HR Strategies for Burnout and Mental Health Support

To effectively address the root causes of burnout, people leaders should foster an environment that holistically supports employee health. Yoga classes and meditation apps are a nice perk, but focusing on the symptoms alone is not enough. Rather, a systemic approach to the issue can drive long-term, enterprise-wide shifts that lessen the chances of employees experiencing burnout in the first place. Success comes down to implementing continuous listening strategies and open feedback channels, such as our weekly employee ‘Pulse’ surveys at McKinsey & Company, to measure employee wellbeing over time and identify opportunities for systemic improvements. #McKinseyInsights #PeopleAnalytics #Listening 

Even as we emerge from the pandemic, employee #burnout remains a serious problem. According to the UKG Great Place to Work® Institute, “The risk of burnout has never been higher.” The U.S. Surgeon General report, “Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being,” revealed that 76% of American #workers reported a least one symptom of a #mentalhealth condition and 81% said they will be looking for workplaces that support their mental health. A national survey by Aflac found that 62% of women and 57% of men reported at least moderate levels of burnout. In the public sector, a MissionSquare Research Institute national survey of #stateandlocal government employees found that 59% were considering voluntarily leaving their jobs, and 77% reported that #turnover in their organizations has put a strain on their own workloads. Moreover, the most-recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report showed 970,000 vacancies in state and local government but only 337,000 hires. Vacancies are up and hires are down. Therefore, while the burnout and mental health crisis is affecting all sectors, it is particularly critical in #government. The private sector has recovered the jobs lost during the pandemic, but the #publicsector has lost jobs. Yet the demands on government continue to expand. UKG research has shown that #managers have more impact on employees’ mental health than doctors or therapists. Therefore, Great Place to Work® has identified five steps organizations can take to respond to the burnout and mental health challenge, as described in this article. They are: · Train managers to identify burnout and then intervene · Measure employee outcomes – not just time spent · Provide employees with the tools to set boundaries · Lean on employee resource groups · Reset expectations about post-crisis recovery An important strategy for organizations concerned about burnout is to #survey employees to find out how they feel about their work and #workplace. Great Place to Work® uses its “trust index” survey to certify organizations around the world, including in government, as great places to work. Research on 30 years of certifying organizations has revealed that great places to work have 50% less turnover than other organizations and are also better able to attract great talent. https://lnkd.in/ex_4YUdF Ellin McHarg UKG Great Place To Work US Jen Dowd Dr. Jarik Conrad Ryan H. Claire Murphy Neena Kovuru, PHR,PMP, CBP,Green Belt,SHRM-CP,TMCP,ODCP Patrick Bennett Linda Misegadis, CPP, CPM, CCM, IPMA-CP PSHRA NASPE Rivka Liss-Levinson, Ph.D. Bryan Levine #employeeexperience

Companies are investing in, and talking about — mental health more often these days. But employees aren’t reporting a corresponding rise in well-being. Why? Headspace’s 2024 Workplace State of Mind study found that work stress has negatively impacted physical health for 77% of employees and relationships outside of work for 71%. A March 2022 Gallup analysis found that fewer than one in four employees felt their organization cared about their well-being — nearly half the number who said the same at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. So, what happened? Initiatives seem to fall short. Here's why: ◾️ Generic Solutions Don't Cut It: Work demands differ across departments. A one-size-fits-all approach for well-being won't work. ◾️ Leaders Matter: External consultants can't replace internal champions who understand the specific stressors within their teams. ◾️ Inclusion is Key: We need to address mental health across generations and genders, fostering open dialogue. Building a Mentally Healthy Workplace: A Path Forward ◾️ Tailored Strategies: Consider different work styles and stressors across departments. ◾️ Empowerment Through Leaders: Engage managers and leaders as champions for well-being initiatives. ◾️ Open Communication & Shared Experiences: Normalize mental health conversations and acknowledge diverse perspectives. ◾️ Invest in the Long Game: Mental health is a journey, not a destination. Patience and continuous improvement are key. The constant connectivity and hyper-responsiveness fueled by technology worsen work anxiety. We need strategies that address this reality. Let's Shift the Focus: 👉 Focus on People: Organizations need to be a source of connection and support. People are messy and complex, and our well-being thrives within healthy relationships. 👉 Invest in Human Sustainability: Support frameworks like the Surgeon General's Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing model offer promising solutions. It's Time to Walk the Talk: Leaders: Prioritize your own mental well-being and share your efforts to inspire others. Employees: Advocate for change, share resources, and hold your company accountable. Together, we can create workplaces that prioritize mental health and empower employees to thrive. #mentalhealth #workplacewellness #wellbeing #leadership #communication #humanresources #burnout #prevention

Researchers Christina Maslach and Michael Leitner have identified 5 employee profiles: 1️⃣ Burned out: These employees are struggling with 3 kinds of symptoms: - loss of energy ("I'm not even sure I'm going to make it out of bed, much less get to work today") - loss of enthusiasm ("What's the point? I don't even know why I'm doing this anymore") - loss of effectiveness ("My productivity is sliding downward while mistakes and errors keeping climing") Burnout arises from a poor job-person fit in any or all of six areas: - Workload (e.g., workload is too heavy, workplace expectations are too rigorous, too little resources are provided, etc.); - Control (e.g., employees feel they have little control or decision-making power at work); - Reward (e.g., insufficient compensation and sparse recognition for employee efforts); - Community (e.g., lack of belongingness and psychological safety); - Fairness (e.g., real or perceived gaps between employee expectations and workplace reality); and - Values (e.g., real or percieved mismatches between employees' core values and the organization's). If leaders talk to their employees on a regular basis, they will already know (or have good guesses) where the problems lie. If not, a logical first step would be to find out by either conducting a burnout survey or talking to employees directly. For severe cases of burnout, often the best place to start is values. Address any differences there first, then proceed to issues in fairness and workload. Address other issues as needed. 2️⃣ Disengaged employees are not exhausted or unproductive - they are discouraged and cynical. They may have lost confidence in workplace values and policies. Start by addressing any real or perceived differences in these areas. Listen to the employees' concerns and ask for their input in creating needed change. 3️⃣ Overextended employees are exhausted - they are snowed under by a heavy workload or heavy expectations. For these employees, it makes sense to reduce unreasonable workload demands and increase resources and support. Give overextended employees as much control and autonomy as possible. 4️⃣ Ineffective employees are not particularly overwhelmed or stressed. But they may be struggling with a lack of confidence that impacts their productivity at work. Start by boosting employee recognition and reward. Work on meaning and purpose exercises. Build a strong sense of community and sense of belonging. 5️⃣ Engaged employees feel the opposite of burnout - they are energetic, enthusiastic and absorbed by their work, and are effective & productive. Talk to these employees to learn what's working well for them. Use this information to provide ongoing support and improve conditions for employees with other profiles. ************** ➡️➡️NEW INFOGRAPHICS EVERY WEEK⬅️⬅️ RING THE🔔 TO BE NOTIFIED #litvakexecutivesolutions #wellbeingatwork #burnout #neurocoachinggroup