The managers critical role in preventing employee burnout
Managers’ behaviour and being a role model play a part in burnout and its control. Consider a manager who works weekends, late into the evening. Their team may think they have to do the same, even if it’s against the values of the organization.
To help ensure employees perform to their best, employers must ensure they have not only good policy and practice, but also a supportive suite of employee assistance tools in place.
This can range from having an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to courses on stress management. Or encouraging employees to feel safe discussing mental health and fostering a culture that recognises issues and works hard to resolve them. This allows employees to feel free to make choices that balance their work-life without worrying about the consequences it might have on their career.
Policies that restrict work contact out of office hours (which has become law in some European countries), limits on overtime, and recognise overwork as a health and safety risk, not a virtue, are some examples of how things can change for the better.
Providing a suite of alternative employee benefits that support work-life balance such as flexible time options, wellbeing apps, meditation classes as well as many others can benefit both the employee and the employer.
It doesn’t stop at provision. Making sure employees can easily access them and use them is critical in their uptake; and without uptake, there’s no benefit.