Keeping the flame alive: 3 ways technology helps tackle employee burnout

Recent studies have found that 44% of workers globally have experienced burnout at some point in their careers, while 23% feel burnt out ‘often or always’. This poses various health risks for the employee, including the likelihood to experience anxiety, insomnia, and depression, as well as serious long-term conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

While burnout is a huge concern for the wellbeing of employees, it also comes with huge costs for businesses. In the U.S., businesses spend between $150 to $350 billion annually to tackle the absenteeism, dissatisfaction, and job-hopping that comes with burnt-out employees. On top of that, 40% of these employees consider quitting their jobs as a result of burnout – making it now one of the major causes of staff turnover.

Organizations are now looking into different ways to solve this issue, with technology being one of the most effective solutions. Here are some of the ways it helps:

It organizes tasks and helps manage workload

Feeling overwhelmed by workload or unclear on job expectations are two common causes of burnout. Introducing the right workplace tools can tackle this by making tasks and processes more efficient, streamlined and transparent. Look for digital platforms that helps with task management and delegation through collaborative checklists, digitized workflows and clear due dates that are visible to everyone. These features help ensure accountability for individual employers while helping managers to gauge the workload of the team. With a simplified system, you’ll also cut waiting time and delays—eliminating duplicated work and redundancy. With this environment, you’ll ensure staff have a clear vision of their tasks and deadlines, allowing them to manage their time and workload effectively to prevent feeling overwhelmed.

It strengthens communications and workplace support

When communications break down in the workplace, employees can feel misunderstood, isolated or confused, leading to a greater risk of burnout. By using mobile-first tech tools with communication features such as instant messaging, calls, and video chat, you’ll open up an array of channels for employees to engage with one another better, whether it’s individually or as a group. Tools with broadcast or announcement features are also particularly important in ensuring full transparency with the entire workforce, including non-desk and remote workers, and prevents staff from falling out of the loop.

These digital communication channels also translate to better relationships between employees and managers, allowing regular feedback and check-in sessions to happen without the constraints of a formal meeting in person. Research has shown that employees who feel strongly supported by their managers are 70 percent less likely to experience burnout on a regular basis.

It helps provide a clear career path and learning curve

Many employees feel burnt out because they can’t see the value of their work and how it contributes to their long-term growth as a professional and individual. When workload is already overwhelming, there’s nothing worse than feeling unsure of its true contribution. In fact, more than 40% of the 2,000 workers surveyed in the U.S. said that their burnout was due to lack of recognition. To tackle this, companies have made use of digital tools with commendation and reward features that help champion regular praise from peers and managers in day-to-day work.

In the same vein, workplace tools that enable effective training and e-Learning can help staff feel in control over their career path and growth in the company. With information and workplace knowledge easily accessible through digital means, they’ll feel more equipped to perform their roles better and achieve new goals. With your teams feeling on track and valued, you’ll reduce the risks of burnout significantly.

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