5 Creative Ways to Reduce Employee Burnout

According to a survey from Monster, 50% of employees working remotely report experiencing burnout and 52% report having no plan for taking time off from work. Just like the role of the HR professional has evolved in the post-COVID workplace, so too has HR’s ability to take action. This is an opportunity for employers to get creative about the ways that we can encourage employees to disconnect and recharge. 

1. Encourage a routine

Get together with employees via Zoom and discuss ways they can create stability and develop a routine. Discuss different time management techniques like time-blocking. Having a set approach for completing day-to-day tasks saves time and creates chances for employees to decompress.

2. Use Slack Channels

One of the biggest challenges for remote workers is the loss of structure and social interaction that can occur when transitioning from an office environment to working from home. The Slack communication platform adds structure and creates a forum for meaningful daily conversations between employees as they discuss specific projects and work in general. Create a “Random Fun” channel and seed it daily with a fun topic that gets your employees engaging with each other.

3. Create virtual social groups

Being under quarantine can be a lonely experience, especially for those living alone. In the absence of the traditional watercooler social, add meaningful discussion and a sense of belonging to remote workers by creating virtual social groups that change every week or so.

For example, virtual social groups provide employees the opportunity to get together with someone new, have fun, and enjoy relaxing conversation to help decompress after the workday. They can also help create an environment for collaboration. Two employees that would otherwise have never met, can help each other think about company projects and initiatives in a new way.

4. Schedule virtual team events

Schedule virtual team meetings, and make sure people turn their cameras on! These events can be fun, like playing charades on Zoom, where different teams compete for prizes. Friendly competitions can strengthen working relationships regardless of them being virtual.

5. Mail Employees Mindfulness Packs

Show your team that you care by sending them mindfulness packs. These can contain calendars, agendas, and thoughtful reading materials, or be simple relaxation boxes. The possibilities are endless. Showing your employees that your company cares about them can go a long way towards helping them through the challenges of work-related stress.

BONUS: Encourage Taking PTO

Encourage your employees to use their paid time off to relax and recharge away from work.

If you really want to get creative, send them on a scavenger hunt for items in their home or neighborhood (e.g. find a red mailbox, a garden gnome, and a dog chewing a stick). Have them email you the pictures for a prize.

Covid-19 accelerated one of the most significant workplace transformations of our lifetime. In this way, it's created opportunities for businesses like yours to get creative and redefine themselves in anticipation of future changes in work environments. Good luck and let us know of any other creative ways you might be used to prevent anxiety and depression.