5 Signs You’re Pushing Your Employees Too Hard

All employers want to maximize the productivity of their workforce –to encourage their team to consistently go the extra mile – with a smile on.

But while it’s easy to think about hard work, profits, bonuses, and motivational tactics –it’s also important to realize that there’s a fine line between encouraging and motivating your workers, and pushing them to burnout.

Unrealistic expectations of workplace managers account for an estimated 22 percent of workplace stressors, according to Officevibe. That’s no small matter! What’s more is that 60 percent of employees don’t feel that their employers care about them, while more than 75 percent feel that they don’t receive meaningful feedback. This is unfortunate since it highlights the fact that while managers and business owners often have high expectations when it comes to their workers, often – they’re neglecting to provide the very support necessary for employees to succeed! You can’t forget about the mental health and well-being of your team.

If an engaged, motivated, and happy workforce is important to you –and it should be! Then you’ll want to ensure that your workplace environment is one that encourages workers to thrive and provides them with the tools that they need to do their very best. This will help to keep your team from burning out or feeling that they’re being pushed too hard. Is your workplace conducive for productivity? Hereare five warning signs that you’re dealing with overworked employees.

1. Constant Tardiness

While there are many reasons that employees can be late, if you notice that someone is consistently struggling to make it on time –it could be a red flag. Employees that are being pushed too hard or overworked will begin to resent coming in. If you start to notice an employee making a habit out of being late, it’s important to take steps to get to the bottom of the issue, in order to uncover what’s wrong.

2. Lack of Team Effort

A sense of community is essential for helping employees to feel connected, and motivated at work. When your employees feel the pressure to overwork, any previous team-building is placed in peril. If you notice that team members are starting to falter, or if finger-pointing is taking place, it’s important to take a step back and assess whether your employees are being expected to do too much, with too little.

3. High Employee Turnover

While a reasonable rate of turnover can be expected, after all –people move on, and life changes happen, if you’re noticing that your turnover rates are higher than normal, it could be a sign of an unhealthy work environment.

4. Decrease in Customer Satisfaction

When your employees aren’t happy, your customers won’t be either. When employees lose their drive to please the customers, it could be a sign that they’re being overworked, or pushed to the limit. Discerning if this is caused by overwork or external contributors will be difficult, so make sure you foster an environment where employees are comfortable being transparent.

5. Having Them Work Extra Long Hours

You might think that long hours are a good sign –but extra-long hours aren’t always a good thing, especially over the long-term. While it isn’t unusual for new company to need those extra hours, pushing your employees to stay late and work longer for no apparent reason, or forcing them to come in on their days off for meetings can cause stress and frustration. According to a study by Stanford University, when employees were expected to work more than 40 to 50 hours per week –their output over the long-term dropped. Remember: longer hours don’t always mean that more is getting done, especially if it cuts into a work-life balance.

While healthy motivation and encouragement can help to inspire workplace productivity, it’s important to ensure that you’re not crossing the line towards micromanagement and pushing too hard. Often, this is caused by management setting unrealistic expectations for their team, and failing to give them the support that they need to do their jobs well. As Officevibe advises, “Don’t just tell your team to deliver, help them get there by providing the resources and structure they need to achieve their goal. This includes helping them map out a clear plan of how they can reach the goal, and checking in often.”

Finally, if you’re expecting a lot from your team, try to look for ways to make it easier for them. Offering things flexible hours or the chance to work from home part time can go a long way toward helping to improve productivity and lowering stress levels. Finally, don’t forget to show your team how much you appreciate them – small gestures like bringing in lunch or thanking them for a job well done will let your employees know you pay attention to their efforts, which will go a long way towards feeding their motivation and job satisfaction.

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