure compliance and reduce risks
• Streamline process for high-volume staffing
• Fill critical positions faster

Take the next step toward your goals.

Request an Employee for temp services, temp-to-hire services or permanent recruitment services.