With 60 per cent of Kiwi employees and 64 per cent of Kiwi managers reporting they’re burnt out, it’s possible that there’s staff in your organisation facing fatigue too. Clearly, this is a problem affecting employees at all levels, so how can you prevent it? In this article, we share five tips to overcome workplace burnout, so you create a safer and more sustainable working environment for all of your team.

1. Set realistic workloads and expectations

One cause of burnout is overworking employees. Urgent or critical tasks come up sometimes, however every task shouldn’t be critical. Take a look at employee’s workloads and tasks and re-evaluate what is a high priority and what can be completed later, or by someone else. If everything is a priority, nothing is a priority!

2. Encourage regular breaks

Taking breaks is important to reduce burnout because they allow your brain and body to rest and reset. Ensure employees are taking their lunch breaks, and if possible smaller breaks throughout the day. For example, going for a five-minute walk outside to get some sun and fresh air.

3. Improve your work environment

An unhealthy workplace can negatively impact mental health and contribute to burnout. There are a few ways employers can improve the work environment. Think – flexible working, more employee benefits, events, EAP’s. These might seem like small things, but when put together they can make a big difference.

4. Blend tasks

Provide a balance of tasks so one person isn’t getting all the mentally taxing tasks and try to break up work with less mentally demanding things. For example, if an employee has been given a report to complete that requires heavy research and data analysis, the next task assigned should be something less mentally taxing like formatting a document. Tasks will vary depending on the industry and business, but employers should aim to implement this where possible.

5. Give back autonomy

Employees can get burnt out if they feel a lack of autonomy over their work. A good way to combat this is to have employees be part of the decision-making process when it involves their role. Ask your employees about their schedules, responsibilities, and job descriptions, and try to be flexible. This is a great way to make employees feel in control of their work responsibilities.

Reducing burnout is not a one-time fix

Now you’re armed with practical tips to help avoid workplace burnout. But remember, reducing burnout is not a one-time fix, it’s an ongoing effort to ensure your team feels valued, balanced, and empowered. This is where we can help. With enableHR you can streamline things that don’t add value like HR admin and day-to-day tasks, so you have time to work on the things that do – like strategy, culture, innovation and growth. If you want to see how enableHR can best help your business, request a demo.