In the aftermath of layoffs affecting businesses over the last two years, many of those employees who are lucky enough to have kept their jobs are feeling a little less lucky these days. Increased workloads, combined with looming fears of even more layoffs, has left many employees feeling burnt out.
A recent Careerbuilder.com survey of 4,400 workers nationwide found that nearly half of those interviewed had taken on extra duties as a result of layoffs in their companies. Of those, 37 percent report that they are handling the work previously performed by two people. Thirty-four percent of employees surveyed said that they’re spending more time at the office, and 22 percent report working more on weekends.
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As every employer knows, a burned-out employee isn’t a productive employee. To help employees through necessary periods of increased workloads, consider how the following small changes might give employees much-needed stress relief and improve overall productivity:
- Implement an e-mail curfew: For exempt employees who are tied to PDAs and laptops, the pressure to always respond to e-mail messages can create the feeling of always being at work. Consider making an announcement that after a certain time each day, employees will not be expected to respond to electronic communications until the following day. Make sure employees know that no one will think they’re slacking on the job if they don’t respond to emails after that time.
- Increased meal periods: If employees are currently getting only 30 minutes for meal periods, consider offering an hour (30 minutes paid and 30 minutes unpaid). Encourage employees to use the additional time to re-charge—perhaps by taking a walk, escaping into a novel, or going to the gym.
- Offer work-from-home days: Sometimes, it just feels good to be able to do your job in your pajamas. For employees whose work can be accomplished remotely, consider offering one day a week, or a couple of days per month, on which employees can choose to work from home.
Give Your Front-line Supervisors Practical Guidance They Can Use
These days, no California business—large or small—can afford to be complacent about employee relations and the ever-changing landscape of California employment law. Fortunately, Employment Law Compliance for California Supervisors delivers down-to-earth tips to your front-line managers and shows them the most effective ways to prevent sexual harassment claims, avoid illegal questions in interviews, and foster a lawsuit-resistant work environment.
Your front-line management team will receive timely, concise, and authoritative employment law information with each issue. Each month they will receive plain-English tips on how to…
- Solve common workplace problems before they balloon into complaints and formal claims
- Conduct employee evaluations with confidence
- Steer clear of discriminatory practices
- Maintain accurate personnel records
- And much more!