From Exhaustion to Empowerment: Nine Ways to Address Employee Burnout
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Navigating Washington: Insights for Business

From Exhaustion to Empowerment: Nine Ways to Address Employee Burnout

03 April 2025 / Essay

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Research from The Conference Board shows that employee burnout and mental health decline, widespread during the COVID-19 pandemic, began showing signs of improvement in 2024. However, recent developments including tariffs, layoffs, federal funding cuts, and other actions by the new US administration are creating uncertainty and anxiety for employees in both the public and private sectors, which can contribute to burnout. Leaders can take these nine steps to proactively address employee burnout and safeguard employee well-being.

Research from The Conference Board shows that employee burnout and mental health decline, widespread during the COVID-19 pandemic, began showing signs of improvement in 2024. However, recent developments including tariffs, layoffs, federal funding cuts, and other actions by the new US administration are creating uncertainty and anxiety for employees in both the public and private sectors, which can contribute to burnout. Leaders can take these nine steps to proactively address employee burnout and safeguard employee well-being.

Actions to Address Employee Burnout

  1. Recognize the symptoms of burnout. Burnout often manifests as higher stress levels, loss of motivation, negative personality change, a sense of helplessness, and reduced engagement and team cohesion. Be attentive to these signs and be ready to intervene with predetermined strategies to avoid escalation. Removing the stigma associated with talking about mental health is a good first step.
  2. Train all leaders and employees to develop their personal resilience skills. Some basic resilience skills include identifying personal triggers that lead to stress, embracing pragmatic optimism by focusing on opportunities rather than threats, and practicing empathy by focusing on others.
  3. Give your employees as much schedule and workplace flexibility as is feasible. Having some agency over where and when to get work done can help employees feel a sense of control and ward off b

Authors

Robin Erickson, PhD

Robin Erickson, PhD Robin Erickson, PhD

Head of Human Capital Research
The Conference Board

Read Bio

Barbara J. Lombardo, PhD

Barbara J. Lombardo, PhD Barbara J. Lombardo, PhD

Program Director, Distinguished Principal Research…
The Conference Board

Read Bio

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