Employee Burnout: How Do You Identify and Prevent it in a Hybrid Team?

Employee burnout is more than just a post-pandemic buzzword, with over 75% of workers having experienced it over the course of their career.

With a rise in hybrid and flexible work models, there’s a consensus burnout is less likely. In reality, while hybrid workplaces alleviate some causes of burnout, the lack of face-to-face contact can exasperate others.

If you’re an office manager or team leader, it’s important to recognize the signs of burnout in order to take steps to prevent it. Leaving it to resolve itself can lead to increased turnover, decreased morale and lower productivity.

So, how do you spot employee burnout when they spend part of their working week at work? And how can you help your employee before it starts to impact other areas of your business?

Our article will help you understand what burnout is, how to spot it, and most importantly, the measures you can take to prevent it.

What is Employee Burnout?

Employee burnout is defined as: “the state of having no energy or enthusiasm because of working too hard...”

It doesn’t just affect your mental state, you may also recognize symptoms in physical and emotional health too, which is why understanding and preventing burnout is essential. From negativity through to simply being exhausted, those experiencing burnout often feel a lack of motivation for any activity.

It’s the responsibility of employers and managers to build a work culture and implement policies that minimize the risk of burnout.

What Causes Employee Burnout?

Employee burnout can rarely be attributed to one thing, as it often stems from various causes and solutions to burnout.

For example, in a hybrid workplace, employees are able to work more flexibly. This should offer greater work/life balance, but can also make it harder for employees to ‘switch off’ between their professional and personal lives.

Whether you work from home or the office, the most common cause of burnout is having too much work or too many responsibilities, without enough time or resources to complete them.

This leads to feelings of overwhelm, and can contribute to imposter syndrome or the feeling of not being able to meet expectations.

6 Ways to Identify Employee Burnout in a Hybrid Team

Now we know what employee burnout is, what does it look like in a hybrid workplace? Here are six ways to spot it.

1. Decreased Productivity

If an employee who has a track record of productivity is suddenly struggling to complete tasks or meet deadlines, it could be a sign of burnout.

2. Increased Absenteeism

If your employee is taking more sick days or not able to make it to work more frequently, it may not be the dreaded quiet quitting. It’s often a sign of burnout that needs to be addressed and can be remedied.

3. Negative Attitude

If you’ve noticed a dramatic change in an employee’s previously positive attitude, it could be attributed to burnout. Feeling demotivated and cynical about the workplace is a sign something is wrong in their professional life.

4. Decreased Engagement

Beyond productivity, if an employee was previously the life and soul of the office but is now withdrawn and disengaged, they may be experiencing burnout.

5. Change in Office Attendance

Most people thrive in a routine. If an employee who previously came into the office 2 to 3 days a week starts to make it in once at a push, you may need to get to the bottom of what’s affecting their attendance.

6. Physical Symptoms

We’ve discussed how employee burnout can affect physical health as much as mental health. It could present itself in fatigue, headaches or insomnia.

While these symptoms are harder to spot in colleagues, they usually result in other ways, such as higher absences or disengagement.

Open, supportive communication is key when identifying and preventing burnout.

How to Prevent Employee Burnout in a Hybrid Team

Whether you’re a team lead or office manager, you’re in a position to influence and create a work culture that prevents the risk of burnout.

As a hybrid workplace, it’s even more important to put tangible practices into place to build a work culture that motivates employees and makes them feel seen and heard, no matter where they’re working from.

Here’s what you can do to prevent employee burnout, including strategies to prevent burnout:

Encourage Regular Breaks, Away from Desks

Nobody is built to sit at a desk for eight hours a day. Make sure your employees are able to go for lunchtime walks, tea breaks or smoke breaks without judgment.

In the office, you should have a space separate from desks where employees can sit or stand to socialize and eat lunch, using flexible seating arrangements. Not only will this decrease the risk of burnout, but employees that take regular breaks have higher productivity.

Prioritize Your Work Culture

Work culture is so much more than post-work drinks, and is important in almost every area of your organization – in fact, businesses that invest in the work culture have 4x the revenue growth.

Promote Work-Life Balance

It’s the age-old adage: free donuts can’t replace the benefits of work-life balance. If you’re a workplace that prides itself on being at the forefront of the future of work, you should be offering both.

Track Office Attendance

Flexible working means giving your employees the power to choose when they come into the office. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea to stay aware of how attendance is changing.

Support and Resources

Your employees need to have the support and resources they need to complete their work effectively and efficiently.

Monitor Workloads

Even those who hate micro-managing need to check in with their employees if they’re serious about monitoring their employees’ workloads.

Employee Burnout Isn’t Inevitable

Employee burnout can occur in any industry. However, if you take the right steps to build a work culture that actively works against the causes of burnout, your risks are significantly reduced.

By understanding the causes and taking preventative measures, such as following burnout prevention and recovery tips, you can ensure your employees feel the full benefit of a hybrid, flexible workplace without risking their wellbeing.