As the temperatures start to rise and the sun shines a little bit brighter, businesses in the pest control and lawn care industries know that it’s officially the busy season. People are starting to come out of their winter hibernations and that means sales inquiries, customer calls, emails and messages are beginning to skyrocket. It can be difficult to keep up! Did you know that 36% of workers state that their organizations have nothing in place to help stave off employee burnout. You don’t have to be a part of that statistic—read on and you’ll see how!
Being the busiest time of year for many field service businesses, there are a few important things you’ll want to know so that you and your employees can avoid the classic seasonal burnout. Take a look at your back-office and sales staff—are they equipped to handle an influx of calls while keeping everything organized and efficient, or could they use more support? What about your team out in the field—are they ready to jump from job to job, possibly take fewer breaks, and deal with a heavier schedule? These are all things to consider.
Serving your customers on their terms is your number one priority, but you must remember that in order to provide the best possible service, you need to make sure your team is taken care of, prepared and feeling good about coming to work every day. According to Randstad, negative office politics has caused 58% of employees to leave or consider leaving their jobs. If you’re able to internalize the tips we bring here to avoid negativity and burnout for your staff during the busy season, then you won’t be a part of that statistic.
Check out these five tips on how to avoid seasonal employee burnout:
- Clearly define roles and expectations for each employee.
Did you know that employees are 23% more likely to stay at a company if their manager clearly explains their role and responsibilities? A boss who takes the time to fully onboard a new employee helps create a positive work culture from day one, which increases the likelihood of long-term employment. Make sure each of your team members is feeling good about their job and create a space for them to feel comfortable asking questions. This has proven to make a difference in both field performance and overall work experience—which should be at the top of your priority list as an employer.
- Make sure employees are fairly compensated for their extra work and hours.
Do employees want to work overtime? Mostly, no. Unless they are being fairly compensated, cared for and are financially motivated. Make it worth it for them, and make them feel appreciated. This leads us to our next tip.
- Show appreciation for employees’ hard work with words of encouragement and recognition, as well as tangible rewards like bonuses or gift cards.
Are you a small business with limited resources? Get creative! There are so many ways to compensate and make employees feel appreciated without breaking the bank. See here for more ideas on how to give extra compensation and positive reinforcement to motivate your staff.
- Offer incentives for employees who go above and beyond during the busy season.
You could send gift cards from today til’ tomorrow but if that’s not what motivates your staff, then it simply won’t work. Figure out what motivates your field and office employees, and start incentivizing them when things get super busy and their job gets more difficult.
- Encourage regular breaks and time off, even if it means bringing in additional staff to cover the work.
It’s extremely hard for anyone to stop and take a breather when there is just so much to be done. It’s also very easy to convince yourself and others that “ehhh, we don’t need a break”. Hate to break it to you (pun intended), but everyone. needs. a. break. Research tells us that taking mini-breaks throughout the day improves well-being and stress, and increases work performance. So, make an agreement with your employees that you all will take breaks when needed and when appropriate.
Conclusion
There you have it, five golden nuggets for keeping a positive and manageable work environment this coming busy season. I know it’s easier said than done, but if you can implement just one of these tips, you’ll be on your way to avoiding seasonal employee burnout. Your employees will be happier, and your customers will notice the difference. Get in touch with us for even more ways to improve your business and prevent classic seasonal burnout.
Do you find that your employees start to get burnt out as the busy season approaches? What do you do to try and avoid it? We’d love to hear what has worked for you in the comments below!
