Employee fatigue has become a major worry for both workers and employers in today’s fast-paced and demanding work environments. Employee hours are increasing longer as our economy demands more and more from its workers. This frequently implies that employees can work much beyond the regular work week, putting them at risk of tiredness and fatigue. It is true that when we are weary, we are more prone to mishaps. We are less aware of our surroundings and cannot respond as swiftly to avoid injury. They can also have a significant impact on a company’s financial health.
Worker Fatigue
Fatigue is more than just feeling tired. Fatigue is a state of exhaustion that has persisted for an extended amount of time. It can have a significant impact on many aspects of an employee’s life. People are not designed to work for hours on end with no breaks. Our bodies require at least 7 hours of rest and recharge per day. Here are some examples of fatigue symptoms:
When employees are tired, their reaction time can slow down a lot. This could be dangerous or even deadly at some jobs.
Making decisions slowly or not at all. When employees are too tired to remember what to do, they often make bad choices. This effect on tired workers is very important because in some places of work, a bad choice can put a lot of people in danger.
Lack of attention span. It is harder for employees to focus on certain jobs when they are tired. If they can’t think straight, they might forget to do their work, which could lead to a dangerous situation.
Dozing off at work due to lack of sleep or rest.
When employees are tired, they might have any of these symptoms: aches and pains in their muscles, a change in their appetite, gastrointestinal issues, sleepiness, anxiety, headaches, or emotional distress.
Imagine that you have to do the same job every day, week after week, with nearly no breaks. Over time, this can and will lead to accidents. When our brains are tired, we have a higher tendency to mess up when we’re figuring things out. For businesses in fields where measures are important, this could be a major problem. Being tired, we might not pay as much attention to our surroundings. If you work with tools or operate heavy machinery, this is especially dangerous.
Impact Of Fatigued Employees
The costs associated with overworked employees go beyond the immediate issue of decreased production; they permeate many other parts of business operations, which has an effect on the bottom line. Employers have a responsibility to acknowledge the significance of treating fatigue in the workplace, putting into action initiatives that encourage employee well-being, and ultimately cultivating a work environment that is both healthier and more productive. Employers have the ability to lessen the financial burden of weariness and contribute to the long-term success of their businesses if they make investments in the health and satisfaction of their workforce.
Decreased Productivity
One of the most direct consequences of employee fatigue is a decline in productivity. Over-tired workers are likely to experience reduced focus, slower reaction times, and impaired decision-making abilities. This drop in productivity can lead to lower output, increased errors, and a general decline in the quality of work, all of which contribute to financial losses for employers.
Fatigue often leads to increased absenteeism as employees may find it challenging to meet their work commitments. Regular absences can disrupt workflow, result in missed deadlines, and require additional resources to cover the workload gaps. This not only affects immediate productivity, but can also result in additional costs associated with temporary staffing or overtime payments to cover absent employees.
Higher Accident Rates
Fatigue is a known contributor to workplace accidents. Over-tired workers are more prone to making mistakes, and their diminished alertness increases the risk of injuries and accidents. Workplace incidents not only incur direct costs such as medical expenses and potential legal liabilities, but can also lead to increased insurance premiums for employers.
Increased Healthcare Costs
Fatigue is associated with various health issues, both physical and mental. Over time, exhausted employees may experience a decline in overall health, leading to increased healthcare utilization and associated costs for employers. This includes expenses related to medical treatments, doctor visits, and potential long-term disability claims.
Employee Turnover
A workforce experiencing chronic fatigue is more likely to suffer from burnout and dissatisfaction. This dissatisfaction can contribute to higher employee turnover rates as workers seek environments that prioritize their well-being. The costs associated with recruiting, training, and onboarding new employees can be substantial for employers.
Lower Innovation and Creativity
Fatigue not only affects routine tasks, but also hampers creativity and innovation. Over-tired employees may struggle to think critically, solve problems, or contribute fresh ideas. This can hinder a company’s ability to adapt to changing market dynamics and innovate, potentially resulting in missed opportunities and revenue growth.
How You Can Prevent Employee Fatigue
It can be dangerous for employees to work when they are tired. According to research, being tired is just as bad for the brain as driving while drunk. Memory, balance, focus, decision-making, and movement skills are all affected by fatigue in workers. It also leads to about 13% of accidents and injuries at work every year. It’s true that you can’t suddenly make sure your employees get enough rest to do their job safely and well, but these tips can help companies make jobs safer by keeping workers from getting too tired at work.
Educate Your Employees
In some of the most significant incidents that have ever occurred in the workplace, fatigue has been identified as a contributing cause. It is important to provide training to all employees, particularly supervisors, in order to identify signs of exhaustion in workers. When employees are aware of the indicators, they are able to take greater precautions to ensure that they get sufficient sleep at night. For those in charge, bringing it to the attention of workers and encouraging them to take breaks is helpful.
