Employee burnout is high (on par with levels at the height of the pandemic)

Remember the height of the pandemic? Sparse grocery shelves, closed restaurants, and FaceTime family gatherings. For nearly 60% of American workers, this was a time when they felt less stressed, if only a little, than they do today. Clearly, burnout is the next workplace dilemma.

Most commonly, overwhelmed employees come across as irregularly tired, negative, or inefficient. However, burnout, especially at the current pervasive levels, is just as physically detrimental as it is mentally exhausting. Chronic stress and anxiety can cause insomnia, hopelessness, digestive issues, disordered eating, and can even land employees in urgent care.

With the increasing complexities of the modern workplace, it’s never been more important for HR leaders to cultivate resiliency throughout their organization. Emotionally strong employees are certainly more present and productive. But stress management efforts are truly about relationships and retention, fostering a healthy workplace culture.

The key to resiliency: Reject perfectionism and embrace empathy

It takes time and patience to learn how to sit with the uncomfortable, adapt to change, and choose positivity in the face of adversity. Thankfully, the ROI on developing resiliency is two-fold, allowing employees to thrive both personally and professionally.

Developing the inner strength to bounce back has immediate advantages. Teams can have more open, productive conversations. Failures can act as catalysts for product and process improvement. And perhaps, most importantly, resiliency turns difficult situations into opportunities for connection, removing blame and ego from the equation.

Ironically enough, the most resilient workers might also be the most likely to fail. Why? Frankly, they’re not afraid of it. Resilient people have the perspective that whether you take that leap of faith or not, you may still not succeed. It’s better to be creative, take a chance, and see what happens.

The truth is most employees are resilient. How many of us didn’t come through the pandemic without a little more inner fortitude? They may just be low on gas, understandably.

Survey says: To combat burnout, employees need more PTO

By a landslide, employees ranked paid time off as the most helpful tactic to battle burnout. People want and deserve to take a break without worrying if they’ll regret that choice in two weeks when the direct deposit hits. For many workers, the sacrifice of clocking in while sick (or homesick) just isn’t worth it.

Following close behind PTO in helping people find balance:

• Flexible schedules and work-from-home options
• Employee assistance programs
• On-site or virtual mental health coaching

Though it may not seem like it on the surface, benefits offerings and communications have a great influence over employee health, happiness, and ability to see uncertainty as opportunity. When robust offerings are paired with timely, accessible benefits information, the path is clear for employees to manage their health, both mental and physical, and avoid costly crises.

Technology partners, benefits brokers, and industry advisors all play a part in implementing benefits strategies and communication tactics, so they all play a part in decreasing stress and increasing positivity. Industry partners help HR leaders navigate the complexities of the benefits landscape.

In addition to the typical medical, dental, and retirement packages, employers are now investing in additional services like legal counseling, identity protection, gym memberships, and fitness incentives. Benefits consultants are experts at creative benefits packages that offer a range of services for deserving workers while making the most of every budgeted dollar.

Related: 4 steps to harness mindfulness in the battle against burnout

Holistic employee programs that view each individual as an entire, three-dimensional person, see the greatest results in overall health. Similarly, holistic approaches to workplace stress that find opportunities to improve throughout the business, will empower employees on their health and happiness journey.

From the inside out: 6 ways to cultivate resiliency in the workplace

Employees cannot develop inner strength and resiliency overnight. But like most initiatives, small actions add up, ultimately relieving stress and preventing burnout.

• Create positive, supportive leaders: In life and work, the path to success is rarely linear. Supportive leaders choose to be flexible, actively listen, and ask sincere questions when obstacles arise. It starts at the top: when executives promote organizational values loud and proud, it can help set the standard for everyone.
• Promote work-life balance: Since the very first stay-at-home mandates nearly two years ago, workers are finding it harder and harder to compromise on their family and leisure time. Especially for working parents and those who care for an elderly family member, there’s no turning back. Work-life balance is critical to navigate the logistics of modern life, but also essential to complete personal goals and find true fulfillment. Whether it’s a half-hour coffee break or a half-month vacation, encourage employees to disconnect.
• Encourage physical activity and healthy habits: Regular exercise, even in small doses at light intensity, has undeniable benefits for health, wellbeing, productivity, and lifespan. Offering paid gym memberships is great, but the hardest part is making it a habit. Find creative ways to put activity on the calendar, if only to keep the goal top of mind.
• Provide autonomy and empowerment: Stress and exhaustion often get employees stuck in a disempowered cycle that is hard to break. Reminding employees of their purpose, competence, and power to make decisions in their role can help them regain a sense of autonomy. Most employees want to succeed in their responsibilities and take on new challenges; they just need a little nudge of optimism to make it happen. Additionally, it’s important for employers to seek feedback from their workers with the intention of sincerely finding opportunities to improve.
• Offer professional development: There’s nothing like learning new skills and achieving a goal to boost employee self-esteem. Partnering with employees in their effort to gain knowledge shows you care about them as a whole person. When people are empowered to stay on top of their industry and follow their curiosity, they develop a learning mindset which transforms obstacles into puzzles and challenges into games.
•  Lead by example: People learn in all different ways, but modeling and mentorship are amazingly effective. When leaders hold themselves to the same standards as their reports, it says “We’re in this together.” Think of employees entering the workforce for the first time, changing careers to a new industry, or even being recently promoted with new learning moments every day. Modeling resilient behavior can be a lightbulb moment, teaching employees how to choose positivity amid uncertainty.

Resiliency is essential to thrive in today’s fast-paced work environment. While the pace won’t slow, it is up to organizational leaders to decrease the pressure. Executive attitudes, HR policies, and benefits strategy work together to help employees manage their stress levels. Creating an employee experience that celebrates the individual, their productivity as well as their peace, will increase resiliency in their workforce.

 Marcy Klipfel is Chief Engagement Officer at Businessolver.