Keynote/TEDx Speaker, CEO of Qualigence International, entrepreneur and investor. Helping companies identify, select and develop talent.
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Yoga classes. Meditation rooms. Unlimited or even mandatory PTO.
When it comes to addressing burnout, companies are increasingly trying to find effective ways to support their workforce. It’s awesome that companies are putting real effort into engaging and retaining their teams, but there’s a problem. Initiatives like the above are a huge waste of time and money. In fact, they may even hurt more than they help!
Let me explain.
Perks Can't Stand In For A Quality Work Environment
Offering amenities, rewards and perks is never a bad thing in and of itself. But the problem with many of these initiatives and programs is that they don’t address the root causes of workplace burnout. There are plenty of reasons behind this phenomenon. For example, someone could be in a role that doesn't bring them joy, lack friends at the workplace or struggle severely with stress management. But in my experience, one of the biggest drivers of burnout is ineffective leadership.
When a team member feels like they're being micromanaged, ignored and undervalued, of course they'll get more burned out and less engaged! It’s the reason why the phrase “People don’t quit jobs, they quit bosses” is so common! So why are companies throwing away tens of thousands of dollars on programs that won’t address the issue?
Unfortunately, many leaders want the easy way out. Rather than implementing an effective solution to a complex problem, they’ll put a band-aid on the issue and call it a day. After all, it’s a heck of a lot easier to slap a “Meditation Room” sign on an empty storage closet and clap yourself on the back for "solving" burnout. Changing the way your entire organization thinks about leadership, on the other hand, is a lot harder.
But trust me. It’s worth it!
The Real Solution Lies In Leadership Development
Working to mitigate burnout in the workplace takes a lot of effort. But there are many benefits to having leaders who prioritize their teams' well-being and job satisfaction.
• Employees will perform at a higher level, allowing teams to accomplish new company goals and initiatives much more efficiently.
• Turnover will drop, saving organizations a ton of time and money on recruiting.
• Morale will increase significantly. This is not only because teams are less burned out in their day-to-day work lives but also because fewer resignations mean less disruption due to churn and burn.
• Customer experience will soar to new heights. After all, there’s a huge difference between being served by someone who loves their job and someone who hates it.
• Top talent will actually seek out your organization to advance their career.
Of course, there are many personal factors to employee burnout that we as leaders can't control. But what we can do is spend more time improving the way we lead. So if you’re serious about building a leadership culture that engages teams and alleviates burnout for the long haul, you’re going to have to dig deeper.
It all starts with getting development buy-in from all the leaders at the company. If you want to change how people think about leadership, and how people actually lead at your organization, it must start at the top! Until the C-suite starts modeling and promoting the ideal anti-burnout behavior, nothing will change. So make a business case for demonstrating how leadership development can alleviate burnout, drive engagement and help retain your best people. Next, take care to pick the right leadership development program for your company. Finally, ensure teams hold each other accountable so the lessons stick and behavior changes accordingly.
Improving your organization's approach to burnout is a lot easier said than done, and it will require leaders to take a long, hard look in the mirror. But in addition to alleviating this major concern for employees, you’ll be unlocking your organization's true potential. Or you can simply blame burnout on something else and impede your growth. The choice is yours!
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