Liz Bywater Interviewed on Jamaican Radio (Topic: Employee Burnout)
Author: Liz Bywater, PhD
Date: June 08, 2008
Organizational performance expert, Liz Bywater, PhD, was the featured guest on the Today show, aired June 6, 2008, on Hot 102 FM, Kingston, Jamaica. The discussion centered on Bywater's recent article, "How to Avoid Employee Burnout." Excerpts from the featured article include:
"... burnout is serious business. If unaddressed, it can lead to debilitating levels of anxiety and depression. At worst, it can lead to physical symptoms or even self-harm.
From an organizational perspective, burnout among employees is a significant issue. Burned out employees are less productive, less collaborative, less creative, less motivated and less likely to stick around. It is important to spot burnout before it is severe and then take measures to stop it in its tracks. Here are some telltale signs of worker burnout:
Reduced productivity and/or overall performance
Increased irritability
Quickness to argue with coworkers or clients
Decreased creativity and innovation
Reduced energy levels; general lethargy; apathy
What you are looking for is a marked change in behavior, mood or attitude. It is important to note that these things fall along a continuum. At the most extreme levels, you may be seeing symptoms of clinical depression. (Depression is a potentially debilitating condition that may require the intervention of a mental health professional.) Worker burnout, on the other hand, can be addressed with a few simple measures. Here are a few pointers for helping your employees avoid the burnout trap:
Endorse time off. Make sure you are not only providing but also endorsing the use of personal/vacation time. You should be cultivating a culture in which periodic time away from work is both respected and encouraged. Model this for your employees by taking your own vacation time at appropriate intervals.
Shake things up. Most people require variety and challenge to remain engaged and motivated. Be sure to provide your employees with varied, stimulating work and plenty of room for growth.
Lend an ear. Provide an outlet for your employees to talk about their experiences, including any feelings of stress and burnout. Your culture should be one in which candor is invited and adequately supported. Your employees should be able to talk, without repercussion, to a human resource manager, a mentor, a colleague, or even the boss. While you are at it, make sure you have got someone who will listen to and support you when the pressure begins to mount.
These easy-to-implement measures can make all the difference for you, your employees, and your organization. Stop burnout before it gets hold of your most valuable organizational resource: your employees."
About Liz Bywater:
Liz Bywater, PhD, is the founder and president of Bywater Consulting Group, an organizational consulting firm based in Yardley, PA. As a consultant and coach to senior executives, managers, and business owners, she helps her clients dramatically improve individual, team and organizational performance.
Dr. Bywater serves on the Advisory Board for Par Excellence Magazine and is a member of the Society for Advancement of Consulting, the American Psychological Association, the Cornell Entrepreneur Network and Women Inventing Next. She is quoted frequently in the press and has been interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Crain's NY Business and USA Today.
Dr. Bywater is also an honors graduate of the Million Dollar Consulting College, a highly respected program dedicated to the refinement of advanced consulting skills. She is one of just 150 graduates from across the globe.
To learn more, visit http://www.BywaterConsultingGroup.com. To subscribe to the Bywater Journal, send an email to info@BywaterConsultingGroup.com.
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