Employee burnout has been a big problem for many organisations. When left unchecked, this could impact job performance and undermine employee retention.
In fact, employees who are burned out are 63% more likely to take time off. A burned out employee is half as likely to discuss performance goals with their manager and 13% less confident in their performance.
In a 2017 HR leader survey by Kronos Incorporated, 46% report that burnout is responsible for up to half of their annual turnover.
Work fatigue is usually the result of overwork and underappreciation, often leading to a feeling as though anything the employee does is either not enough or inconsequential.
What should HR managers and team leaders do about employee burnout?
Employee Burnout: Who or What Is to Blame?
What causes employee burnout? It can be a mix of things: toxic business culture, lack of social connection, or physical challenges. Ultimately, it comes down to employees feeling as though their work doesn’t matter, or that they are being asked to do the impossible.
- Toxic business culture. A study published in HBR revealed that almost 50% of employees in toxic workplaces “decreased work effort” and were inclined not to perform at all, 38% purposely decreased the quality of their work, 25% took their frustrations out on customers, and 12% resigned. An unmanageable workload can lead to a defeatist attitude.
- No internal culture or values. Companies that have no internal culture make it difficult for their employee to believe in the business. This leads to a lack of determination when confronted with stressful times or particularly busy seasons. A company that doesn’t put employee wellbeing first will further reduce the employee’s work-life balance and make it difficult for them to see the value of their labour.
- Physical challenges. Being unwell but still needing to work or working consistently when exhausted can lead to physical burnout, during which the employee is simply not healthy enough to perform up to their given tasks. Again, the employee feels as though they are tasked with the impossible.
Businesses are predisposed to seeing burnout as an employee failing, and this is why the question of “who is to blame?” is often asked. Ultimately, though, the blame doesn’t need to be assigned: it’s more important to understand and address the core causes.
The Solution: Embedding an Employee- and Health-Centric Culture at Work
The key to building a work environment that values employees is to find out the issue and come up with solutions to address it. With the core issue being that employees are overworked and unhealthy, Vitality Works’ 10,000 Steps Program can be the solution to every organisation seeking to empower and engage individuals of their teams.
The 10,000 Steps Program seeks to reduce employee burnout at the root cause. An interactive, employee-first strategy, the 10,000 Steps Program challenges employees to become more engaged and active, asking them to work together to improve their own health.
Key Benefits of the 10,000 Steps Program
There are several core benefits of the 10,000 Steps Program, which goes beyond traditional employee wellness program to create a completely engaging process.
- Build a healthier company culture. The 10,000 Steps Program shows employees that a company is prioritising their health as well as encouraging them to work together as a team.
- Strengthen social connections. As a team-based and team-building expertise, the 10,000 Steps Program can help strengthen connections among employees, helping them to communicate and collaborate more effectively.
- Enhance physical and mental health. Greater levels activity have been shown to improve physical health, while physical health is known to improve mood and energy.
With a single wellness program, you can improve upon many aspects of your company and its bottom line.
The 10,000 Steps Program: The Process
In teams, employees will track their daily step totals in an attempt to conquer the virtual challenge map. The aim is to achieve 10,000 steps each day of the challenge. Employees can enter their steps manually on the challenge website or connect a Bluetooth device to sync their steps wirelessly.
Four-, six-, and eight-week challenges are available, with objectives that are designed to empower your team. Employees are able to form groups or be assigned to groups of four to ten. Each participant gets additional challenges assigned to them.
The Features
The 10,000 Steps Program has numerous advantages over traditional company wellness initiatives. With integration with wearables, advanced mapping, themed installations, and advanced team management features, employees are kept active and engaged throughout.
Advanced team management features increase transparency whilst competitions and communication kits drive employees to be even more dedicated to the process.
Is the 10,000 Steps Challenge Effective?
With exciting adventures such as the African Adventure and Inca Race, employees are more likely to find the 10,000 Steps Challenge engaging and interesting. Employees work towards common goals and can always see their progress. Designed by experts, the 10,000 Steps Challenge is designed to:
- Reduce chronic disease.
- Improve mental wellbeing and concentration.
- Increase productivity and improved teamwork.
By encouraging employees to work together whilst giving them individual objectives, the 10,00 Steps Challenge keeps employees engaged and driven. Once winners are determined, reports and data will be compiled for your organisation to review.
Step Up: Take the 10,000 Steps Challenge
It’s time to take your company’s health to the next level. By reducing the chances of employee burnout, you and your organisation can improve the overall health of your team members. Contact Vitality Works today to get started.