Are You Overworking Your Team?

When visualizing everything you have to accomplish, you may set expectations for your team without considering how those goals translate to work hours. Unlike robots, employees need balance, and their productivity takes a plunge when they're forced to churn out work on low energy. If your employees are showing these common signs of burnout, you may be piling on more work than they can handle.

1. Escape Tactics

Take notice of employees who keep every conversation short or always seem to be ducking out just as you're arriving. Many people are afraid to complain about their workload, and avoidance is an easy way to prevent you from adding more responsibilities. Overcome an employee's fear of confrontation by reviewing his workload and telling him what to prioritize when you assign new projects.

2. Changes in Attitude

If your once-lively team now lumbers in like a pack of zombies, it's probably time to discuss their work hours. Sudden irritability, negativity, disinterest and arguing are also signs that your employees are stressed out and letting their pent-up feelings explode at the wrong moments. A temporary increase in work hours is reasonable when you're facing an unexpected deadline, but don't make a habit of expecting employees to sacrifice their personal time.

3. Avoidable Mistakes

Until humans learn to run on infinite battery power, workers have to recharge mentally and physically to stay productive and maintain good judgment. In a survey of 1,003 workers by the Families and Work Institute, 28 percent of respondents said they frequently feel overworked. Of those respondents, 17 percent admit they often make mistakes at work, compared with 1 percent of respondents who don't feel overworked. Chronic fatigue is costly and dangerous when employees operate equipment or make critical company decisions, making it your job to keep overtime under control.

4. Unused Vacation Time

Unsurprisingly, employees can feel pressured to give up vacation time to meet work obligations, especially in a tough job market. Even if the pressure isn't coming from you, employees may overwork themselves to avoid overburdening their teammates or appearing mediocre. Make a note of workers who continually skip out on vacation time, and give them a nudge to take a much-deserved break.

5. Low Engagement

Pay attention to troubling trends in your engagement or performance evaluations. Happy, proactive employees who suddenly lose their drive may feel overworked and underappreciated, and their work may show signs of carelessness or indifference. The concept of fixed work hours is often undermined by arrangements in which home and work life overlap, especially for salaried and remote employees. Don't assume employees are okay with constant calls, emails and requests outside of work hours. Whenever possible, discuss specific milestones and check-in points in advance, but let employees take control of their own schedules.

6. Missed Days

Employees often dread long work hours when they feel physically and emotionally drained, and forcing themselves to push through only increases their risk of developing health problems. Unless a worker is struggling with serious health or family issues, frequently calling out and leaving early may be signs of burnout.

Managing expectations is a challenge because employees don't always speak up about long work hours. Make it your managerial goal to develop strategies that improve productivity and keep workers engaged.

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