The 5 Leadership Strategies That Actually Prevent Employee Burnout

Employee burnout is one of the unseen epidemics of the workplace today. The “always on” mentality and rapid-paced work ethic foster an environment and culture in a workplace with dire and destructive effects – not just for the organization but for the well-being, effectiveness on the job, and longer-term career prospects of the employees.

Overcoming burnout goes beyond the individual looking in the mirror and getting themselves motivated at the start of each day. It’s a deeper issue that, left unaddressed, often results in concerning mental health issues. Let’s explore the essential leadership approaches and skills that can help prevent burnout and foster a healthier, more productive workforce.

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1. Empower by creating awareness

Burnout is often only identified retrospectively — but effective leadership can use analytics to avoid it preemptively. Proactively measure and watch for declines in productivity, rising absenteeism and spikes or dips in engagement. Periodic “eNPS” surveys with employees, optional (and anonymous) feedback opportunities for employees and less formal but intentional one-on-one well-being checks give leaders opportunities to assess how employees feel about their jobs and the company.

When leaders have assessment analytics in hand and apply good-heartedness to assess how their people are feeling, they’re able to respond empathetically then and seek remedies to improve the situation — whether at an individual employee level or throughout the company for more pervasive issues.

This approach serves to foster trust amongst employees and also shows that the company cares about them as individuals.

2. Fostering an agile and adaptive workforce

Burnout is compounded by inelastic work policies and the perception of unreasonable expectations that make employees feel they lack control over their lives. Instead of setting policies set in stone, leadership should focus on valuing outcomes and results rather than on prescribing how employees must work.

While remote work is a popular topic today, companies that do not offer remote opportunities can still demonstrate flexibility in other ways. This can include providing options for full-time versus part-time schedules, encouraging the use of vacation and time off and fostering a culture where employees feel comfortable saying no or discussing trade-offs and priorities.

This approach can help prevent employees from feeling overwhelmed and ultimately burning out. When employees see that their employer is flexible and balances the needs of the business with their personal needs, they don’t feel “trapped” or “on the treadmill.”

Related: How Remote Work Is the Great Equalizer in the Workplace

3. Supporting action toward mental well-being

Organizations are working more to support the mental health of their employees. Employer support used to be limited to employee assistance programs that offered light support for mental health or addiction challenges.

Now, many offer robust offerings ranging from mental health educational resources to self-help and meditation apps to support groups to access therapists and treatment programs. Offering programs like this helps to destigmatize mental health discussions and encourages employees to seek help.

Most compelling is when senior leaders in an organization are willing to be open about their own mental health struggles, which both humanizes them and empowers their employees to feel comfortable being more proactive and open about their own challenges and struggles.

When employees understand that their company has their best personal and mental health interests at heart, that not only increases their likelihood to seek care and make use of available help but also builds their loyalty to the business and helps prevent the spiral into burnout that can result when you feel your employer views you as just a cog in the wheel.

4. Shared support accountability through peers and collaboration

No one wants anyone else to experience burnout, but the pressure to deliver business results often causes leaders to be heads-down and not allocate enough time to the health of their team and culture. Leadership can be more effective in this regard by helping create a support system of peers and a collaborative atmosphere where one can air grievances and get the proper support to get back on track.

Team-building activities, mentorships and open-door policies foster co-worker relationships and create a workplace with a sense of community. When people feel empowered with connectedness and shared responsibility through peer support, they are less likely to experience the pressures and strains that lead to burnout.

5. Prioritizing self-care and work-life balance

If leaders want to contribute to positively shaping the culture of an organization, then they must actively model that culture with their words and personal behaviors. Leaders should engage in self-care and work/life balance — taking PTO, not overexerting during work hours, establishing boundaries and discussing mental health — this is how they can show employees that work is a safe space that prioritizes their well-being. When leaders take a day for themselves, it shows employees that it is okay for them to do the same.

The future of burnout prevention

This is the kind of company that avoids burnout, where employees feel empowered, respected and reinvigorated. A strong manager acknowledges that mental health support is just as important as traditional health insurance, and employees are encouraged to make use of that support.

Flexible work arrangements, robust mental health offerings and a daily culture of empathy and collaboration can foster a workplace for productivity, engagement and satisfaction.

Related: Try These Tips to Stop Burnout From Infiltrating Your Workplace

How organizations can take action

Companies can prevent burnout by prioritizing the hiring of emotionally intelligent leaders, implementing flexible policies, and providing comprehensive resources, education and tools for mental health support.

Regular HR initiatives, starting with the onboarding process, can create opportunities for ongoing mental well-being check-ins and mechanisms for anonymous feedback. Additionally, policies that promote work-life balance and ensure easy access to mental health resources help employees feel that support systems are in place, even if they don’t need them at the moment.