Think About How You Schedule Shifts
Employees who work shifts that are late at night or overnight are more prone to experience high levels of fatigue. When scheduling staff, try to avoid arranging them for shifts that are irregular or rotating. Additionally, fatigue tends to develop tremendously during a shift that lasts for twelve hours. Employees should be given at least a 24-hour rest in between 12-hour shifts, and overtime should be prohibited for those working those schedules.
Enforce Breaks
In order for workers to recover from repetitive tasks, it is the responsibility of employers to guarantee that they receive their permitted breaks. It is possible to restore essential functions to the brain and boost focus with as little as fifteen minutes of break time.
Avoid Extended Shifts When Possible
According to the recommendations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), companies should make every effort to prevent their employees from working more than forty hours per week or working odd shifts whenever it is feasible to do so. Some examples of uncommon shifts include working two shifts in the same day, such as working four hours in the morning and then returning for a three-hour shift in the evening. Another example is working two shifts in a single day. It may also involve shifts that are not consistent with one another, such as working an evening shift, then a morning shift, and then continuing on to work overnight shifts. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with OSHA directly if you consider your schedules could potentially compromise your safety in accordance with this recommendation.
Paid Sick Leave
If you’re a business owner, paid sick leave might seem like an extra cost to think about, but new paid sick leave isn’t just a perk for workers. It’s also good for business. Employees who can take paid sick leave are less likely to miss work, which is good for business. Being sick at work makes you much less effective, and there’s a chance that you could spread the infection to other people. Putting your whole staff at risk to meet business goals is a very unprofessional thing to do. It can also cost a lot more in the long run than just giving employees a few sick days a year.
One thing we can say for sure is that using employee scheduling tools to track and manage your staff is a must if you want to make your business run more smoothly. Without a doubt, it can be very helpful for people who have problems with their workers being too busy or people who don’t want it to happen in the first place.
Finding Business Insurance With EZ
We are able to assist you in obtaining commercial insurance to safeguard your company as well as group health insurance for your employees. To ensure that you are able to get the most suitable insurance coverage for your company and its employees, our representatives collaborate with the most reputable insurance providers around the country. In fact, we are able to save you hundreds of dollars annually. We do this by working with your budget to locate the most suitable coverage for you or your family. If you have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us at the following numbers: 877-670-3531 for assistance with group health insurance, and (855) 694-0047 for assistance with commercial insurance. You can also simply enter your zip code into the bar below for free instant quotes.
As a small business owner, there are many things about your business that are in your control, and some that aren’t. How would you classify your employees’ productivity levels – as something you have control over? Or do you often feel like you’re at the mercy of outside forces when it comes to your employees working up to their potentials? It doesn’t have to be that way! And it doesn’t require raises or big gifts to get your employees producing more, higher quality work. All it takes is some good old fashioned people management skills, which we know you’ve got in spades!
What’s Holding Your Employees Back?
One important thing to remember is that employee productivity is not just about quantity, it’s also about quality. But before you can find that sweet spot of employees producing a lot of high quality work, you have to understand that many people these days can feel distracted and unmotivated at work. That’s understandable: we’re living (and working) in a world that is constantly connected and filled with distractions. Even the ability to have meetings anytime, anywhere can be an issue when it comes to productivity. In addition, many people now spend more time working than they do sleeping, making for a frustrating lack of work-life balance.Think about the following stats:
70% of workers admit to feeling distracted while working, with 16% saying they’re almost always distracted
The average employee is interrupted from their work 56 times a day, and spends an average of two hours a day recovering from interruptions!
60% of workers say they view meetings as another interruption to their day
66% of people say they would be better, more productive employees if they got more sleep
1 million workers miss work each day due to stress, with 31% feeling high levels of stress at work
61% of workers report being burnt out at their job
40% of employees say they would put more effort into their work if that effort was recognized more often
89% of workers prefer to work alone to hit their maximum productivity
Happy people are 12% more productive
Employees who feel that their voice is heard at work are 4.6 times more likely to perform at their best
A highly engaged workforce is likely to outperform companies with less engaged workforces by 202%!
The above numbers might be eye-opening. It seems that employees are more likely to be distracted or stressed than they are to be engaged and feel heard – and that could be a huge problem for your business. But consider the positive numbers above, and know that there are ways to get your employees happier, more empowered, and more engaged so that you can see your productivity levels soar.
What It Means to Be Productive – and How to Get There
What does productivity mean in terms of your business? There are three criteria your team should be meeting:
They get their work through all their work, generally meet all their deadlines, and don’t spend too much time on any one task.
You are pleased with the quality of their work – it should at least meet, if not exceed, your expectations.
Their time and efforts are spent in the right way, and not wasted on the little things.
Make your employees feel respected and heard in order to boost productivity levels.
