How to support employees with job burnout

Everyone experiences some form of stress; it's a normal part of life. However, elevated stress levels can become problematic if they continue for too long. The World Health Organization classifies burnout as a workplace phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that hasn't been successfully managed.

Burnout has features similar to depression. The symptoms of job burnout include exhaustion, loss of productivity and interest in their work, procrastination and mood changes. For example, a previously patient employee could become snappy and irritable. You might also notice an increase in sickness absence.

As mentioned, burnout can cause increased employee absence and reduced productivity, impacting your business's financial performance and growth. If staff are absent long-term, either through being signed off by their doctor or taking frequent sick days, this can increase the pressure on your other employees. This can create a domino effect where stress levels increase and become chronic workplace stress, causing burnout in the rest of your team.

Employee burnout can negatively impact all staff. It can lower employee morale, even among those who aren't experiencing burnout, reducing employee engagement and motivation.

Research suggests that workplace stress is at an all-time high. In 2023, 44% of employees reported stress at work, compared to 36% in 2012. If not successfully managed, job stress can quickly become chronic workplace stress and burnout.

Job burnout typically results from chronic workplace stress but can have several causes.

Job burnout typically occurs when excessive stress becomes the norm. For example, your team may face a heavy workload or need to work longer hours to complete an important project. However, if this continues long-term without a break, your staff may be at risk of burnout or other stress-related illnesses.

Carrying out a systematic review of workloads, performance expectations, and working hours will help you assess whether your staff are at risk.

If your employees are already burnt out, they'll likely face a long road to recovery or may even resign, so prevention is better than cure. Burnout has many causes, including workload, company culture, poor workplace relationships and work-life balance. Preventing burnout involves using various measures to address the underlying causes and enable staff to access support tailored to their needs.

Lead by example

A positive and open company culture is vital in preventing employee burnout. It helps employees tackle job stress before it becomes chronic. Check in with your staff and ensure they can approach managers to discuss their workload or other issues. These may include difficulties in relationships with colleagues or personal problems affecting their work or productivity. Leaders should have appropriate training to support stressed staff, including when to signpost them to third-party support. Normalise discussing mental health conditions and stress to avoid stigma.

Managers should also lead by example by adopting strategies to prevent burnout. If leaders leave on time and take a lunch break, their teams will likely follow suit.

Work-life balance

A positive work-life balance can vary between employees, depending on their commitments and lifestyle. At a minimum, your employees should have enough downtime to rest and recharge, spend time with their loved ones, or engage in activities they enjoy.

A proper lunch break gives staff time to eat and escape their desks. They may be able to spend time in nature, which has many mental health benefits. Taking shorter breaks throughout the day can also improve focus and concentration.

Flexible working allows employees to tailor their workplace location and working hours to fit their needs and commitments. An earlier or later finish or a mixture of office and home-based working can all help employees reduce stress and avoid burnout.

Mental health and well-being support

Mental health and well-being support is a highly valued employee benefit for all your staff. It can also play a vital role in preventing employee burnout. You can signpost your team to resources helping them manage their health and well-being and third-party support when needed. Even if you prioritise creating a workplace culture that lets staff raise concerns and discuss stress, your team may still be reluctant to discuss personal issues with you. Providing employee health insurance and an Employee Assistance Program lets employees seek counselling or other treatment for mental health conditions without fear of judgment.

Workplace training and wellness initiatives can raise awareness and give staff tools to help them manage job stress and prevent burnout.

Recognise the signs of job burnout

Preventing job burnout involves spotting the signs in yourself and others early. Stress and burnout can cause physical, mental and emotional symptoms. Physical signs can include extreme tiredness, energy depletion and headaches. Managers may notice a drop in work performance or increased procrastination. If staff feel overwhelmed, they can become irritable with their colleagues or anxious, perhaps seeking greater reassurance about the quality of their work.

Good workplace relationships can help leaders and staff learn what is normal for their colleagues and notice a change in their personalities or habits.

Promote physical activity

Physical activity is great for employees' general health and can act as a stress release valve, helping prevent burnout. You can provide information and training on the benefits of exercise and suggestions for activities your employees may want to try.

You can also use workplace wellness initiatives to incorporate movement into the working day. Walking meetings and lunchtime activity groups help staff get active, help them build relationships, and introduce them to new activities.

Develop a time management strategy

Good time management skills help your employees focus on essential tasks, minimise distractions and recognise when they've taken on too much. However, this should be a shared responsibility between leaders and staff. Managers should determine which tasks are essential, set realistic deadlines and communicate clearly with their team.

