Burned-out Workers? Top 10 Signs & 10 Remedies
Employee Burnout: Top 10 Signs & 10 Remedies for Employers
Sr. HR Consultant
Everyone can feel burned out from time to time. It's normal. But what’s not normal is when your employees are feeling burned out, stressed, and overworked on a consistent basis.
If you suspect your team may be feeling a little (or a lot) burned out, there are things you can do as an employer to remedy the situation. First, you need to understand what burnout is and what causes it. We have you covered. We’ll list the top signs and remedies to help your team overcome burnout.
Below, we’ll discuss:
- What is job burnout?
- What causes job burnout?
- What are the top signs your workers are burned out?
- How can employers help remedy employee burnout?
What is job burnout?
Job burnout is challenging to describe for many. It can be a physical or emotional sign that something is not right. It's certainly not something that is easy for employers to pinpoint. But there are signs.
According to the
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
(CCOHS):
“While job burnout is not a condition that is formally defined as a medical diagnosis, job burnout is often described as:
- Physical, emotional, and cognitive exhaustion - feeling frustrated, tired of going to work, finding it hard to deal with others at work
- Negativity or cynicism – being less empathetic with others, detached from work or responsibilities, seeing work or elements of work as a source of frustration
- Ineffectiveness or low personal achievement – a lower sense of accomplishment and self-worth, self-doubt, experiencing work as unrewarding, feelings of “going through the motions” or being incompetent, feeling unappreciated
- Depersonalization – thoughts and feelings seem unreal or not belonging to oneself”
What causes job burnout?
Feeling burned out can slowly happen over time, or it could happen all of a sudden. Why it happens can be a result of many situations; personal, professional, or environmental factors.
Some causes of burnout could impact some people and others not at all. Generally, here are the top causes of job burnout:
- Work expectations that are either overwhelming or not challenging enough
- Little say in decisions that impact your role, such as scheduling, workload, or access to resources
- Vague responsibilities and a lack of clear performance expectations
- A toxic or unhealthy work setting, including conflict, harassment, or poor leadership
- Extremes in workload, ranging from repetitive, tedious tasks to constant high-pressure demands
- A poor alignment between your personal values, skills, and the role itself
- Not having adequate emotional or professional support at work or in your personal life
- Ongoing difficulty maintaining healthy boundaries between work and personal time
What are the top 10 signs your workers are burned out?
As an employer, it's important to be aware of the signs your team is burning out. If you notice some or all of these signs, it's time to take action to support your team and help them get back on track:
- Tiredness: Constant fatigue or low energy, even after time off.
- Performance: Declining performance or productivity.
- More time off: Increased absenteeism or frequent late arrivals.
- Change in motivation: Loss of motivation or enthusiasm for work they once enjoyed.
- Distance: Emotional detachment, cynicism, or a negative attitude toward work.
- Emotionally fragile: Heightened irritability, frustration, or mood swings.
- Withdrawn: Withdrawal from coworkers or reduced participation in team activities.
- Illness: Physical symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, or frequent illnesses.
- Unhappiness: Decreased job satisfaction and growing disengagement.
- Considering quitting: Talking frequently about quitting or expressing hopelessness about their role.
How can employers help remedy employee burnout?
Employers can help workers overcome burnout in a variety of ways. How you approach it will depend on your team's/individual needs. Here’s a list of ways that you can help your people:
- Set boundaries: Encourage healthy boundaries by promoting unplugging after work hours and supporting employees’ lives outside of work.
- Employee input: Build a culture of trust where employees feel safe speaking openly about stress, workload, and burnout concerns.
- Work-life balance: Ensure leaders model balance by taking time off, setting boundaries, and demonstrating sustainable work habits. Promote the importance of taking breaks and using vacation time to allow for proper rest and recovery. Encourage physical movement and healthy habits throughout the workday.
- Show appreciation: Actively recognize and appreciate employee contributions to strengthen morale and engagement.
- Adjust expectations as necessary: Regularly assess workloads to ensure expectations are realistic and aligned with employee capacity.
- Be flexible: Offer flexible work arrangements such as remote work, adjustable schedules, or compressed workweeks. Give employees greater ownership and control over how they complete their work whenever possible.
- Empower manager: Train managers to recognize burnout early and respond with empathy and practical support.
- Offer support: Provide access to wellness programs, mental health benefits, and employee assistance resources. Create policies that normalize and support mental health without stigma or fear of consequences. Offer supportive benefits, such as meal programs or stipends, that help reduce everyday stressors.
- Offer training: Equip employees with the right training and tools to help them feel confident and capable in their roles.
- Reduce unnecessary tasks: Reduce unnecessary meetings to protect focus time and minimize cognitive overload.
A final word about employee burnout and how to prevent it
Job burnout is a serious workplace issue that can quietly undermine employee well-being, morale, and performance if left unaddressed. By understanding what burnout is, recognizing its warning signs, and taking proactive steps to support your team, employers can create a healthier, more sustainable work environment.
Athina Iliadis is a senior HR consultant with leading HR services provider, AugmentHR. Athina uses her 25 years of experience in HR and her personable nature to help business owners navigate the tricky landscape of HR compliance, best practices and talent management and development. Her clients love her strong work ethic and ability to make the complex simple.
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