From Burnout to Brilliance: Engaging Employees Today
From Burnout to Brilliance: Engaging Employees Today
I have been developing an executive leadership program for corporate wellbeing that I hope to launch later this year. As I create the curriculum, I have been doing a lot of research and meeting with many practitioners in the field. Next week I am doing a keynote in Bogotá, Colombia, on this topic. I wanted to share a few of the highlights of my research as I think you may find them interesting too.
In the evolving post-COVID workplace, combating burnout and enhancing employee engagement and retention are critical. Organizations with strategies that foster a supportive and inclusive work environment that emphasizes employee wellbeing. Here are some insights and actionable steps to achieve this:
Understanding the Disconnect
To address employee disengagement and turnover, leaders must understand the underlying reasons. The pandemic has changed workplace culture, with employees seeking flexibility, connectivity, and a sense of belonging. Leaders must bridge the gap created by remote and hybrid work environments to ensure employees feel valued and heard.
Workplace stress has been exacerbated by remote work post-COVID. According to Michael Leiter and Christina Maslach in “The Truth About Burnout,” burnout results from a mismatch between an organization and its employees in areas such as control, fair treatment, community, workload, rewards, and values. These are within management’s control. Their research shows that: “…burnout is a workplace problem, not a worker problem.”
Leadership Connection and Empathy
Front-line managers must connect with their direct reports, especially in remote and hybrid settings. They should focus on understanding employees’ challenges and fostering an inclusive environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts.
If employees have positive wellbeing– mentally, physically, financially, and socially — they are 8 times more engaged at work and 2 times more likely to stay. This can truly affect the bottom line as the cost of replacing an individual employee can range from 1.5 to 2 times the employee’s annual salary.
Creating a Supportive Culture
To build a thriving culture, leaders should:
· Encourage Open Communication: Create spaces for employees to voice opinions and concerns. When employees feel heard, they feel respected and valued.
· Recognize Achievements: Regularly acknowledge hard work and celebrate team successes to boost morale and foster a sense of accomplishment.
· Foster Connections: Promote opportunities for employees to connect, preferably in person, through team-building activities or casual gatherings. Having a “best friend” at work is more important in the remote and hybrid work environment, post COVID
Addressing Emerging Trends
Two trends need immediate attention to improve engagement.
1. Quiet Quitting: About 60% of employees globally are not fully engaged at work for various reasons, indicating a need for proactive measures to boost connection and engagement.
2. Double Dipping: Around 5% of employees work two jobs simultaneously in secret, potentially affecting their performance and wellbeing and also impacting their ability to be fully engaged in either role.
Employee disengagement and attrition costs companies (S&P 500) between $228 million and $355 million annually in lost productivity.
Embracing Hybrid Work
Hybrid work is here to stay. To retain employees, organizations must prioritize flexibility and connectivity by:
· Strengthening Trust: Build trust between employees and management by clarifying the organization’s vision and employees’ roles in achieving the vision.
· Empowering Employees: Allow employees to contribute to and influence the big picture. Let them choose their work and understand role expectations and accountabilities.
· Creating Community: Foster a sense of community both virtually and in person with regular gatherings.
The “sweet spot” for time in the office vs. remote seems to be around three days in the office and two day working remotely. Companies that invest in in-person team building and after-hours employee events have better retention — no surprise.
Culture and strategy go hand-in-hand. While a website may say certain things about a company’s culture, however the tone-at-the-top as well as investments and strategic goals define the culture. If there is no executive commitment or investment in building connections, wellbeing, training, etc. then these things simply don’t happen.
The Cost of Burnout
Burnout affects employee well-being and has significant financial implications. Employees with positive well-being are more engaged and likely to stay. Conversely, burnout can lead to chronic health conditions, increasing healthcare costs and decreasing productivity. In the US, workplaces with poor wellbeing are twice as likely to lead to chronic health conditions for employees.
I can relate to this personally. I was once in a job that was very difficult. This stress exacerbated a herniated disc in my back, leading to chronic pain. I handled it with regular cortisone shots. Eventually that didn’t work anymore. One morning I fainted in my kitchen from the pain. Luckily, my husband was there to catch me. After spending too much time at the hospital and flat on my back, I decided to leave the job and prioritize my health. I am sharing my story to underscore the importance of addressing your own personal wellbeing before it escalates to severe health issues.
Proactive Leadership
Leaders can prevent burnout and disengagement by providing front-line managers with enhanced tools and knowledge to better manage a remote workforce.
· Training Managers: Equip managers with skills for hybrid and remote environments, including building rapport and supporting employee wellbeing. It is also important to educate managers on how to foster and support a multi-generational workforce.
· Supporting Career Growth: Shift career conversations from traditional promotions to skill development and progression. Encourage career experiments to align employees with the right roles.
· Rewarding Retention: Recognize managers for retaining team members within the organization and contributing to overall employee engagement and wellbeing.
Incorporating AI into daily routines is another modern trend in today’s workplace. AI can provide unbiased performance feedback, which motivates employees to learn from their mistakes, according to a study by Roulet, Zou, and Ertug.
Conclusion
Combating burnout and enhancing employee engagement require a holistic approach that prioritizes wellbeing, flexibility, and connection. By fostering an inclusive and supportive culture, organizations can retain top talent and create a thriving workplace. Leaders who focus on their wellbeing, and what it takes for an organization to flourish, can better understand and address the needs of their employees, driving positive change within the organization. Investing in these strategies will result in a more engaged, healthy, and loyal workforce, benefiting both employees and the organization today and futureproofing it for tomorrow’s challenges. This isn’t an easy process. It is complicated but also essential for businesses to be the best they can be.
PS — I asked DALL-E to give me an image that shows a thriving and flourishing workplace. Here is what I got 😊
