returning to work: preventing burnout in your team.

It’s now been over a year since organisations have been forced to shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that restrictions have been lifted, people are gradually returning to work, especially those who had opted to work from home. 

However, the departure from remote work comes with an essential caveat: People have seen how remote work has allowed for flexibility, when it comes to childcare and other obligations.  A recent Randstad website poll also revealed that 25% said their mental wellbeing had improved while working from home and 27% said it had deteriorated. According to Smallbizgenius, as of 2021, 40% of people say that they favour remote work, due to its flexibility. But now, with people going back to the outside world to work, there’s now another upheaval in what’s “normal” in the workforce, with the first upheaval caused by COVID-19.

As a result, burnout can happen, at all levels. . Burnout can be physical, emotional, and mental, which can disrupt a person’s workflow. 

In this quick guide, we’ll explore 5 ways to prevent burnout in your team, as the world goes back to work post-COVID-19-shutdown. However, if you’re planning on keeping your workforce remote for the foreseeable future, our article on preventing burnout working from home is well worth a read. 

1. Look at team member overtime

“All team members in a company have some sort of overtime,” says Molly Board, a writer at Paperfellows and State Of Writing. “While it’s mandated to give employees overtime, it’s also important not to overdo it. In other words, giving workers too much overtime can be hazardous to one’s health and wellbeing. Look at the overtime worked by each of your team members. Track people’s overtime with online tracking tools, so that you’re one step ahead of the process, meaning that you can forecast people’s working hours and prevent too much overtime. If you see a person working longer than anyone else has, then try and give them time off, even if they insist that they can work more hours. The last thing you want is for that person to get burnt out and make mistakes on the job.” 

While paid overtime isn’t something that is established within some industries, there are other ways to ensure workers get time back from longer hours. Time in lieu, logging off early on a Friday and longer lunch breaks for example are ways in which employers can give back.

2. Make work more enjoyable

By reinventing tasks, you’re providing variety in your team members’ works. Why not turn menial tasks (i.e., emailing, scheduling, scanning, etc.) into more attractive tasks like team-based activities or competitions? Or, you can have workers listen to music as they work, if appropriate. Or, you can change up routines every so often to beat the monotony. 

3. Look at and or revise team member workload

Do you know how much work your team members have taken on? If not, then now is the time to look!

Luckily, there are online tools and software that let you track the number of hours your team has worked, as mentioned earlier. You can also make sure that no one is working too much or too little. According to Glassdoor, full-time work is between 30 and 50 hours a week; whereas part-time work is typically 32 hours or less weekly. Depending on your state, know what the work requirements are, when having a team of people work for you. 

Making adjustments for your team will do them a world of good, when it comes to their physical and mental health. 

4. Promote flexibility

“Flexibility is – and should be – essential to all members of your team,” says John Lindrum, a Human Resources expert at Boomessays and Essayroo. “Besides giving your team members a form of autonomy at work, be sure that they’re taking advantage of the flexibility responsibly. Also, if workers have children, be sure to have their parenting needs in mind, and if they need to care for their children every so often. Allowing flexibility in the workplace allows your team members to be refreshed and stay refreshed when they come into work.” 

Work life balance is more important than ever, so it’s key that flexible policies are implemented to allow this. When we asked over 9,000 UK respondents what the five most important drivers were when it comes to choosing an employer, work life balance was the most desirable for over two thirds (65%). 

5. Encourage holiday

Finally, everyone deserves a holiday every once in a while. So, don’t be afraid to give your team members time off, so they can have plenty of time to recover before returning to work. Plus, when giving your team members holiday time, make sure that you let them use their valuable downtime, rather than have them split them in half and then half again. Your members will thank you for giving them plenty of time to recuperate and refuel.

Conclusion

So, you see, burnout can also affect people returning to the outside world to work, after more than a year working from home. By keeping this guide in mind, you and your team will prevent burnout from interfering with work, especially as you all return from the “new normal” to the “pre-COVID” normal. 

Lauren Groff is a writer and editor at Academic Writing Service and UK Writings. She is also a contributing writer for OX Essays. As a career writer, she covers topics on remote work, resume writing, and job interviews.