It’s a stressful time as businesses try to navigate the changed ways of working and strike a hybrid balance between home and office.
Recent research from HRLocker, the Lahinch-based HR software solutions provider, found that more than half (52pc) of full-time workers in Ireland are experiencing burnout.
While a certain amount of stress can positively impact an employee’s performance and satisfaction levels; prolonged, unmanageable levels of stress can lead to long-term physical and mental health issues.
“Now, more than ever, organisations must take effective measures to support their employees”
According to Adam Coleman, CEO of HRLocker, because we all deal with stress differently, job burnout can manifest in different ways.
With a host of tools such as clock-in/ clock-out, geolocation tracking and performance management, HRLocker enables organisations to better look after off-site employees, monitoring workload and identifying potential burnout before it happens.
Common signs of burnout
Some of the more common signs of burnout to look out for include:
- Feeling exhausted or depleted of energy
- Feeling mentally and emotionally removed from your job
- Feeling negative, cynical, or disillusioned about your job
- Reduced satisfactions from your achievements
- Reduced professional efficacy
- Difficulty concentrating
- Unexplained physical ailments such as headaches and stomach pains
“Now, more than ever, organisations must take effective measures to support their employees,” said Coleman.
“We recommend offering mental health support and screening services to all employees. Tackling stress and anxiety early will help both parties down the line.”
Mitigating employee burnout
HRLocker recommends giving employees the following advice to mitigate employee burnout:
- Embrace the technology to make life easier for both employee and employer. Not only can HR platforms, such as HRLocker, significantly reduce the administrative pressure on HR professionals, enabling them to invest more time on people focused initiatives; they also empower employees to take a more active role in the management of their career, from booking annual leave to controlling their professional development.
- Establish clear boundaries between your professional and personal life. Where possible, having a designated workspace can be highly beneficial. Otherwise, a simple a ritual of putting the laptop away when the workday ends can offer a similar psychological break from work.
- When the workday ends, turn off email and work notifications. If this feels a little scary, turn on your out of office. The important thing here is to mentally disengage from the office once you’ve clocked-off.
- Take more personal time, whether that’s getting outdoors for a walk, going to the gym or simply sitting and reading a book; devoting headspace to the things you enjoy.
- There is no ‘one size fits all’ hybrid model. While striking a balance between individual needs and those of the organisation can be tough, take the time to meet with your employer to try to find the right balance and air any concerns.
