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Take a break—really. Over the past two years, employees have repeatedly postponed vacation plans due to COVID-19 and its variants. Frazzled and burned-out workers are not just bad for company morale but also for the bottom line, executives are realizing. Some are now requiring their staff to take vacation. For instance, the CEO of one tech company rolled out a policy called “Operation Chillax,” which ordered workers to take a week off. Other leaders have implored staff to take regular breaks during the year. [NYT] |
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Spotlight on sabbaticals. To prevent burned-out employees from leaving, employers are sponsoring sabbaticals, which foster increased creativity and loyalty to the company, they say. In 2019, only 5% of employers offered sabbaticals. Recently, however, several prominent banks (along with smaller firms) have begun offering them too. One manager says sabbaticals allow employees who are considering other job opportunities to be sure that “if they leave, they leave for the right reasons.” [WSJ] |
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‘Safe rooms.’ Since the start of the pandemic, nearly half of employees surveyed by McKinsey have reported burnout. But by improving psychological resilience, we can also improve our physical resilience to be able to tackle whatever comes next, says Dr. Amit Sood, a leading expert on well-being. Companies can prevent and treat burnout by, for example, setting up safe rooms—spaces for honest conversations where employees can talk about issues without judgment—and offering services such as mindfulness programs, weight-loss coaching, and telecare for mental health. |
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‘Kind attention.’ During the pandemic, as social relationships have become strained, assuming that everyone is struggling in some way (a practice called kind attention) can strengthen connections, says Dr. Sood. Having that perspective can produce a sense of empathy. In turn, “people who are compassionate and caring tend to learn skills better and become more competent.” Read the full interview to learn more strategies for battling burnout and increasing psychological resilience. |
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| — Edited by Katherine Tam |
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Copyright © 2022 | McKinsey & Company, 3 World Trade Center, 175 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007
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