How To Handle A Burnt Out Employee

Employee burnout is something every industry needs to face and address. When it comes to working in your shipyard, you know the hard, physical labor that can impact your team’s health and mental wellness. So how can you address burnout with your employees before it’s too late? And how do you handle it when someone reaches the end of their rope. Here are a few strategies you can use as a manager.

What Causes Burnout

Burnout on the job is caused by several factors. It might be a sense of dissatisfaction with the job itself or feeling like there’s no advancement. It could be frustration with a lack of work/life balance. Or it could be a sense of restlessness that there might be something better out there. Ultimately, each employee will experience a different breaking point, but management needs to be on the lookout for what that could be before it’s too late.

Common Signs of Burnout

There are a few things that you can look for to help you determine if any member of your staff is experiencing burnout. They include:

Taking multiple sick days
Arriving late or leaving early
Lack of productivity
Short temper and easily frustrated
Withdrawing from coworkers

Communication

The important thing for you as a manager is to maintain communication. If you see someone struggling, say something. Ask them how you can help or what you can do to solve the problem for them. Sometimes people just want to know their work is being appreciated, so you can start by showing gratitude to your employees every day.

Motivation

Part of your job is also motivating your team. Step one is to find out what drives each individual. Then work with all of them to create a plan to keep them happy and engaged on the job. Provide ways for them to relieve their stress on and off the job. Limit over time, even if that means hiring more or bringing on temps to help with the workload. Encourage them to take breaks and, more importantly, to take their vacation time to recharge and come back to work refreshed.

Leadership

Burnout can also be combated with strong leadership skills. Make sure you’re leading by example. If they see you stressed out, they are likely to follow suit. You can also use your leadership to invest in your employee’s development in the future. Assign tasks based on potential, encourage continued education and training, and promotions based on their interest and experience.