How to minimise burnout when working from home

Occupational phenomenon 

In 2019, the World Health Organisation officially recognised the term "occupational burnout", which includes characteristic symptoms such as lack of energy, physical exhaustion and increasing mental distance from work, which are reflected in reduced job performance. If left untreated, these symptoms can overlap with depression and anxiety and lead to insomnia, irritability, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Those affected are 63% more likely to take sick leave, 50% less likely to discuss performance targets with their managers and 2.6 more likely to actively look for another job. The effects extend far beyond the workplace. A whopping 78% have experienced job burnout, and 69% have experienced these symptoms while working from home.

Top causes of burnout

Studies have shown that the most common causes of job burnout are an unmanageable workload, followed by a poor work-life balance, unclear communication from superiors and time pressure. Many of these reasons are organisational in nature and therefore require organisational solutions. We’ve all heard that leadership needs to come from the top. Here are some suggestions on how you can bring about an organisational change to tackle the top causes of home working burnout.

How to minimise burnout 

Build in protected time for manager-employee interactions 

Continuous, transparent communication between managers and employees is the easiest way to build professional trust. This can often be overlooked when working from home, when employees and managers are mainly task focused. Try to schedule protected time for a regular conversation that is not about the project or the deadline, but about the employee themselves. Employees who feel comfortable telling their managers about burnout will enable managers to make tangible changes or signpost to additional support within the company’s benefits system.

Set realistic workloads and timeframes

Set goals that are manageable and appealing. This helps to foster a sense of purpose, which has been shown to increase engagement and protect against burnout. One way to achieve this at home is to set organisational expectations and boundaries while allowing employees to take ownership of their workload. This can be as simple as offering flexible scheduling, where employees can meet their goals by working at their most productive times of the day. This way, employees can use their energy effectively and feel satisfied that they have accomplished their task without compromising their wellbeing.

Suggest a designated workspace employees can walk away from

Having a separate room for working from home is a luxury that not everyone can afford. However, having a space reserved just for ‘work’ helps employees to disengage from work at the right time. Without a separate work area, there is a tendency to hinder rather than encourage productivity, whereas a separate room gives employees the opportunity to retreat after hours.

Make welling part of workplace culture 

Help your employees prioritise their health by prompting them to take regular breaks from screens, getting fresh air, doing something they love every day, practicing positive thinking or scheduling time during the day for a fitness class. On an organisational level, it helps employees balance their physical and mental health as well as their family and social relationships with their career, leading to less burnout overall.