Most people are no strangers to work-related anxiety, especially as we emerge from the global pandemic. Your workers have been through a lot. As a leader, you must find ways to support them while also meeting your business needs. Here are five worries and concerns that are keeping employees up at night.
Burnout
Burnout has become a way of life for many people after two years of dealing with COVID-19. Your employees are exhausted, overwhelmed, and likely overworked. This can lead to both physical and mental health symptoms that make it even more difficult to cope. If possible, offer access to mental health counseling. At a minimum, consider offering optional workshops in stress management, mindfulness, or even yoga. This will show your employees that you’re on their side and you understand what they’ve been through. Watch for signs of burnout – you may be pushing your employees and candidates away unintentionally.
PTO Concerns
The pandemic taught us all the importance of staying home when sick. In addition, taking a personal day can help employees reduce stress and come back to work refreshed. But many people feel that they simply don’t have enough paid time off. Revisit your PTO structure to see if you can offer more. Or at least consider offering flexible scheduling or compressed workweeks that can help workers find more balance. Make sure your employees are aware of your PTO program and encourage them to participate.
Ever-Changing Job Market
With any luck, your employees aren’t getting ready to quit. But that doesn’t mean that they’re unaffected by what’s happening in the job market. They’ve seen friends and relatives leave their positions, and may be wondering if it’s time to move on. Build employee loyalty through programs that help them feel like part of the work-family.
Not Enough Bandwidth
Things have changed a lot in the past couple of years. Even if your workers have escaped burnout, they’ve likely had to take on new challenges. And many of them may be doing too much. One of the biggest worries for today’s workers is whether they’re going to find enough time and energy to take care of everything in front of them.
Being Short-Staffed
Many of these worries are directly related to staffing issues. If you’re short-staffed, one of the best ways to support your employees is to bring on additional help. If you’re not ready to hire full-time workers, or you simply can’t find enough of them, consider hiring temps. They can take the pressure off immediately, and you might just find that you like a few of them enough to keep them on long-term.
We all have a tendency to worry – both as employers and employees. Employees have new and interesting worries – much having been brought on by the changing economy and the pandemic – short-staffed, overworked, little vacation or PTO usage, or full-blown burn-out. It’s important you understand these are concerns and worries.
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