Spring is the time of year when our thoughts go to the outdoors, where we may envision a relaxing day in a park or on a beach.

Then the phone rings and your employee jumps into gear to put out the latest fire of the day at 4:45 pm, keeping them working until way past their regular work hours. Repetitive days like this can cause unrelenting stress and can lead to employee burnout.

Well, the dictionary describes burnout as exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation, usually as a result of prolonged stress, overwork, or frustration.

Burnout doesn’t happen overnight; it’s a gradual process. Employees may have been wearing many hats or taken on more of a workload due to company downsizing, or perhaps the company is having difficulty filling open positions.  

Here are the typical things that people are told about managing burnout on their own:

• They are working too much and should spend more time relaxing and socializing.
• They should take a break from technology and shut off devices at a certain time.
• They should say no to unreasonable requests for their time.
• They should eat right, exercise, get more sleep!

If employees could implement this advice all on their own, and that was all it took, we wouldn’t have employee burnout like we currently do. And yet one of the primary reasons employees leave companies today is a lack of “work-life balance.”

Employers can encourage employees to take advantage of the resources and benefits offered to them, like an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). An EAP is a program that assists employees with personal challenges that may impact job performance and their wellbeing.

A flexible work schedule is a top and current demand of workers. Employers looking to meet their workers’ expectations follow a modern approach to provide flexibility as they can to each of their employees.

Employers may also consider enlisting their managers for help.

Managers can review and balance workloads within their department and engage other resources to help struggling employees -- even in the short term. They can monitor jobs that require the employee to be available for calls/emails/texts after regular hours. Managers can also encourage employees to take some vacation time.

• Let employees know they have your permission to take time off. Let employees know asking for time off is ok and is a benefit as employees of your company.

• Lead by Example: Managers can schedule their own vacation time and share the details and their excitement with their employees. Knowing their manager takes the time to relax and recharge can inspire employees to do the same.

• Encourage employees to schedule vacation times in advance on a shared calendar. Once someone on the team schedules vacation, others may consider taking their own time off.

• Encourage even short vacations. Long weekends can recharge us. How about sharing some ideas for time off in locations around your area for a quick trip?

• Or, what about a couple of weekdays off to do all the things the employee can’t do on the weekend? This may help someone catch up. (Plus, the bonus of a shorter workweek.)

• Encourage employees to detach from work while on vacation. They should enjoy the time with family and friends and not be checking emails every hour.

Burnout, and other mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and the fears surrounding them, can affect the workplace in various ways. This can influence an employee’s performance, safety consciousness, and relationships with co-workers. Time away from work helps in improving productivity, lowering stress, and reducing absenteeism.

One of the best things you can do as an employer today is to emphasize the importance of taking some well-deserved time off. And remember, managers are employees too. So spread that spring fever and help with employee burnout.