“We can’t yoga our way out of burnout”
Burnout is the buzzword of the past few seasons. It is real and it is not going away. Beyond naming it though, what is your organization doing to prevent it, rehabilitate from it and navigate through it?
I’ve been having some deeply interesting conversations with different people from various sectors who are all addressing “burnout" differently. In some cases, additional perks, flexible hours and wellness activities have been declared priority. In other cases, additional “fun” team games are being utilized to recreate connection.
But is anyone checking the results? Is burnout lowering as a result of these tactics?
Seems like cute ideas to ‘bandaid’ the problem without getting under the hood to address it.
When I look around, I understand one common theme to be true. Burnout takes place when we feel lost, overwhelmed and stressed. How do we solve for this? What we know is that people need to feel seen and heard. And when they do, they excel. External noise quiets down, they become more intentional and purpose driven and they can articulate what they need to succeed.
If, however, they are not feeling heard- likely they will not be engaged, focused or committed. (This will have a direct correlation to your bottom line).
How then can you create a space where your teams can feel that sense of belonging, value and need? And from your perspective, how can you do this without giving up more of your time? Remember- just because you’re in charge, doesn’t mean you have all of the answers. What it does mean is that you have access to resources who can help. The best leaders are those are not their to be centre stage but rather those who teaching, supporting and lifting those around them.
While we can’t yoga our way through the impacts of this pandemic, we can certainly take a minute to listen- really listen- and understand what each person needs to thrive.
All of our businesses rely on good people. Make sure you’re treating yours as valuable as they are.