A Business Case for Avoiding Burnout

Your studio/agency is on a winning streak and those grueling hours in the office are paying off— the future is looking great. Sure, the time away from family and impossibly tight deadlines are stressful, but it will all be worth it. Soon the agency will be doing award-winning work for some of the biggest names out there. Just one thing you might have forgotten: your employees are completely burnt out…

For a business that relies on creative solutions for clients, avoiding burnout is crucial. The chronic stress that leads to burnout is not only a creativity killer, but will eventually lead to disillusionment and the disruption of a healthy work/life balance. The goal should be to push employees creatively while protecting them from the factors that contribute to burnout.

Guidelines

The following are a few guidelines which can help to protect your creative department from burnout:

Avoid Excessive Hours

There are times when working late is a must, but this should never become a habit.

Prevent Stressful Deadlines

If tight turn-arounds are always being agreed to, then the client will come to expect this. The result will be chronic stress on your employees.

Encourage Self-Initiated Projects

Self-initiated projects are a great way to keep your team members engaged and their skills sharpened.

Invest In Your Employees

Sending your employees to conferences and providing ways for them to learn new skills will keep them current and engaged.

Protect Time Off

Time out of the office is important for recharging and maintaining a healthy work/life balance. No one should be made to feel guilty for requesting time off.

Ultimately, protecting employees from burnout is a business decision and should be taken seriously. [Long-hours are unsustainable, unhealthy](What Long Hours Really Mean” href="http://wearemammoth.com/2013/11/long-hours) and will eventually affect the productivity of your team.