It's also wise to give staff as much autonomy as possible. Let employees plan their workload and set realistic goals for the tasks they can complete each day or week. If a deadline is unrealistic, encourage them to speak up and ask for help or enable them to delegate.

Empower employees to care for themselves

Personal autonomy can prevent stress by giving employees control over their work. They're more likely to perform well on tasks they're intrinsically motivated to complete instead of those they have imposed on them. The same applies to health and well-being. Helping your staff understand the negative impact of stress and ways to reduce it means they're more likely to act.

Providing your team with resources and training helps them develop a strategy that fits their needs and preferences, meaning it's more likely to be effective in the long term.

Share company goals

If they become the norm, excessive workloads with long working hours and few breaks can cause chronic workplace stress. However, your staff can also experience burnout if they need more autonomy and feel they're working hard to meet targets set by others. Ensure all employees understand your company's goals and priorities. This can help increase employee engagement and job satisfaction as they feel part of a larger team. It can also help with time management and prioritising tasks.

Celebrating wins recognises individual and team achievements and can give your team a break.

In an ideal world, your business will implement strategies to avoid job burnout. However, stress affects each person differently. Employee burnout can lead to a long absence from work. Sometimes, they may need to leave work altogether and take a complete break.

Effective management is essential during long-term sickness absence. It would be best if you also took the opportunity to learn what led to the absence and how your business could prevent this in the future. Measures could include adjusting work duties or creating new strategies to encourage employees to seek support and self-care.

Create a plan

A return-to-work plan post-burnout should be individual to each employee. However, it can also help you introduce measures to benefit the rest of your team. Discussions with employees about their stressors and ways to avoid them are useful, as it allows you to identify ways to provide support while enabling workers to prioritise their well-being.

Provide access to third-party support

We've mentioned the importance of training to make staff aware of the risks associated with stress and the resources available to support them. Third-party support from a counsellor, mental health professional, support group or helpline can enable workers to speak freely about their challenges and find solutions. Staff may feel reluctant to discuss their feelings at work in case it negatively affects their workplace relationships or prospects.

Health insurance with access to counselling or an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) lets employees discuss their mental health in confidence. An EAP can also offer guidance for financial or legal worries, which may cause stress outside work.

How health insurance can help

Employee health insurance can provide many benefits, including helping prevent burnout. Each policy includes core coverage that businesses can supplement with optional extras.

Here are the features of a health insurance policy that can help prevent burnout or provide treatment if needed.

Mental health treatment

Most private health insurance includes access to 8-10 counselling sessions in its core coverage. Your employees can typically access these without a GP referral. Most insurers also run a telephone helpline for general advice, while some include specialist mental health helplines.

You can also add more mental health coverage at an extra cost. Enhanced coverage includes a broader range of treatments for mental health conditions, including in-patient care and more counselling or CBT sessions.

Health assessments

Most health insurers provide health assessments to help employees identify health concerns and set healthy living goals. They also offer follow-up support tailored to the individual. This approach lets employees consider the most important goals and motivates them to act while knowing help and advice are available.

Various employee health assessments are available. While standard tests only include physical health checks, some also provide mental health assessments, meaning they can identify early signs of mental health conditions. You'll also receive anonymised data enabling you to develop suitable workplace wellness initiatives.

Well-being resources

Every health insurer offers various health and well-being resources to enable members to explore health topics, find self-help advice and learn when to seek professional advice. Resources can include articles, videos and podcasts for staff to explore based on interest.

Some insurers also provide resources for managers to help them set up a well-being program, improve workplace mental health and support their staff.

Employee Assistance Program

As mentioned, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides confidential telephone support for staff experiencing mental health challenges. Some also offer specialist legal or financial guidance to signpost employees to appropriate professional help.

Some business health insurance policies include an EAP as standard, while others offer it as an optional extra. This varies depending on your chosen provider and business size. Corporate policies for 250+ employees often include an EAP, while small business policies offer it as an add-on. You can also choose a standalone service.

Rewards and discounts

Every health insurance provider has a rewards program that offers members discounts on products and services. Most offer discounts to every member, while some let you earn enhanced rewards. For example, Vitality's rewards program provides additional benefits to members who hit their healthy living and activity targets.

Rewards can support good mental health and prevent burnout in various ways. Many programs provide free or discounted access to mindfulness and meditation apps like Calm or Headspace. Most offer discounts on gym memberships or other activities to help staff get active. There are also discounts on social activities, such as cinema tickets, spa days or holidays, that let your team take a break.

We hope this guide has helped you discover ways to support your staff and prevent burnout. Globacare helps its clients find the right insurance products to provide high-quality employee support and benefits. If you'd like to find out more about how health insurance can help prevent employee burnout, contact us for tailored advice.