Guest blog from Terkel.io
From installing a peer support structure to empowering your team, here are 16 answers to the question, “Can you share your best tips to help keep new team members on the verge of burnout engaged?”
- Provide a Peer Support Structure
- Customize a Growth Blueprint
- Add More Team Bonding Days
- Check-In Frequently With Positive Reinforcement
- Provide Mental Health Support
- Offer Support and Mentorship
- Be Transparent
- Grant Opportunities for Competence Development
- Give Your Team Autonomy
- Ease Them into Their Role
- Use Milestones and Feedback
- Plan a Realistic Timeline
- Include Employees in the Decision-Making Process
- Stop Talking, Start Listening
- Encourage Employees to Take Mental Health Days
- Empower New Hires and Make Them Feel Valued
Provide a Peer Support Structure
An uncommon approach to keeping new hires energized is scheduling group activities; this should include fun but challenging outings that foster team bonding and contribute towards meaningful conversations about their experiences on the job. Scheduling these games or trips in rotation helps ensure everyone is getting involved and creating deeper connections with one another.
Michael Alexis, CEO, swag.org
Customize a Growth Blueprint
On the other hand, when they realize that every effort they put in today is connected to growth and rewards, they can work more effectively without being bogged down by everyday challenges. And the best way to set these goals for new employees to achieve a positive mindset is to prepare customized growth blueprints that show them exactly what they will accomplish through their efforts.
Riley Beam, Managing Attorney, Douglas R. Beam, P.A.
Add More Team Bonding Days
One thing I have discovered is that if you can do a team-bonding day every other month, employees are much more likely to stay engaged and not get burned out. When I did our first team-bonding day a few years ago, I noticed that in the months following the event; we had no one leave the company and morale got an enormous boost.
It could have been a coincidence, but when I planned a second team-bonding day the following year, the same happened. So I started experimenting with multiple team-bonding days throughout the year, and our attrition rate, particularly among new hires, dropped dramatically.
Team-bonding days give new hires a chance to integrate into the team, and the more involved they feel and the better the relationship they have with coworkers, the less likely they will be to burn out and leave.
John Ross, CEO, Test Prep Insight
Check-In Frequently With Positive Reinforcement
Let them know you expect aspects of their job to be challenging and that you encourage openness in order to help them get past the initial hurdles. When they do share problems they face, get them the help they need to move forward. Be positive, and paint a picture of the future for them, of when they’ve acclimated to the new position and fully integrated and organized.
Dennis Consorte, Digital Marketing & Leadership Consultant, Snackable Solutions
Provide Mental Health Support
It’s crucial that employers provide training and support to both recognize and address burnout in the workplace, starting with avoidance and having the procedures in place as a company to ensure that burnout via working hours and contact procedures outside of work are adhered to.
Tracey Beveridge, HR Director, Personnel Checks
Offer Support and Mentorship
New team members may feel overwhelmed and burned out because of the lack of familiarity with their roles and environment. Providing support and mentorship from more experienced team members can help ease some of the stress and help new hires acclimate to their new roles.
Mentors can offer advice, guidance, and feedback to help new team members succeed and stay motivated. Additionally, fostering a supportive environment where team members can be open and honest about their challenges can help create a sense of community and camaraderie that can help keep new team members engaged.
Arkadiusz Terpilowski, Head of Growth & Co-Founder, Primetric
Be Transparent
My best tip to avoid this situation is a proactive one: be transparent. When you’re hiring for a role, be honest about what the workload can look like at your busiest times, be clear about how often that is, and be open and accommodating with your PTO policy.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for burnout, but when employees understand expectations ahead of time, they’re able to better manage the emotional and physical complexities that follow.
Jade Hynes, HR Consultant, Red Clover
Grant Opportunities for Competence Development
As part of this approach, teams must maintain regular feedback loops with their new hires on how they are progressing toward their goals. It’s essential to pay attention to their individual needs so that you can help them identify areas where more training or guidance is required, enabling them to develop competencies for improved performance.
Offering time for self-reflection should also be encouraged. Some team members may benefit from personal coaching or developing particular interests outside of work to stay motivated in their roles.
Mariusz Michalowski, Community & Career Expert, Spacelift
Give Your Team Autonomy
Letting new team members decide when it’s the right time for them to work not only encourages a high level of motivation but also helps build trust and respect between team members. This lets employees know you hear their needs and value their commitment while helping make sure they stay energized, focused, and productive.
Ludovic Chung-Sao, Lead Engineer & Founder, Zen Soundproof
Ease Them into Their Role
Ashley DeJesus, Marketing Manager, AIS Network
Use Milestones and Feedback
I also provide timely feedback to reassure new team members that they are on the right track. This helps to build their confidence and lets them know that their hard work is being recognized. Finally, I make sure to provide resources and support to help new team members stay on track and succeed. This helps to ensure that new hires stay motivated and engaged in their work.
Grace He, People & Culture Director, teambuilding.com
Plan a Realistic Timeline
One way to solve this problem is to be proactive in your onboarding schedule. Plan it out, allowing for unfilled time blocks and wiggle room for when the unexpected happens (because it will). Allowing for flexibility and being realistic about your onboarding expectations (and timeline) will keep everyone from experiencing burnout.
Kelli Anderson, Career Coach, Resume Seed
Include Employees in the Decision-Making Process
On the other hand, when you feel like an outsider, the effort you put in seems more exhausting. One trick that helps expedite this process of acceptance and belonging is to involve new employees in the decision-making process. The move develops trust and confidence in new members because they now feel like an integral part of the organization, a feeling that results in renewed commitment and effort.
Brendan McGreevy, Head of Strategy, Affinda
Stop Talking, Start Listening
I’ve learned to avoid jumping to solutions and start by listening. When I notice that someone on my team isn’t feeling well—by asking, through surveys, or my gut feeling—I’ll bring it up in a private conversation. My only goal is to understand why they’re upset and make them feel heard. I’ll save the solutions for later.
Julian Schaaf, Head of Marketing, Gomada
Encourage Employees to Take Mental Health Days
First, time off helps employees to defuse and unwind, alleviating the acute risk of burnout and adverse stress-related illness. Second, and more importantly, offering mental health days signals to the employee that the organization is flexible, compassionate, and takes their health seriously. Most times, the act of offering mental health days itself gives at-risk employees the reassurance they need, reminding them that the organization prioritizes their well-being.
Ben Schwencke, Business Psychologist, Test Partnership
Empower New Hires and Make Them Feel Valued
When onboarding new team members, make it clear what their roles are and how they fit into the overall mission. Give them specific responsibilities that are meaningful to the company’s success—and be sure to reward them when they do well! Show appreciation for their hard work by recognizing individual contributions and offering rewards or recognition programs when appropriate.
At the same time, ensure your staff understands your expectations for performance standards so everyone is working toward a common goal. As part of this process, create an open dialogue between management and employees so they can discuss any issues in an understanding manner without judgment or criticism.
Jamie Irwin, Head of Marketing, Privasee
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