Organizations constantly emphasize the importance of fostering a positive work culture, yet how often can they actually say that their employees are happy and productive? Employee happiness is the real gem behind the sustainable growth and success of a company. Here are some insights from the episode of nybl’s podcast, where host Ali Khawaja, co-founder of Mental Health AE, sits down with Dr. Louise Lambert, Director of Happiness and Wellbeing Programs and Former Associate Professor at the Canadian University, Dubai, and nybl’s Chief People Officer & Curator of Culture, Reem Osman, to discuss the importance of prevailing a better workplace environment and reducing employee burnout. 

What Is Employee Burnout?

Burnout refers to occupational syndrome resulting from workplace stress and may lead to physical and mental exhaustion. A Gallup study found that nearly 23% of employees reported burnout at work very often. In comparison, an additional 44% reported burnout sometimes, resulting in two-thirds of full-time workers experiencing burnout.

According to Dr. Louise Lambert’s point of view, there are five factors leading to employee burnout, including:

• Unfair Treatment at Workplace: Unfair treatment exists in various forms, such as treating differently from their peers in matters of compensation, showing bias and favouritism, and more, resulting in lower morale and less productivity among employees.
• High Workload: Assigning an unmanageable workload may disappoint even highly productive employees when they can’t accomplish their tasks on time. 
• Lack of Clarity of Role: Make employees aware of their duties and responsibilities legibly during the hiring process to ensure that their skills and abilities are aligned with the business goals.
• Lack of Management Support: Employees should feel that they have the support of their managers. Through proper and frequent communication with them, managers can create a bond with their employees and reduce feelings of burnout.
• Tight Deadlines: Employees who get enough time to accomplish their work are less likely to burnout. Ensure that the tight deadlines and unnecessary work pressure do not cause your employees burnout.

How Autonomy and Independent Work Culture Can Reduce Employee Burnout

Being micromanaged at work is frustrating and may result in a lack of trust between employees and managers. Autonomy and independence in the workplace allows employees to accomplish their tasks in a way that they want to do. For example, they have the right to decide how and when they want to complete their work and the freedom to implement their ideas. Therefore, fostering a culture of autonomy and independence in work can significantly reduce employee burnout and silent resignations. 

There’s a buzzword that the workplace is like a family. Here, the words of nybl’s Chief People Officer & Curator of Culture, Reem Osman, make sense. She says, “at nybl, we are not a family; we are a team. Most organisations claim to be a family and make the employees work even on weekends. Here, we are a team that supports your family.” At nybl, we’re embracing a mindset that’s all about collaboration, support, and growth. It’s like having a squad of superheroes, each with their unique strengths and powers, coming together to achieve something incredible. In our team, there’s a sense of shared purpose and accountability – we’re all in this together, pushing each other to be our best selves and achieve our goals. We rally around each other, lift each other up when things get tough, and celebrate each other’s successes like they’re our own.

Wrapping Up

Although many organizations prefer the age-old dinosaur strategy, some like nybl, an enterprise AI platform, are breaking the barriers and promoting a future-forward positive thinking work culture. Management can cultivate this culture from the hiring stage by carefully selecting the right person, even if it requires a lengthy hiring process, ensuring that the individual becomes an asset to the company. Encouraging work-life balance through flexible schedules and remote work options demonstrates a commitment to employees’ holistic well-being, mitigating burnout by allowing for autonomy and stress reduction. Implementing clear goals and expectations, coupled with recognition and rewards for achievements, cultivates a sense of purpose and accomplishment, bolstering morale and motivation.

From the words of Reem Osman, it is evident that nybl prioritizes autonomy and respect for its employees. nybl’s work culture itself focuses on health and well-being. Ultimately, by nurturing a supportive and inclusive environment that values both productivity and personal fulfillment, nybl can foster a culture of resilience while reducing the risk of burnout among our team.