Organisations are working in ultra-competitive environments, where managers are frontline players, often balancing productivity with the well-being of their teams, which often leads to burnout rather quickly.

Manager burnout is a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion with grave repercussions for both managers and their teams. Burnout is caused by chronic stress and excessive workloads, pressures to make decisions and toxic environments, poor work-life balance, etc. Chronic fatigue, irritability, decreased performance, alienation from work, headaches, sleep problems and appetite changes are among the common signs.

At high costs, burnout affects team morale, productivity, turnover rates, and theoverall health of the organisation. Burnt-out managers lower team morale resulting in higher turnover and less motivation. It incurs considerable costs as a result of high turnover and lower productivity and healthcare costs. Burnout can cause serious health problems, job dissatisfaction, and career derailment for managers.

There are no medications that have been proven to combat manager burnout—rather, it’s a multi-faceted approach involving education, work-life balance techniques, and an individual organisational ecosystem. As a manager, there are a few practicable solutions that can be helpful to combat the impact of burnout and create a healthy work-balancing environment.

Training and development programmes

However, one would hope that the same type of initiative being taken at the shop floor level is also replicated at the management level since training and educational programs are needed at this level as well to give managers the tools they need to cope with the pressures of their jobs.

Such programmes can teach fundamental skills, such as:

• Stress management techniques: Courses on how to identify what is causing stress and how to put practices in place to deal with feelings of being overwhelmed can help reduce the amount of stress that these managers are feeling. Mindfulness, as well as meditation and time management practices can very well help managers get better at their tasks.

• Leadership development: Improving leadership skills not only makes managers more confident but also makes them better in the way they engage and motivate the teams. All of this results in better workplace collaboration resulting in greater intra-team camaraderie, which is why training that is centered around empathy skills, conflict resolution, and communication are so vital as they make for a more equipped workforce.

• Resilience training: Providing resources that inspire resilience helps managers to build a growth mindset. Programmes that emphasise flexibility, problem-solving, and bouncing back from adversity can prepare managers for challenges without falling victim to burnout.

Strategies to incorporate work as a part of life

This includes changing the way we work to promote work-life balance and combatting manager burnout. There are several practices organisations can adopt to help put managers in that equilibrium:

• Flexible work arrangements: Flexible work hours and opportunities to work remotely allow managers to adjust their schedules to accommodate personal and professional demands. It makes stress much better and career much more enjoyable.

• Encouraging time off: Before small businesses can make significant changes to employees’ work-life balance, it must start from the top with managers. Pushing for time off is a contribution to building a culture free of burnout and improved employee well-being.

• Setting realistic goals: Organisations need to work along with managers to set realistic goals and expectations. This frustrates and burns out managers in the face of impractical goals. Regular check-ins to measure workloads can also help ensure that managers feel supported.

Modeling a culture of support

It is essential to create a sustainable organizational culture that prohibits manager burnout. I encourage you to practice:

• Open communication: There should be channels for open communication that allow managers to express their concerns and seek help without fear of stigma. Regular check-ins can lead to conversation about workload and feelings of stress.

• Peer support networks: In times of distress there is comfort in community with others with similar experiences. Building this sense of community combats isolation which enables collaboration.

• Lots of praise and thanks: Appreciate the hard work of managers to keep spirits high. Frequent praise and recognition—whether via formal programmes or informal shout-outs—can boost motivation and job satisfaction. Now with these solutions, they have a chance of not only reducing manager burnout but also creating a healthier workplace with productive leaders.

That approach will also arm organizations with the tools they need to make changes that can mitigate manager burnout. Leaders and HR Professionals should actively seek out training, promote a work-life balance, and foster a culture of support. By doing so, they not only support the well-being of their managers, they support the well-being of their teams and organisations overall.

This article was contributed by the Make Your Mark Group.