The constant pace of change and a variety of new demands are contributing to widespread burnout among both employees and managers today.
According to new research from a Harris
Poll survey done on behalf of The Grossman Group, more than 75% of
employees and 63% of managers report feeling burned out or ambivalent in their
current position.
And surprisingly managers are not
recognizing just how overwhelmed their employees feel, with 89% saying their
employees are thriving compared to the actual thriving figure of 24%. That is
more than a 3-to-1 discrepancy.
Today, I asked David Grossman of The
Grossman group:
Question: Why do you believe so
many managers do not recognize burnout in their employees?
Grossman: Managers may
struggle to identify burnout due to various reasons such as lack of training,
high workload themselves, or simply not knowing the signs and symptoms of
burnout.
Some signs and symptoms of employee
burnout may include exhaustion, lack of motivation, decreased productivity,
increased fatigue, increased cynicism or negativity, difficulty concentrating,
physical symptoms such as headaches or stomach issues, detachment towards work,
and changes in sleep patterns.
Other signs may include withdrawal
from social interactions and decreased satisfaction with work. It is important
for both employees and managers to be aware of these signs and take action to
address them to prevent burnout among employees.
Companies and their leadership can help managers get better at this by providing proper training on recognizing burnout, encouraging open communication between managers and employees, promoting a culture of work-life balance, and offering resources for mental health support.
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As you will discover when you download the research findings there are additional specific tactics leaders and managers can take to help combat burnout among their employees include:
- Have a plan to conduct regular employee monitoring and check-ins.
- Ensure managers are committed to their employees’ success and are empathetic to their challenges—on top of ensuring communication from senior leadership that is direct, clear, and authentic.
- Confirm communication reinforces action.
- Ensure there is a plan to manage change fatigue.
- Help managers to translate business strategy to employees’ goals.
- Provide approachable and accessible access to senior leadership.
For background, Harris’ and
Grossman’s new research comes from the survey of 2,086 employees, conducted
over two waves in January 2024. The research finds the biggest driver of burnout
(checked out, ambivalent, languishing, quiet quitting) for both employee and
manager groups is "a great deal of constant change."
Other factors include unnecessary
work from senior leadership, employees frequently having to shift focus
throughout the day, and high turnover rates that often lead to even more work
for those left behind.
"These findings are a wake-up
call. Clearly, employees are not okay and yet that is often not recognized by
senior leadership or the frontline leaders whose job it is to support and
engage their teams," explains Grossman.
Discover the summary of the research by downloading your complimentary copy here. You will also learn more about what leaders can do to help reduce burnout among their employees.
About The Grossman Group
The Grossman Group is an
award-winning Chicago-based leadership and communications consultancy focusing
on organizational consulting, strategic leadership development, and internal
communication.
About David Grossman
A leading consultant, speaker, and
author, David Grossman ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, CSP is one of America's foremost
authorities on communication and leadership inside organizations. He is Founder
and CEO of The Grossman Group, an award-winning Chicago-based leadership and
communications consultancy.
About The Harris Poll
The Harris Poll is a global public
opinion, analytics, and market research consultancy that strives to reveal
society's authentic values to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. With
a global research reach of more than ninety countries, Harris offers advisory
services across sectors to world leaders, CEOs, and business decision-makers.
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