(Photo : Dylan Gillis via Unsplash)

You've likely seen a large number of articles entitled, "Feeling Burnt Out? Here's How to Refuel and Recharge," or something along those lines. Burnout is a legitimate syndrome, and it's especially present in the workplace.

Employee burnout is so common that U.S. workers are resigning from their jobs in record numbers. According to the Al Jazeera staff, August 2021 showcased the highest quit rate on record at 4.3 million.

The question facing many employers and managers is how to keep their employees from feeling burnt out. We've talked to several companies who have implemented tools to support their employees.

Causes of Employee Burnout

According to the World Health Organization, burnout is "a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed," and it's caused by emotional exhaustion, low workplace support, and low job control.

Many organizations have come to recognize the burnout epidemic.

"To curb the impact of burnout and support employee mental health, companies have begun investing in mental health benefits, time off, and a variety of other resources like meditation rooms, mindfulness apps, yoga classes, and other perks. However... without fundamentally evaluating and solving for organizational climate, culture and the nature of work itself, we are simply teaching employees how to cope through work rather than truly supporting their mental health." - Bernie Wong, Senior Associate for Mind Share Partners

Wong states that the primary way employers and managers can avoid employee burnout is by changing company culture.

Change Company Culture

A supportive workplace culture provides employees generous incomes and health benefits to reduce financial strain.

"Our motto is 'Do No Harm.' It's evident in the products we sell and how we conduct business with clients. But it's also present in the work environment we create for our team. We've done that by committing to a living wage. The starting wage for all of our employees is $20 an hour, and we offer benefits. When founding the company, I ingrained these into the fabric of who we are because I wanted the team I built to be excited about working. I wanted them to be supported and to love Good Feels' environment and mission." - Jason Reposa, Founder and CEO of Good Feels

Companies can build a desirable culture by encouraging connections between team members and valuing relationships outside of the workplace.

"Lovebox was created to support and strengthen relationships. We've developed a system where customers can send their loved ones tokens of affection no matter the distance. For our employees, our Loveteam, we wanted to do the same thing, which is why we highly encourage spending time, even on our busiest days, connecting with others. We want our work culture to be one with open and honest communication in which our employees can ask for and receive support." - Jean Gregoire, Founder and CEO of lovebox

Supportive work environments also place a high value on compassionate care. They promote open communication, and they offer solutions.

"The goal for Allara Health has always been to humanize healthcare. Our team specializes in caring for patients with polycystic ovary syndrome, and each patient receives care for their unique needs. To run an organization that offers compassionate care to its clients, it must have compassion for its employees. Just as we want patients to feel seen and heard, we want our team, our army of physicians, to feel recognized and valued. We believe that by providing quality, holistic care for people with PCOS, we can raise the standard of women's healthcare. It starts in the workplace. It starts with opening up the narrative to have conversations about physical and mental health and then branches into providing tools to increase wellness in your team." - Rachel Blank, Founder and CEO of Allara

While cultivating a supportive environment is essential to avoid employee burnout, there are specific tools companies can implement.

Divide Responsibilities

By dividing responsibilities between team members, companies can avoid overworking their employees. 

"When you have highly engaged and productive employees, they are going to be shouldering a lot of responsibilities. It's easy to see an effective employee and want to give them more projects because you know they will shepherd them well. As their managers and owners, we need to consistently check in with these employees to see how they're handling these responsibilities. We want to ensure that, not only are they completing their tasks, but they're not sacrificing their well-being in the process. If they are, then we need to figure out how to lighten or adjust their load, and that often includes re-distributing responsibilities within the team." - Jorge Vivar, Creative Director of mode

Most companies have multiple goals, and with those come the need to divide tasks to meet these goals and support employees.

"At Seraphina, we have many missions. We seek a healthier planet, healthier humans, and healthier dolphins. We've married all of these goals into the C15:0 fatty acid supplement. To maintain all of our promises, including sustainability, free shipping, vegan-friendly ingredients, and continuing scientific studies, it truly takes an army. The most successful companies will capitalize on each team member's area of expertise without overloading them. ETC?" - Stephanie Venn-Watson, CEO of Seraphina Therapeutics

Aside from dividing responsibilities, employers and managers can also make sure that the work process is as simple as possible. They can clearly define job requirements and avoid unnecessary complications.

Avoid Additional Stress

"One of the primary goals for SOLD.com is to reduce the stress of selling your home. We help personalize selling options for clients based on their needs for free. We've taken this streamlined, low-stress process for selling homes and implemented it in our company culture. Each employee has a clearly defined role, so there's no confusion on expectations. By focusing on data-driven content, we keep our employees from having to do any guesswork. When concerns arise, our employees can reach their supervisors and leaders in the company so that we can collaborate on solutions." - Matt Woods, Co-founder and CEO of SOLD.com

Companies can avoid additional stress for employees by consistently preparing for future projects.

"As a one-stop-shop for sneakers, we have our foot in many doors. Not only do we want to simplify the buying process and show our customers the best deals for the sneakers they're looking for, but we also want to provide customers with up-to-date news on trends and sneaker drops. Because of this, we are constantly looking ahead. We want our team to be prepped and ready when new projects come around. We make adjustments and research in advance so that none of our employees are left feeling rushed and stressed when project deadlines approach." - Ricky Nariani, President and Co-founder of WANTD

Another way to support employees is to make their voices heard. When employers and managers value their team member's opinions and suggestions, employees are more likely to remain with the company and contribute more to projects.

Solicit Ideas

Through previous experience and training, employees offer companies a great reserve of expertise.

"Our team is well-versed in the world of online gaming and its challenges. They're online gamers themselves, and many of them have also worked for provider services such as Disney. This firsthand experience means that they know what gamers need. They provide ideas on expanding our services, especially as technology evolves. If you're looking to maintain or improve your products and services as a company, trust your team. Actively seek their knowledge and suggestions. Not only will this help your company, but it will encourage team members to stay with your company." - Rob Bartlett, CEO of WTFast

Your team members can also provide specialized knowledge and support for different clients.

"Our company caters to multiple industries with various shipping and insurance needs. As a result, we have built a team of professionals that possess specialized knowledge in these fields. Every time we customize solutions for a client, we seek out ideas from the team because we trust their knowledge."- Benjamin Meskin, President of Cabrella 

In addition to these tools, companies can also make work more rewarding by celebrating achievements.

Celebrate Results

"In any position you hold in a company, it's rewarding to look through results and customer reviews. Looking through feedback, you can see your positive impact on a customer. Many of our reviews center around the service, providing nearby, affordable luggage storage during travels. Some reviews also comment on customer service representatives and our app's user-friendly features. Customers may not know it, but they are acknowledging all members of our team. As an employee, it's important to celebrate the recognition for your work. It keeps the fire burning." - Cody Candee, Founder and CEO of Bounce 

By creating supportive work cultures and using these tools, you can help your employees avoid burnout. In doing so, you'll likely notice higher productivity and retention rates and an environment in which employees are excited to work. 

We'll leave you with a few last tips for avoiding burnout from the Society for Human Resource Management. They suggest holding walking meetings, encouraging employees to take mental health days, consistently training managers, removing arbitrary rules, and partying with a purpose.

"Make all employees, from the janitor to the CEO, feel they belong and are an important part of your company." - Dori Meinert, senior writer and editor for HR Magazine