Burnout syndrome: three tips on protecting your subordinates from it

Burnout can have a variety of causes and symptoms. It most often happens to employees who work in service jobs or are in frequent contact with clients. Burnout is also a very serious result of long-term neglected stress, frustration, workaholism or a toxic work environment. Since employee burnout has a grave impact on an employee's mental health and the productivity of the team as a whole, managers should try to create an environment that prevents burnout at all costs. Here are three tips on how to do this.

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Set boundaries for subordinates

Boundaries are important: as stated by Management Today, they help separate work from personal life and give work some order. Set certain boundaries: for example, the latest time a colleague can call you on your cell phone, or no sending e-mails after work hours. Then require all employees follow these rules; otherwise, ambitious employees might work overtime, calling people after hours, and other employees with less workaholic tendencies may feel they are not working hard enough. This could easily create quite a toxic atmosphere at the workplace.

Encourage debate about mental health

Do you want subordinates to let you know if they are feeling frustrated or sense they are heading towards burnout? Then you need to convince them talking about mental health is allowed in your team and no one will look the other way if they communicate these concerns to their manager and co-workers. Discuss mental health in your team and create a healthy and open environment in which people are not afraid to raise even uncomfortable topics.

Pay attention even to the more introverted and seemingly calmer employees

Burnout is a major threat especially for those employees who give the impression nothing ever bothers them. These are workers who never complain, tend to be calmer in nature and are not too extroverted. They are people who often keep their troubles and frustrations to themselves. Unfortunately, as a result, they are often overlooked by their superiors, who tend to focus more on subordinates who are loud and complain a lot. Avoid this mistake. Always take a deep interest in the mental state of workers who seem permanently quite happy and on top of things.

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Article source Management Today - website of a UK management magazine
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