To get your team to this point, try the following strategies:
Make sure employees feel respected and understood – You need to understand your employees in more ways than one. Of course, you need to know their skill sets and match them to their tasks in order for them to be as productive as possible, but you also need to understand their motivations – what brings them to work everyday and what they need to feel supported. Let them know you see them, and that you respect their work and have their backs, no matter what.
Set clear, focused goals and expectations – Your employees can’t be efficient if they’re not working toward a clear goal. And not only do goals need to be clearly defined, they also need to be achievable in order for your employees to stay on track and be productive. Try the S.M.A.R.T. goals method: set goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely, and you’ll see an increase in focus and efficiency.
In addition, it’s important to remember that all tasks should be as clearly and narrowly defined as possible for your team so that you don’t lose time on the little things. For example, you might think it goes without saying that you want everyone to proofread their work, but they might assume that you’re going to do it because you’ve asked for final review of the project. Always be clear about what’s important to you.
Cut back on the extras – On the other hand, if there are things that aren’t so important to you, try to trim that excess work back, so your employees can focus on higher priority tasks. Look at any tasks that they do as a mere formality and see if they can’t be scaled down or eliminated all together. Daily reports, for example, can be streamlined, or the number of people they need to get approval from for certain tasks could be reduced.
Stop micromanaging – We get it, your business is your baby, but if you have trouble delegating and being a coach on the sidelines sometimes, you’re going to end up with lower productivity, despite your best efforts to stay on top of every little thing. You’ll end up stifling your employees and hurting morale, and, not only that, but you’ll end up being less productive. You can’t be effective in your role as leader if you’re so involved in everyone else’s job; you’ll just end up creating a bottleneck and slowing everyone down.
Listen, listen, listen! – There’s more to managing your team than sending explanatory emails or giving a talk before they embark on a new task. Listening is incredibly important, too! Remember, your employees are often the ones on the frontlines, and they will have valuable input about improving day-to-day issues. And not only will you get good ideas about how to make things run more efficiently, but your employees will also feel like they are truly part of the team, and are actively contributing to the company. This will make them more engaged and, ultimately, more productive.
When you do conduct a meeting, make sure it is as productive as possible.
Think about how you communicate – According to a McKinsey study, emails can take up nearly 28% of an employee’s time. In fact, email was revealed to be the second most time-consuming activity for workers (after their job-specific tasks). Think about whether you’re matching the communication with the method. Instead of an hours or days-long back and forth for some things, try a quick phone call or meeting. But…
Have more productive meetings – Remember, meetings can also be a major productivity killer. Think about this: most meetings last 30 – 60 minutes, and most employees say that at least a third of those meetings feel like wasted time. That’s 10 -20 minutes a meeting, 20 – 40 minutes a week if you hold just two meetings, and 1,000 – 2,000 hours a year! We understand, meetings are important, just make sure:
You REALLY need to meet in person (or over Zoom)
There is a clear agenda
You invite only team members who really need to attend
To keep it short
To have clear next steps
Celebrate successes – Nothing motivates employees like a genuine, heartfelt “thank you” for all the work that they do, and true appreciation for the things they achieve, all in the name of your business. You can choose to say thank you however you’d like, including:
Praising them both publicly and privately
Rewarding them monetarily, whether it be with a gift card or a bonus
Rewarding them with a non-monetary treat, like half-day Fridays, “lazy Mondays,” or more PTO
Donating to a charity of their choice
Sending hand-written notes
Implementing a wellness program as a thank you to the whole team, and as a way to keep them healthy, happy, and incentivized
You can get creative with your thank you’s – just don’t forget to offer them!
Train and retrain – One place where you shouldn’t skimp on the extra time, effort, and money? Training and retraining your employees. Instead of throwing employees into their job to learn as they go (which will only end up with you having to go back and spend extra time correcting mistakes and reiterating what you want from them – remember those clear expectations?), take that extra day or two to get them fully up to speed. Not only will they be more efficient employees, but by improving their skills and knowledge, they will also become more confident, more effective, and more engaged.
Don’t forget to create employee development plans, allow them to retrain and learn new skills, and then offer them situations in which they can use their new knowledge. You’ll show them that you care about their future, which will go a long way towards making them feel respected and understood. It’s all connected!
Ultimately, it all comes down to the environment you create for your workforce. Whether they’re working remotely or you’re seeing them face-to-face each day, you’ve got to be there to have their backs and set the tone of their workplace. Treat your employees as valued individuals and give them the training they need and achievable, meaningful goals and you’ll be on your way to some seriously increased productivity.
As Anne M. Mulcahy, Former CEO of Xerox Corporation said, “Employees who believe that management is concerned about them as a whole person – not just an employee – are more productive, more satisfied, more fulfilled. Satisfied employees mean satisfied customers, which leads to profitability.”
