Do you have £28 billion per year to waste?
When you feel drained, detached and exhausted, what type of interaction (with your boss) do you benefit most from:
A.) Old school ‘pull your socks up’ and get on with it chat
B.) A conversation exploring how you are feeling, trying to understand what is happening, and what support you might need right now. You feel heard, valued and understood.
C.) Having a chat about work only, and not being asked how you are feeling (even though it is probably quite obvious to your boss)
What I am trying to hint strongly at here are signs of burnout.
Burnout costs a fortune in our health and in profits - it costs the UK economy a STAGGERING £28 billion per year.
28 BILLION POUNDS
It is avoidable, well researched and usually a product of unhealthy organisational culture.
So - what can you do?
Here are 3 quick tips to address burnout in your organisation TODAY:
1.) In every conversation with employees, make room for asking how they are doing and LISTEN to what they tell you. It is arguably the most vital data you can ever gather. Nothing matters more than how your team feels.
2.) In meetings, ensure that you check in emotionally with everyone, every time. Some organisations use feelings wheels to help people find the language they need to express themselves.
3.) Lead with vulnerability - tell them how YOU feel. If your team perceive you as ‘having it altogether’, they will likely not feel safe to share their challenges. We follow our leaders. Leaders set the tone, and show us the way.
Which one will you try today?
These truly compassionate interactions can have a bigger impact than you will ever realise.
Moments of compassion from leaders have stayed with me for years.
Employees who feel truly valued will not be in any rush to resign.
Do you want to find out more about compassionate leadership?
Discover how my Creating Compassionate Workplaces course can drive these changes in your organisation.
You can download a FREE module of my course https://drelainesmith.thinkific.com/
Thanks,
Elaine
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