Have you ever had an employee that is unengaged, underproductive, or cynical? The first thing that pops in our head is that they need a little more discipline. It is never our first thought to think that this employee may be overwhelmed or burnt-out, especially if this employee is usually always on his A-game.
Burnout can come from many sources; such as having too much work on his plate, tired of working on the same projects, or your employee doesn’t feel challenged anymore. Whatever the reasons are, it is important to recognize the signs of how your employees are feeling.
Top 3 Signs of Overwhelmed Employees
Decreased Quality of Work Mixed with Low Productivity
Many of our employees start out wanting to take on the world without slowing down; however, after a year or two on the job, you start to notice that they have slowed down and no longer want to take on their own job. It is very easy to believe that he may just becoming lazy. Chances are very unlikely that they are just lazy, if they are generally motivated to do a good job. It may be solely based on the idea that he may be overworked.
High Levels of Disengagement
Early in their career, your employees will tend to be excited to come up with new ideas, offer extra help around the office, and be optimistic about what they do. Yet, what happens when your employee is no longer offering suggestions, he is no longer engaging in conversations with his colleagues, and he will not come to you will questions. Again, this is a sign of an employee who is no longer excited about what he does day in and day out.
Complaining All the Time
All employees have great days and bad days. Not only does everyone have bad days, many people have a tendency to complain about stressors at work. However, it is a bad sign when a generally cheerful employee starts to become negative all of the time. These negative comments can include, “My clients are always complaining,” “I am so tired of doing the same thing,” and more. This is a sign that your employee is not getting the stimulation that they need at work.
Now that We Know the Signs, What Can You Do?
Find Balance
Many clients who have a heavy load on them will do whatever it takes to get all of their work down. This can mean working late hours, evenings, through lunch, even on weekends. While your employee and you may thing that he is doing a fantastic job and is a hard worker, too much of this can lead to exhaustion.
It is important for you to discuss taking time for himself during his personal time (Evenings, Weekends, Lunches, and breaks). This would help your employee get the rest and relaxing he needs to get his gusto back!
Switch Things Up
Many times, our employee does the same tasks day in and day out. This can cause our employees to become bored with their job. For this reason, it is important to create varied work for all of your employees. Different types of work help break up the dull everyday routine.
Have a Conversation
It is not always work that can cause your employees to become overwhelmed. Many times, issues at home can cause stress to come into work as well. This can cause bad behaviors with your employees. Sometimes all it takes is a conversation to learn why your employees are starting to show bad habits while at work.