According to recent research, 95% of HR leaders cite burnout as a prime reason for employee turnover. And the larger the business, the larger the impact. In fact, many leaders at organizations with more than 2,500 employees said burnout causes 50% or more of their annual turnover. That’s a huge number, especially when turnover can be incredibly expensive. That’s why retention should be a priority for any business. It’s also the reason you should know the six signs of employee burnout:
1. Increased absenteeism
There can be legitimate, non-burnout-related reasons for missing work. The important thing to keep an eye on is an elevated trend. Do you have a great employee who’s never had a problem with absences, but now he or she is suddenly out more and more? That could be a definite burnout flag.
2. Health problems
Burnout can have a serious impact on an employee’s overall health. Is there someone in your business who seems to be dealing with increased health problems, even if they don’t miss work because of them? Burnout could be the reason.
3. Less socializing
Sure, we want our employees to work. That’s why we hired them. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be friendly and social with their coworkers. When burnout begins to set in, you might notice employees who usually are gregarious and outgoing suddenly withdrawing. If your workplace seems less conversational and friendly lately, you might have a burnout problem.
4. Working excessive hours
We all have to work a little harder sometimes. However, when one or more employees is working excessive hours for extended times, that is going to take its toll. To keep from getting burned by burnout, keep your eye out for employees burning the candle at both ends.
5. Decreased productivity
When employees get overwhelmed by repetitive, seemingly endless tasks, they often lose focus. Instead of seeing the big picture, they can only see the unread emails. If it seems like your employees are working the same number of hours and productivity is decreasing, burnout might be to blame.
6. Poor job performance
When a reliable employee’s performance dips, you should always be concerned. Yes, there are going to be peaks and valleys. That’s only natural. But if there are suddenly a lot more valleys than peaks, it’s time to consider the impact burnout could be having.
The good news? Many of the causes of burnout are within your control. Too many organizations react to burnout instead of trying to prevent it and get stuck in a never-ending cycle of turnover. With the right tools, you can stop burnout in its tracks.
Our human capital management solutions give you those tools. To learn more about how we can help you support and retain a high-performing workforce, download the white paper .
