This question has two parts; be sure to answer both. First, name and describe at least four ways managers can reduce stressors that lead to employee burnout. Next, describe how you might use these techniques to cope with the following situation: You are the CEO of Tate & Stephens, a highly successful advertising firm located in New York City. Your agency represents major clients worth tens of millions of dollars each year. Because the stakes are so high, account executives and creative directors work 70 to 80 hours a week, and they are stressed out most of the time. You want to do something to help your workers remain productive and focused while helping to prevent burnout.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Managers can:

1. Roll out employee assistance programs. Employee assistance programs (EAPs) include a host of programs aimed at helping employees to cope with stress, burnout, substance abuse, health-related problems, family and marital issues, and any general problem that negatively influences job performance.
2. Recommend a holistic wellness approach. A holistic wellness program focuses on self-responsibility, nutritional awareness, relaxation techniques, physical fitness, and environmental awareness.
3. Create a supportive organizational climate. Wherever possible, it's better to keep the organizational environment less formal, more personal, and more supportive of employees. Mentors can also help reduce stress.
4. Make jobs interesting. Try to structure jobs so that they allow employees some freedom. Take steps to prevent jobs from becoming too routine or boring.
5. Make career counseling available. Career counseling reduces the stress that comes when employees don't know what their career options are and where they're headed.

At Tate & Stephens, you might support a holistic wellness approach by building a gym in the company's offices, so that employees can exercise or work out in the morning or at lunchtime without having to leave the building.

Because employees are stressed out and may be turning to alcohol or drugs for relaxation, you might roll out an employee assistance program to help them with these (and other) problems.

As a manager, you need to drive success, but you need to know when you are pushing too hard, and you have to give your employees a break once in a while, so you might decide that workers must take a paid day off at least once every three weeks, thus creating a supportive organizational climate.

Junior employees may see the senior employees working crazy hours and wonder if advertising is the right business for them; offering career counseling to the most promising of the junior employees can help them remain focused and devoted to Tate & Stephens.