As remote work continues to rise, detecting burnout in employees has become a significant challenge for managers. A recent Gallup survey found that three in four U.S. workers can expect to experience burnout at some point in their careers.
According to Gallup, three in four U.S. workers can be expected to experience ‘burnout’ at some point in their careers. With the rise of remote work, it’s becoming increasingly challenging for managers to detect burnout in their teams.
Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged stress.
Common signs include chronic fatigue, decreased motivation, and reduced productivity.
Other indicators include irritability, anxiety, and depression.
Individuals experiencing burnout may also exhibit absenteeism or presenteeism, where they are physically present but mentally absent from work.
According to the American Institute of Stress, 80% of workers experience stress at work, with 40% citing it as a major cause of burnout.
The Challenges of Detecting Burnout in Remote Workers
Hybrid work, working from home, or work-from-anywhere policies tend to reduce opportunities for managers to monitor burnout in their teams. This limitation makes it essential for managers to be more attentive to behavioral and communication cues when interacting with remote employees.
Remote workers, also known as telecommuters or distributed employees, are individuals who perform their job tasks from a location outside the traditional office environment.
According to Global Workplace Analytics, the number of remote workers has increased by 159% since 2005, with 4.7 million employees working remotely at least half of the time in the United States alone.
This shift is driven by advances in technology, changing workforce demographics, and growing demand for work-life balance.
5 Signs a Remote Worker Is Burning Out
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Changes in Engagement Levels: A sudden drop in enthusiasm, fewer contributions to discussions, avoiding eye contact, or turning off cameras frequently (especially if they usually don’t) can indicate burnout.
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Declining Work Performance and Deadlines: Look for patterns of declining performance, missed deadlines, or an increased number of errors in their work, especially if these are uncharacteristic for them.
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Fatigue and Exhaustion: Employees who are burned out may appear tired or distracted during virtual meetings. They might yawn frequently, exhibit low energy, or seem mentally distant. Excessive use of phrases like “I’m so busy” or “I’m just exhausted” could be hints of underlying burnout.
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Changes in Communication Patterns: Reduced responsiveness to emails or chats, shorter and less thoughtful responses, can indicate burnout. Employees who stop contributing ideas, seem to isolate themselves from team discussions, or miss meetings may be disengaged due to burnout.
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Lack of Open Communication: Conduct regular one-on-one check-ins with remote employees to gauge their emotional and mental well-being. Asking open-ended questions like “How are you feeling about your workload?” or “Is there anything overwhelming you?” can help managers identify potential burnout.
By paying attention to these signs, managers can proactively address burnout in remote workers and create a more supportive work environment.
- hbr.org | 5 Signs a Remote Worker Is Burning Out
