Take a look to your right and left. Of the two people sitting next to you, one is probably suffering from workplace burnout. It’s time to put an end to the hush-hush culture of emotional exhaustion, especially when it comes to new hires, who are at a higher risk of burnout as they race to master the learning curve and prove their worth.
New job burnout can crush productivity, destroy culture, and sabotage your career and the happiness of your team members. That’s right, burnout affects a whopping 50% of professionals across countless industries and costs the global economy nearly €300 billion.
Need we say more? That’s just what we plan to do, below!
This Is Your Brain On Burnout
Stick out your tongue and say “Aahhhh!” Then, tell us if any of these burnout symptoms sound familiar.
- Chronic fatigue
- Increased irritability or impatience
- Disillusionment about the position or company
- Consistent headaches or body aches
- Sleeplessness
- Anxiety
- Change of appetite
- Decreased productivity
The most common causes of burnout include lack of social support, overwork, unclear or unfair job expectations, toxic work culture, and disengagement. Over time, a cocktail of these factors can cause even the most gung-ho of new hires to become worn down and dissatisfied with their role. Yikes!
Burnout isn’t inevitable, though. Ensure that you or your employees never reach that point using the following strategies for preventing employee burnout.
Prevent New Job Burnout Like a Pro with these four steps:
1. Cultivate control
A study conducted by the University of Nebraska determined that greater “psychological ownership” (that’s a fancy phrase for “control”) at work can lead to:
- Greater job satisfaction
- Decreased turnover
- A more positive attitude
Managers, if you’re leading a team of new hires, loosen the reins and give them some autonomy over their roles. This could be as simple as outlining the week’s priorities on Monday morning and then allowing your team members to work around their ideal schedules to achieve these objectives.
Tip: Find out which workday schedule is right for you or your coworkers, based on science!
New hires, don’t be afraid to speak up if you feel that you’re lacking control over your role or working environment. Well-phrased constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement may just help to keep that burnout molehill from turning into a mountain.
2. Carve out time to cultureboard
Managers, trust us—taking the time to involve new hires makes a huge difference in maximizing engagement and preventing employee burnout… like ‘realizing Darth Vader is Luke’s father’ huge. Cultureboarding combines the best parts of “onboarding” and “culture” using strategies such as assigning office buddies or senior leader mentors to new employees. Implementing these strategies even before day one can ensure that your new hires don’t jump ship like the 33% of employees who leave within their first six months.
Tip: Give new hires this step-by-step guide that explains what to do before, during, and after their first day for the best start at your organization!
3. Mind the multitasking
This one applies to both managers and new hires. Although it may feel like you’re absolutely crushing it while simultaneously checking email, chatting with a client on the phone, and scanning down your mental to-do list, the reality is that multitasking makes you less effective and overall worse at all tasks you’re trying to focus on.
This can quickly put you behind schedule while increasing the feeling of mental overload—basically the definition of burnout. Resist the urge to multitask; instead, calmly prioritize and then home in on one to-do at a time. Your brain (and your task list!) will thank you!
4. Tend to your tribe
Musician Bill Withers had it right: we all need somebody to lean on. Surrounding yourself with friends, mentors, and supportive coworkers is one of the best ways to prevent burnout and love your job. Managers, help your team out by creating an all-star mentor system that engages new hires within their first week.
New hires, be prepared to take things into your own hands if your organization doesn’t facilitate relationship-building opportunities. For instance, ask a coworker out to lunch every week to discuss professional development topics, get to know them on a more personal level, and build genuine connections that will make you feel more at home at work.
Calling all managers! Grab our complimentary Onboarding Whitepaper that breaks down the 4 essential building blocks of onboarding for ultimate success in the new year.
Click here to download the whitepaper now!
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