How to Spot, Overcome Burnout

Corporate officials can learn to spot the warning signals of overburdened workers, such as a lack of motivation, negativity, loss of creativity and chronic lateness or absenteeism.

“If you recognize the signs of job burnout, you can take steps to stop it before it impacts your firm’s overall effectiveness,” said Max Messmer, chairman of the Accountemps temporary employment firm.

Management consultant Harry Levinson said there are a number of remedies for employees who feel “dead-ended”:

* Encourage employees to develop skills they can apply toward a change in career, especially if the educational costs are reimbursed by the firm. “It’s not the money so much that matters,” Levinson said, “as the palpable sense that the company cares.”

* Give “thorough and regular performance feedback,” continuing to hold employees to high standards. “Even people who are bored with their jobs usually feel better doing a good job than a sloppy job,” Levinson said.

* Encourage employees to get involved in work-related community activities. Examples might be teaching work skills to students or serving on a task group to improve the arts, local government or the environment.

After downsizing, companies must share with employees “a crisp, clean, coherent, long-term vision for the business and show employees they’re working toward it” even in the first few months, said Quinn Spitzer, president of a management consulting firm, Kepner-Tregoe.