Are you feeling overwhelmed? Lacking motivation? And easily frustrated at work? With the pandemic still lingering, many workers are worn out.
New research from a global staffing firm finds nearly half of employees surveyed are experiencing increased fatigue and they blame it on a heavier workload. However, there are things you can do to stop this from getting worse.
"People are working more hours being at home, and there's less separation from your personal life and work," explains Chad Leibundguth, District Director at Global Staffing Firm Robert Half.
His company's research indicates 44% of workers are feeling burned out and it's on the rise.
"The last thing that you want to do is lose good employees while you're trying to hire and grow. And so from an employer standpoint, I think you really want to be pro-active, with retention and salaries and so forth," he explains.
And if employees are feeling overwhelmed, it can often lead to decreased productivity, poor morale and even high turnover.
So Leibundguth recommends for managers to lead by example.
"The encouragement to really take time off is important. And sometimes, you know, as a leader, the company has to set the stage for that. And so the manager needs to take time off and then really encourage and almost insist that their team takes time off and unplug," he explained.
Leibundguth also suggests employers offer resources to help improve employees' mental well-being and then do even more.
"People want to work for an environment that they're productive and, you know, succeeding, but also that they're having fun. And so to take some time, and make sure that you're promoting a really positive environment, where you can celebrate and have fun as well," he said.
But if a worker still feels burned out, Leibundguth says protect your time and control what you can control.
"And then be very open with your manager in terms of what you're being faced with and try to come together to figure out what some solutions could be so that you can, you know, feel in a better place, you know, mentally," he added.
Leibundguth also recommends companies plan for staff absences by bringing in contract professionals who can help ease people's anxiety about missing work, minimize disruptions and ensure continued productivity.