Case Study: Boosting Employee Engagement and Preventing Burnout

Working requires adequate levels of dedication and effort from employees. However, workplace targets often require employees to go beyond and move out of their comfort zone. This constant need to exceed expectations and produce consistent results can lead to burnout if employees do not plan and execute tasks systematically.

Burnout can gradually cause team members to feel alienated from their peers. The willingness to take on responsibilities in excess of their capacity often causes teams to be less productive in the long run. Not allocating sufficient time for team members to engage with each other and realign their goals periodically often leads to conflicts within the team.

Here, we will discuss a team that has been working around the clock, yet has had the team members feeling disengaged. The constant pressure to adhere to deadlines gave them less time to reflect and realign their values, which ultimately led to growing dissatisfaction and lower morale.

Learn how R180 stepped in to help them realign their personal values with the company’s core values and how simple pattern changes within the team improved the team’s engagement levels.

Challenge: Chaotic Work Schedules Affecting Team Morale

A customer service team in a fast-paced retail company had been experiencing high levels of burnout and disengagement. The team’s workload had increased significantly, and employees were feeling overwhelmed by the constant pressure to meet targets.

The increased work commitments left them little time to plan ahead and devise a work strategy that favored the whole team. While the team was busy hitting the grind, they started realizing that they were being less productive and no longer aligned with the company’s objectives.

The alarming sign was when the team started seeing turnovers. The numbers began increasing significantly, resulting in an increased workload on existing members, who were already burnt out.

Growing dissatisfaction and lowering morale among the team members led them to hint that they were awaiting an opportunity to leave this job role and move elsewhere. At this point, the team leaders decided to approach us for expert assistance.

Solution: Reflecting and Aligning Individual Values with Team Goals

When the team approached R180, we had to discover the root causes for the several issues that were plaguing the team’s synergy. First, we conducted individual value assessments to identify each team member’s core values and the team’s value blockers. It became clear that many of the team members were driven by values such as Stewardship and Security. In contrast, the company emphasized consistent productivity at all costs. It became clear that these conflicting values hindered the team’s progress and engagement levels.

With these insights, the team worked with their manager to align individual values with team goals. The manager introduced regular check-ins and value-alignment workshops, where employees could openly discuss their values, share challenges, and identify the following blockers.

• Crowd Blocker: Employees prioritizing fitting in over speaking up.
• Shoulder Blocker: Overcompensation for others’ expectations.

During these workshops, the team collaboratively developed a new approach to workload management that took their values into account. This included:

1. Setting more realistic targets that took into account the capabilities and concerns of every team member.
2. Introducing flexible work schedules to prevent burnout and bottlenecks for a few members.
3. Ensuring that employees have opportunities for personal time off and professional growth and development.

Outcome: Optimizing the Perfect Work-Life Balance

By addressing their value misalignments, the team members were able to reduce burnout and plan an optimized work schedule to meet their targets. The team’s morale improved when they understood that the company valued them for their contributions and was keen on helping them balance their work and personal life.

This increased focus on work-life balance and improving engagement led to:

• Improved Morale: Employees felt more supported and valued, leading to higher job satisfaction.
• Reduced Turnover: With better alignment, employees were less likely to feel the need to leave due to dissatisfaction or burnout.
• Better Team Performance: As a result of re-aligning goals with personal values, team engagement improved, and performance metrics (such as customer satisfaction and target achievement) increased.

After implementing these changes, the team saw a remarkable 30% decrease in employee turnover. Consequently, the team’s overall job satisfaction in the annual employee survey improved.

What We Learned

With a few minor changes in work schedules, individual value reflections, and ensuring active employee engagement initiatives, R180 was able to get a team that was collapsing due to burnout, turn out to be a dream team with highly satisfied employees.

Our tailored solutions provide you with AI-powered insights that help you pursue the right initiatives that will generate the desired results for your team. If your team is facing similar challenges, feel free to connect with our experts for smooth resolutions.