Employee Burnout

As a result of the weak economy, employers downsize, oftentimes creating a "domino effect" that is easily visible to organization and employee both. In response to the loss of personnel, the organization reassigns job duties. The existing employee experiences an increase in the workload. Hand in hand with the increase in workload comes stress and burnout for the employee. The organization experiences reduction in work hours due to increased employee absenteeism, tardiness and reduced productivity. Additionally, employee burnout can be visibly felt by other employees thereby lowering team morale.

Stress in the workplace can be hurtful to both employees and organizations as employees loose interest in their jobs, feel tired and depressed. Morale can be the fuel that drives an organization forward or the fuel that feeds the fires of employee discontent, poor performance, and absenteeism (Ewton, 2007).

CareerBuilder’s annual survey on absenteeism shows 29% of workers have played hooky from the office at least once this year. Let's be honest. Yes, we have all done it. The survey states that 27% of employers think they are seeing an “increase in bogus sick excuses from employees due to continued stress and burnout caused by the weak economy.”

Here's how employers are responding:

• 29% reported they have checked up on an employee who called in sick.
• 16% said they’ve fired a worker for missing work without a proven excuse.
• Of the employers who checked up on an employee, 70% said they required the employee to show them a doctor’s note.
• 50% called the employee at home.
• 18% had another worker call the employee, and,
• 15% drove by the employee's house or apartment.

To help employees avoid burnout, insist employees use their vacation / PTO time. Try to reduce overtime. If overtime is required, try to give as much advance notice as possible. Give the employee a "mental health day."