How can you help an employee who is burned out?

Many employees are experiencing burnout at their jobs. Often, leaders direct them toward quick fixes such as time off, which typically do not address the root causes of burnout, such as workload or difficult workplace relationships.

Harvard Business Review offers the following five steps leaders can take when employees say they are burned out.

1. Treat employee concerns seriously. Many employees feel unappreciated by their leaders, so address the situation as soon as possible through a one-on-one conversation. Take the time to allow the employee to fully express his or her thoughts without interrupting them. Ask if you have understood correctly, and make sure your employee feels heard.
2. Understand the employee’s experience of burnout. Three questions can help leaders assess how their employees are experiencing burnout: 1) Do you feel competent and effective in your job? The answer can help you determine whether the employee would benefit from extra support, training or coaching. 2) Do you feel emotionally exhausted in your job and/or do you experience physical symptoms? High-driving performers sometimes continue to perform well while their health suffers. 3) Do you find yourself feeling cynical or caring less than you used to about your co-workers or customers? People who typically are dedicated to a cause may notice burnout when they experience a loss of meaning in their work.
3. Identify the root causes. Ask the employee about his or her biggest stressors to help you identify whether the sources of stress are coming from the home (such as financial pressures) or the workplace (such as a mismatch between expectations and the time needed for a project).
4. Look at short- and long-term solutions. Ask your employee about what could make things better now and try to provide a short-term accommodation, such as time off. Then, ask the employee about what could make things better in the long term and help brainstorm options, such as more flexibility in how he or she works.
5. Create a monitoring plan. Changes must be maintained over time. After working with your employee to address the issues, have him or her identify their ideal state of well-being in the long term—such as feeling energized after work—and define clear steps to help reach and sustain that goal. Check in regularly to monitor progress.