Peak exhaustion in a physical and mental landscape affected by the ongoing pandemic, flooding and cyclones, post-holiday blues, pressures like finances and parenting, and so much uncertainty.
There’s no denying that the holidays can be a happy, joyful, and all-around amazing time of year, however for many employees, particularly those who are responsible for dependents, it is not always as relaxing and restful as one might expect.
As an employer it is important to know that the anti-climatic return to normalcy hits some of us harder than others. For many, that summer holiday close-down can also feel hectic, stressful, and totally overwhelming—and now, six weeks into 2023 the school holidays are coming to an end and it is back to reality, and yet don't be surprised if your employees are already feeling completely and utterly exhausted—which is not exactly a great way to kick off a new year.
This summer in particular has been different in many ways - the first fully 'free summer' since the pandemic begun. After everything we’ve been through over the last few years, it is possible that as a society we placed a too high of an expectation on the 2022/23 summer?
In speaking with clients as we kicked off our 2023 here at Yellow, it seems to be a common theme that many hoped the holidays would be refreshing but actually they were busy, and that new strain of covid did the rounds, not to mention the weather... And now they are trying to lead teams while it seems that many in their workplace are still feeling sub-par.
This is what we’re hearing from all over New Zealand and what we’re grappling with in our work to support workplaces and people. The questioning and sense of malaise is real for many people – and there are lots of different drivers. The stress of juggling work with school holidays. The paying back credit card debt after the expenses of Christmas and the summer holidays. A lot are struggling with the rising cost of living. Many are worried about getting Covid again or getting long Covid, they know they have already exhausted their leave balances and live 'on-edge', wondering how they will survive if they need time off, either to care for themselves or a dependent, shouldering the mental load of their household. They are still struggling to decide when and where to take precautions like avoiding indoor public spaces or wearing masks on public transport.
For those in the North Island, the seemingly endless rain and floods were not just an ordeal but also a reminder of cataclysmic climate change. And then we get a cyclone to follow – and the news that climate change is likely to increase unpredictable cyclones?
Many employees, (and some employers too), feel that there’s no ‘new normal’ – or at least that there’s no new normal they can wrap their heads around, let alone get behind. Uncertainty is a big thing. What does ‘time’ – or a ‘new year’ – even mean now? Many still feel kind of frozen in time, because the pandemic still isn’t over.
Many, like Jacinda said when she resigned, feel they no longer have enough in the tank.
A client recently said to me;
“The world feels like A LOT just now. Covid is definitely part of it – when we were still in lockdown stage, it was tough, but the decisions were out of our hands. Now it feels like every day involves a million micro-decisions about what is safe to do or not do, and the responsibility of doing that for our families is exhausting. For me, the other factors making life feel exhausting right now are financial, and climate-related. Over the summer hols, my whole family was more tired than I’ve ever seen them. We were all taking so many naps. It’s been really, really hard to break out of that nice, relaxed family time and feel motivated for work again. I also think having Covid affects your ongoing health and mood to an extent where it’s noticeable. Even if it’s not officially long Covid, it’s had a huge impact on my energy levels.”
People are sick of being told to be resilient, but then again, they do need tools to cope. And cultivating resilience isn’t about always being positive. It doesn’t mean everything should be, to use a cliché, water off a duck’s back.
If covid has taught us one thing, is that resilience is no longer about 'bouncing back', but instead it is the ability to navigate adversity and grow through challenges.
Employers should strive to provide a psychologically safe workplace, along with access to mental health support. Employees should be actively encouraged to take regular breaks, to create boundaries to stop work spilling into their personal lives, to get some exercise and to have other interests outside of work as these are important to reduce stress that your employees may be feeling, particularly as remote work has increased over the past two years, the division between work and home life has also become less defined.
Be aware that wellness fads and token mindfulness programs do nothing to address stressors such as poor job design, overwork, inadequate management capability and poor organisational and leadership culture. All the free lunch and in-office massages in the world will be of no use if you’re working in a toxic culture.
Sometimes, systemic change is needed. That can mean redesigning jobs, rethinking pay, changing organisational structure and addressing workload expectations. Offering overworked employees yoga sessions, stress reduction workshops, meal vouchers or sessions on personal resilience are unlikely to make any difference.
The hustle culture makes having a sensible work-life balance difficult. However, lack of sleep and rest is associated with health disorders, stress, and obesity. What’s needed is an approach addressing the root causes of employee burnout. Create an environment that supports work-life balance and encourages your employees to recognise the value of rest.
Schedule workloads realistically and constantly communicate expectations to employees. The top three stressors are related to breakdowns in teamwork and collaboration:
Poor communication
Team members not pulling their weight
Bottlenecks and waiting on others
Look at how your teams collaborate and how work is managed. A work management solution eliminates information silos and makes key work details easy to locate across your workforce. This helps reduce the stress caused by missing information needed to get work done for both managers and workers.
Burnout, and the consequences it reaps when unacknowledged, are detrimental to employee well-being and business performance. To battle this growing epidemic and create healthier work environments, leaders need to commit to changing what “workplace wellness” looks like.
If you need help to determine what positive changes you can make in your business, reach out for a chat - 0508 YC HELP.
Disclaimer This article, and any information contained on our website is necessarily brief and general in nature, and should not be substituted for professional advice. You should always seek professional advice before taking any action in relation to the matters addressed.