Employee burnout has been a hot topic of late, and the following factors are contributing to the problem:
Overtime issues. While a recent survey by Skynova indicates a large portion of those questioned would be “very” or “extremely” willing to work overtime, the survey also indicated a substantial percentage had refused, walked out, or even quit when faced with mandatory overtime. Such arrangements may also lead to “burnout, health consequences and a reduction in quality of life for employees.” This negatively affects the business as well as employees (or former employees, as the case may be).
No boundaries. Another problem is contacting workers outside of scheduled work hours. While some off-hours communication may be inevitable, the expectations around such communications must be clear to management and employees alike. For instance, a manager might inform employees that the best time for them to send emails is after work hours but that there is no expectation that employees will read or respond outside of their scheduled work hours.
Business Takeaway: With more companies than ever prioritizing flexibility and providing alternative work schedules (including four-day workweeks), remote work opportunities (full-time or flexible), and other benefits valued by workers, employees need not compromise their desired work/life balance by sticking around (and as of late, have not done so). Do you know how your employees feel about their work schedule? Are your managers and employees on the same page regarding off-hours communication expectations?
