The future of work: Avoiding burnout and boosting employee engagement

Employees have experienced a major increase in their day-to-day stress levels this year. They feel frustrated, overwhelmed, and ‘checked out’ from their career-related responsibilities. It is more important now than ever for employers to keep their employees engaged. To do that, you must focus on putting your employees at the core of your business.

Employee wellness used to be only focused on physical health. Now, it's transitioned to include a culture of more holistic well-being. To keep up with this change, your company needs to shift the way you think of both the technology that enables your teams and the wellness solutions that keep employees engaged.

Avoid burnout with flexible work environments

“The workplace” used to mean something very different than how we view it today. Before, the workplace was a building outside of your home, where you commuted daily to do your work. Today, the workplace has adapted to a more fluid definition with the rise of remote working. Now, it can be almost anywhere. To build a creative and constructive employee experience, you need to enable and empower your employees to do their best work in whatever environment best suits them. But understand that this goes beyond supplying a computer and a desk. This encompasses the workspace, tools, and guidance that your team needs to do their best work. Many employers have begun taking preventive measures to avoid employee burnout by providing more flexible work options, supplying mental and physical wellness resources, and making workloads more manageable for overwhelmed employees.

Empower your employees with technology

Times of significant workplace change require new skills, mindsets, and behaviors. It also requires new tools and technology. But overwhelming employees with too many new tools can result in change fatigue. To avoid this, you need to convince them that the change is to their benefit and the technology will only help them. One way to do this is to accept advancements of new processes and tools with eagerness and excitement. Ensure that any new tool that you bring onboard provides a positive user experience. Anything that you ask your employees to use should be easy to implement and adopt. Avoid choosing a system that creates tool fatigue by spanning too many platforms and apps. Instead, try to choose an all-in-one system to keep your workplace running smoothly.

Show that you care for your teams

The age of flexible work environments has the potential to increase employee collaboration, performance, and productivity. It also has the potential to do the opposite, with negative implications on employee health. This digital age can bring feelings of uncertainty and excitement alike. Before you expect your employees to adapt, you need to integrate the right wellness solutions to help them. For example, you might notice an increase in screen time due to remote meetings. Consider counterbalancing this with specific health and wellness solutions. One way to do this is to provide a health care stipend that encourages employees to take care of their mental and physical health.

Some employees use this stipend to purchase blue light lenses to reduce their risk of eye strain and headaches. Others might use the allowance for a new desk or ergonomic office chair to support their back, neck, and shoulders while they work. A healthcare stipend is a simple and effective way to let your employees know that you care for them. It shows that your company plays an active role in improving their individual health and wellness concerns. Remember that empowering your employees today also sets them up to be successful in the long run. Supporting your employees is a significant ethical obligation that employers need to step into and fully embody. Employees will remember the way their company reacted and treated them in times of crisis and change. This will pay off down the road in loyalty, advocacy, and productivity. Prioritizing employee wellness programs will help build culture and avoid employee burnout. This not only means employees will be happy and healthy in the workplace but also allows them to do the same outside of work.