Just as customers experience burnout during the holidays, so do employees. It’s crucial for employers to recognize the signs of burnout in their staff. Sales staff who serve customers may have to deal with shoppers with short tempers, communication barriers, or behave rudely. Interacting with overly emotional people can make work stressful and lead to burnout for your staff. Additionally, like big box stores, independent retailers are under pressure to meet holiday sales goals, and employees play a critical role in making this happen. So, what is burnout? It is deep-seated, chronic stress resulting from the person’s occupation or work activities. Burnout impacts the person’s mental health, productivity, and job satisfaction.

Burnout evolves over time and can be difficult to identify. Employees may feel overwhelmed, detached from work or fellow workers, or overly invested in work activities. But the physical results are undeniable. Lyra Health, an employee mental health care provider, advises employers to look for the following symptoms.

• Feeling overwhelmed or exhausted
• Suffering from chronic headaches or fatigue
• Exhibiting anger or irritability
• Disconnected from work
• Being uncertain or nervous
• Lack of motivation
• Feeling sad
• Inability to concentrate

How Leaders Contribute to Staff Burnout
Some employees are more susceptible to burnout than others. Twenty percent of the employees who participated in the Lyra State of Workforce Mental Health Report say they have experienced burnout. While every job has some stress level, employers can create an environment with fewer risk factors and provide their staff with coping mechanisms that result in healthier outcomes. Creating a harmonious culture starts with the store owners and managers and extends throughout the organization. Helping to maintain employees’ emotional health and well-being is essential to every organization’s success. Often, employers are unaware of how their actions or lack of action may contribute to staff members’ feelings of burnout.

• Too much work and too little resources
• Teams in conflict or who lack a sense of community
• Lack of clearly defined roles and responsibilities
• Shifting workloads and expectations
• Limited or no recognition
• Poor management and leadership

Promote mental well-being by expressing empathy
Empathetic Leaders understand how exhausting it can be for employees to experience burnout since they care about the team’s mental and physical well-being. Building a culture that focuses on the well-being of employees starts with open and honest conversations with each staff member. It’s crucial to allow people to be heard and discuss any work-related concerns. This open communication can help employees feel connected and understood, reducing the risk of burnout.

• Listen to rather than overtalk employees who exhibit signs of distress
• When needed, adjust work schedules and reassign work
• Ask open-ended questions that foster understanding. For example: Tell me about what’s going on with you.

Share your Challenges dealing with burnout
Staff members will engage in more open conversations if they know their manager has similar challenges. While conversations typically focus on productivity and leadership responsibilities, this is the time to be relatable and make employees feel at ease and relaxed. Talk about the difficulties of achieving work-life balance and how that can be accomplished based on the individual’s circumstances. Most store owners know their team on a personal basis so that the conversations will feel less formal.

• Check-in with individuals on your staff weekly to determine if they are doing okay. Emphasize that many people experience burnout and it’s alright to seek help and guidance.
• Provide your staff with a list of mental health resources that can assist them when needed

Shifting the Culture to Improve Mental-Wellbeing
When owners create a culture that values employees and their contributions, it becomes easier for their staff to avoid emotional and physical burnout. Dealing with the Spring, Fall, and holiday rushes becomes less stressful and enables the staff to view the situation positively related to achieving shared business goals. Shifting the company’s culture may require some heavy lifting, but it will pay off in the long run. Happier employees will result in less turnover and increased productivity.

Be Mindful of Employees Stress-levels this Holiday Season
We’ve all been through emotional ups and downs these past few years. Adjusting to the new normal after the pandemic hasn’t been easy for many people. Feelings of being disconnected may continue to linger for employees who are constantly working or who have few relationships except with their colleagues. One of the best ways to support employees is to help them learn solutions that help them cope and avoid burnout. Holding workshops related to mental health and stress reduction can benefit the team.

Show employees you appreciate their efforts to make the business successful. Buying lunch for the team, sponsoring a grab bag, or an ugly sweater contest are fun ways to keep everyone engaged and motivated throughout the holiday season.