Incoming insights on managing burnout, y’all.
Earlier this year, I attended a webinar on burnout sponsored by Bonusly. They talked about how they mitigate burnout and I came away with some really great insights.
If you’ve read our book, you know that Kristen Nielsen Donnelly, PhD and I are *not* fans of Workplace Wellness Programs (WWPs). We have a lot of data on why they don’t work. I was excited to hear that Bonusly offered a different perspective.
They had three great ideas on burnout management that I thought were worth sharing:
How are they managing burnout?
🌟 They have a wellness stipend. Rather than imposing a wellness program on their folks, they have a stipend that employees can apply to in order to support their specific wellness needs.
Honestly, one of the biggest problems we have with WWPs is that they are prescribed to fit an “average” employee. Often other folks who have different needs, abilities, and ideas of personal wellness.
🌟 Every month Bonusly has a Relax From Home Day. They literally create a fake holiday every month to ensure their folks get a break. I love this idea.
It can be so hard to stop and take a real rest. Especially when so many of our national holidays require different work – usually unpaid. But someone has to plan the barbecue, take the kids to the beach, etc.
🌟 They offer flexible PTO: this is huge, y’all. As a caregiver for my Mom, I know how important it is that my PTO is flexible to my needs. Sometimes I have no idea when I’m going to need to use it, and I’m so damn lucky my employer understands that.
What I love about all three of these ideas is that Bonusly recognizes two important facts about their employees.
Key Burnout Insights from Bonusly
1️⃣ They see their employees as individuals. As we teach to our clients, every human is “a unique constellation of attributes.” Policies like these make sure that each person can see to their own individual wellness needs.
2️⃣ They know that their folks need help setting and maintaining boundaries. Instituting a policy of fake holidays once a month guarantees there is at least one day they know their people can take a breather.
Now – there are lots of industries and workplaces where these policies aren’t possible. But – what they demonstrate is a level of creativity that is needed to support folks in any work environment and to do what they can to mitigate burnout.
