Ways leaders can reduce burnout and improve retention

According to over 2,500 U.S. employees surveyed for the fourth edition of Beamery’s quarterly Talent Index, many are feeling the burden of the remote office. To improve retention and build staff morale, leaders need to introduce new standards and best pra

Identify, nurture, and develop in-house talent Focus on existing employee potential, instead of

simply crafting job descriptions of immediate openings. A 2021 Gartner survey found that 47 percent of employers do not know what skill gaps their current employees have. With fierce competition

for available talent, leaders must pivot to offer improved training and development opportunities

if they are to motivate and retain their staff as they build their workforce of the future. 46 percent of men and 33 percent of women interviewed for the Talent Index are already taking on gig jobs and internal projects within the company where they are already employed. An additional 38 percent say they are considering requesting an internal gig of their own. Leaders should engage with their employees to hear what they really want from their careers and investigate opportunities

within the company for them to pursue.

Set boundaries to counteract the ‘always-on’ mindset

64 percent surveyed said they receive work-related

messages on their phones outside normal working hours. An additional 32 percent reported feeling pressured to be

online and available, with junior employees feeling most overloaded during their downtime. “Employees look to leaders to see how they set the balance in the digital workplace,” says Abakar Saidov, CEO and co-founder of Beamery. “Therefore, they need to set a precedent for how and when work communication ceases at the end of the working day, and, more importantly, to manage expectations and reassure staff that responses out of hours aren’t

mandatory.”