Burnout is an issue among all essential workers today. Grocery and food stock employees are no different. A recent study showed that more than 20% of employees are feeling burned out more often than not, while 44% are starting to feel burnout occasionally. Keeping our communities fed is critical during these trying times, and in order to do that we need to prevent the burnout and exhaustion that is on the rise.
Stop “Clopening”
‘Clopening’ is a dreaded aspect of retail work. The word describes when a worker closes at night and opens the very next morning, working 2 shifts with often barely enough time to sleep between. No worker wants to do this, and it can be permanently exhausting to have to do this multiple times in a month or – worse – in a week.
Don’t Lock Workers Into Roles
It’s good business sense to place your workers where they are best suited – if a worker is an excellent cashier, why move them? The reason why you should move your workers around from time to time is that lack of variety is a distinct factor in burnout. This is particularly true in roles that require very monotonous and repetitive tasks. Keep a rotation schedule to provide stationary workers the chance to move around – or just change up their daily routine for a time.
Make Appreciative Gestures.
It’s good business sense to provide your workers with signs that you appreciate their work. This helps improve retention as well as improve their work output. A happy worker is a good worker. Do something, even if small, to show recognition for the hard work that is done at your location.
Listen to Them
Everybody wants to be heard. Hold one-on-one meetings in order to get a better understanding of what your employees’ needs are. This also is a good idea as you can keep an eye out for burnout before it becomes an issue.
All managers should be aware of burnout. Preventing burnout isn’t guaranteed, but it’s easy to put some basic efforts in. Ultimately, this prevention comes down to providing workers with a healthy environment and good management.