49 Ways to Prevent Employee Burnout That Actually Work

Do you need to know how to prevent employee burnout in the workplace? You aren’t alone, and you have come to the right place. 

Employee burnout happens when work stress builds up over time, leaving employees tired, less motivated, and less effective. It’s becoming more common in workplaces of all sizes.

In this guide, you will learn what burnout is and its causes. We will also focus on practical strategies for employee burnout prevention. You’ll also find solutions that help employees feel supported, engaged, and ready to do their best.

Burnout Can Be Stopped

While preventing burnout is one of the toughest challenges HR teams face, it’s absolutely achievable.

What Is Employee Burnout?

Employee burnout is more than feeling stressed. It’s a chronic condition that results from prolonged workplace stress. Early recognition helps maintain engagement, productivity, and morale.

The WHO Definition of Burnout

According to the World Health Organization, the official definition is this: 

“Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:

• Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;

• Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and

• Reduced professional efficacy.

Burnout refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.”

Burnout happens at work, but not because someone is weak. It could show up in three ways: feeling very tired, not caring about the job, and not getting much done. This is why you must take careful steps to stop burnout.

Can You Trust Me About Burnout Prevention?

My name is Jessica D. Winder, and I've been in HR for 13 years. In that capacity, I've served as VP of HR across many industries.

I run an HR and career consultancy business. In this role, I have helped several companies improve employee retention by up to 25%. Generally, implementing effective employee burnout solutions is the way I work.

Do you want help creating a culture that supports staff and reduces burnout? Get in touch with me today to request a free consultation.

Symptoms and Warning Signs

According to WebMD, burnout can show up in many ways:

• Core Burnout Signs:

• Feeling tired all the time

• Not caring about work

• Feeling useless or unproductive

• Mental Effects:

• Depression or sadness

• Frustration with work

• Trouble focusing or remembering things

• Feeling less hopeful

• Physical Effects:

• Trouble sleeping

• Headaches or stomach pain

• High blood pressure

• Risk of health problems like diabetes

• Behavioral Signs

• Using food, alcohol, or drugs to cope

• Calling in sick more often or working while sick 

Burnout Differs From Everyday Stress

Normal stress is often tied to specific challenges and is short-term. It will usually improve with rest or resolving the stressor. Motivation and performance generally remain intact.

On the other hand, burnout is chronic and unrelenting exhaustion with reduced effectiveness and cynicism. It doesn't improve with time off and requires intentional burnout prevention strategies to recover fully.

Why Preventing Burnout Matters

Blocking burnout is important for employee well-being, organizational performance, and financial health. You must understand how to prevent burnout in the workplace and know that it's an investment in people and profits. 

Here are some of the reasons why preventing burnout matters:

Impact on Employee Well-being and Mental Health

Burnout can hurt an employee’s well-being. There is also research linking burnout to mental illness:

• Severe job burnout is linked with depression. According to the NIH, roughly 50% of individuals with severe burnout also have a depressive disorder.

• Burnout is also bad for your heart, brain, and blood pressure.

If people are mentally and physically unwell because they are burned out, they can’t perform well. It’s important to create and use employee burnout options to maintain a healthy workforce.

Financial and Productivity Costs to Employers

Burnout costs businesses in many ways, and some of them are hidden. They include:

• Absenteeism - Employees call in sick more often.

• Presenteeism - Employees show up but aren’t fully productive.

• Healthcare Claims - Burned-out employees might need more medical care, which could raise costs.

One study by AJPM found that the average annual costs of burnout per employee are:

• $20,683 per executive

• $10,824 per manager

• $4,257 per salaried non-manager

• $4,000 per hourly non-manager

If we compare productivity losses in burned-out vs. engaged employees, we see:

• Burned-out employees complete less work and make more mistakes than engaged ones.

• Engaged employees work efficiently, meet goals, and contribute more to the team’s overall success.

