Four signs of burnout: how to protect your subordinates

Burnout syndrome is a serious psychological phenomenon. An employee suffering from burnout loses all interest in their work, is unable to perform well, feels exhausted and in some cases even falls into a state of depression or anxiety. There are many reasons, from economic to health-related, why both employees and their managers should try to avoid burning out at all costs. Here are four signals that indicate an employee is at greater risk of burning out, as well as some advice on how to prevent burnout among your subordinates.

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Working overtime long term

Before burnout itself, too much stress and an unsustainable way of working usually manifest themselves first of all as workaholism. If one of your team members starts spending long evenings at work, you should not merely praise them and use them as an example, but be alert and pay more attention to the given employee and their mental condition.

Drop in productivity

As The Muse states, there typically follows a sudden and significant drop in the output of the given employee. If you notice someone going through a period of low numbers, high failure ratio and inability to meet targets, you should beware.

Loss of positive attitude

Loss of energy and positive attitude: this is another typical sign of the onset of burnout. The change is especially visible in people who are otherwise full of humour and maintain a positive attitude even during unpleasant situations at work.

Unwillingness to make future plans

A person who is about to burn out often feels helpless and sees no future in what they are doing. The employee thus no longer takes any interest in what lies ahead, they stop sharing visions with the rest of the team or their manager and have trouble planning anything long-term.

 

 

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Article source The Muse - U.S. website focused on smart career advice and long-term professional development
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