Burnout and Balancing Employee Retention

As per estimates by the American Psychological Association, almost 550 million workdays are wasted each year due to employee burnout. With a workforce much larger than the USA, it can be safely assumed that the loss of productivity due to this condition is making an even bigger dent on the Indian GDP. This impact is felt not only in terms of employee productivity but also on employee retention.

Employee burnout describes a person who is disengaged from the work they are expected to perform. It is a commonly overlooked condition that is gaining attention at a time when human resources and work processes are undergoing a transformation and work-life balance is becoming the need of the hour. 

According to a survey by Deloitte2, the top driver of burnout is the lack of support or recognition from leadership, indicating the important role that leaders play to prevent or alleviate burnout. Additional reasons like overwhelming workload, limited control, unrewarding work, unfair compensation and work that conflicts with values also contribute to burnout and employee attrition. People Analytics can identify and alert managers to trends in scheduling and absenteeism that may indicate an employee is on the path to burnout so changes can be made immediately.

Employee engagement, recreation and ‘personal time’ are vital ingredients of a good HR policy. Today’s employees, and especially millennials, consider ‘leaves’ and ‘break-time’ as entitlements and not a discretionary part of their employment. They need time to recharge themselves and keep their minds fresh for better output. In fact, it is this phenomenon of employee burnout in typical jobs which is a crucial factor driving the growth of the gig economy. 

An increasing number of employees are opting work on their own terms instead of being controlled by ‘bosses.’ The time has come for organizations to review their approach to employee engagement and retention. It is important to create inclusive policies and a work environment that prevents burnouts and effectively boosts employee engagement and productivity. When employees are surrounded by a supportive team and environment, they start to flourish which benefits organizations who seek sustainable growth and long-term productivity.