Investing in preventing employee burnout can help your team stay healthy, do better work, and lower hidden costs for the company.

49 Ways to Reduce Employee Burnout

Here are some actionable strategies to help employees feel less stressed and more engaged:

Organizational Culture & Policy Changes

You must create an environment that doesn’t allow burnout to take root. Strong culture and supportive policies can help here.

According to SHRM, companies that have a supportive and strong culture see 37% higher employee productivity and 60% less absenteeism.

The American Heart Association has conducted research, as well. Roughly 51% of employees show positive well-being in a company that doesn’t use the recommended policies below. Compare that with 91% for businesses that adopt all nine.

That research shows a 40-point jump. This highlights how intentional policy changes can boost morale and prevent burnout.

1. Foster a Supportive Culture

Promote trust, fairness, psychological safety, and inclusion.

2. Define Clear Responsibilities and Roles 

Make sure that performance expectations, job descriptions, and decision-making authority are well planned.

3. Encourage Autonomy 

Give employees control over how they complete their work.

4. Discourage After-hours Communication 

Set policies that limit emails and texts outside of working hours.

5. Promote Transparency 

Communicate openly about the company’s expectations, changes, and goals.

6. Recognize and Reward Contributions 

Recognize when people do something well, and reward them through promotions, public praise, bonuses, and peer recognition.

7. Ensure Fairness in Promotions and Pay 

Apply the company’s rules consistently throughout the workforce.

8. Address Toxic Workplace Behaviors Quickly

Work to actively crush bias, gossip, and bullying in the workplace.

Workload & Job Design

Burnout usually happens when employees have the wrong kind of work or too much work. It’s important to balance job demands and resources to help people stay productive and healthy. This can teach people how to deal with employee burnout effectively.

A study from the National Library of Medicine shows that redesigning work and reducing workloads can help doctors reduce emotional exhaustion. Australian researchers found that when employees can shape their own jobs, it reduces burnout and brings more satisfaction.

Here are some ways to manage workload and job design:

9. Regularly Assess Workloads 

Check on workloads every few months to prevent overwork.

10. Set Realistic Deadlines 

Make sure timelines match what the employees can handle.

11. Distribute Work Evenly 

Avoid giving some employees too much work and others too little.

12. Provide Employee Input in Job Design 

Ask staff for ideas on improving tasks and responsibilities.

13. Limit Unnecessary Meetings 

Have shorter and more focused meetings or “no meeting” days.

14. Offer Flexible Schedules 

Allow options like adjusted hours, hybrid work, or compressed weeks.

15. Reduce Physical Strain

Use ergonomic furniture, encourage movement breaks, and rotate tasks that are physically demanding.

Manager & Leadership Actions

Good managers are your first line of defense against burnout. Strong leadership helps employees feel supported, engaged, and motivated. One study from the University of Michigan shows that clear communication from leaders improves workplace climate, lowers burnout, and reduces the chance that employees quit.

Here are some ways that managers can prevent burnout:

16. Train Managers in Burnout Prevention 

Teach managers how to spot early signs of burnout, talk with employees, and balance workloads.

17. Hold Regular 1:1 Check-Ins 

Use 1:1 check-in meetings to discuss stress, priorities, and obstacles.

18. Lead by Example 

Managers should show healthy habits, such as logging off after work and taking breaks.

19. Encourage Performance Feedback 

Give regular feedback that focuses on growth and strengths.

20. Empower Managers to Adjust Workloads 

Let managers reassign tasks when someone is overworked.

21. Develop Leadership Accountability Metrics

Include team well-being scores in all manager performance reviews.

Employee Wellness Programs

Supporting an employee’s mental, physical, and emotional health can help prevent burnout. Companies that offer strong wellness programs can see stress drop by 20-30% in a few years, according to McKinsey.

22. Offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) 

Give access to counseling, financial advice, and help during crises.

23. Provide Mental Health Days 

Let employees take time off to recover emotionally.

24. Encourage Full Vacation Use 

Remind employees to take their vacations and reduce unused days.

25. Subsidize Wellness Activities 

Pay for gym memberships, meditation apps, or wellness classes.

26. Run Fitness and Mindfulness Challenges 

Encourage fun challenges that improve health and focus.

27. Offer Healthy Food Options 

Provide nutritious snacks or meals at work.

28. Create Quiet or Relaxation Spaces

Give employees places to rest or decompress during the day.

Career Growth & Engagement

Helping employees grow in their jobs will keep them motivated, engaged, and less likely to burn out. Research indicates that when workers see chances to move up and learn new skills, burnout is significantly lower.

29. Create Clear Career Paths 

Show employees how to get promotions and explain the skills they need.

30. Provide Learning and Development Programs 

Offer workshops, training, and certifications to help employees grow.

31. Set Meaningful Goals 

Connect daily tasks employees complete to the company’s mission.

32. Offer Mentorship Programs 

Pair less experienced staff with mentors for guidance.

33. Encourage Job Crafting 

Let employees adjust their role to fit their strengths.

34. Celebrate Milestones

Recognize work anniversaries, finished projects, and personal achievements.

Teamwork & Social Support

Good teamwork and support can help workers handle stress and stay healthy. A study of 939 workers found that teamwork made people:

• Less tired

• Less distant from their jobs

• Feel prouder of their work

35. Encourage Collaboration Over Silos 

Form cross-department teams so that people can work on projects together.

36. Create Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) 

Set up groups for those with shared interests or challenges.

37. Organize Team-building Events 

Host retreats, volunteer days, and social gatherings to strengthen connections.

38. Promote Peer Support Networks 

Use informal check-ins or buddy systems so that employees can support each other.

39. Foster Inclusion and Belonging

Make sure all employees feel heard in decisions and meetings.

Continuous Listening & Early Action

Finding problems early can stop burnout from getting worse. A study over 18 months showed that asking workers for feedback often makes them happier. Happier employees usually experience less burnout and stress.

40. Conduct Regular Pulse Surveys 

Ask your employees about stress, satisfaction, and workload every month or so.

41. Track Key Burnout Indicators 

Watch for rising absenteeism, lower performance, and higher turnover rates.

42. Hold Culture Check-Ins 

Ask teams if their work-life balance is being respected.

43. Use Anonymous Suggestion Boxes 

Let employees share concerns without punishment or fear.

44. Leverage Analytics Tools

Use HR dashboards to spot patterns in overtime, PTO use, and workload.

Recovery & Reintegration

Helping workers get better after burnout is just as important as stopping it. One 2022 study of 786 employees showed that bosses who give support make it easier to return to work. Without assistance, coming back is harder, and workers might have more problems or quit.

45. Temporary Workload Reductions

Remove or reassign tasks while the employee recovers.

46. Gradual Reintegration 

Let employees return slowly with reduced hours at first.

47. Role Redesign 

Adjust job duties to match strengths and preferences.

48. Manager-supported Recovery Plans 

Create a recovery plan with input from HR and the employee.

49. Ongoing Mental Health Support

Keep providing counseling and mental health resources after burnout.

Resources and Tools for Employers

You can use many tools to spot and measure burnout. They will help you take action before things become serious. Here are just a few:

• The Burnout self-test from Astrazeneca

• The MBI (Maslach Burnout Inventory) test

We Can Help You Reduce Burnout

You might already know that your company has a burnout problem. Finding the real cause is the first step to fixing it. Then, you need the right strategies to solve it for good.

If you want to get straight to the solution, I can help identify the root causes in your workplace. We can create a plan that works so that your employees feel motivated, supported, and able to do their best without burning out.

With the right approach, you can improve productivity, lower absenteeism, and build a healthier team. Don’t wait for burnout to become a bigger problem. Message us for a free consultation today, and let’s solve this together.