Watching for Staff Burnout

by Megan Owens, Ph.D.

July 4th serves a significant marker each summer. We celebrate our nation’s independence while also recognizing the busy summer season is half over. Typically, we encounter the summer’s hottest temperatures as well as endure elevated customer expectations. Staff begin the summer with an enthusiasm for implementing new activity ideas that were thoughtfully planned during the year. As summer progresses, those exuberant feelings can turn into frustration when activities flop or exhaustion sets in after encountering difficult customers, excessively high temperatures, or unsupportive co-workers. During the second half of summer, supervisors are challenged to lookout for signs of burnout or mental fatigue from their staff. The ability of our staff to maintain a positive attitude and demeanor is important for the organization’s overall success.

Burnout can result from various circumstances. In a research study examining summer camp counselors, the staff’s burnout was attributed to the perception of feeling undervalued, a lack clear expectations from supervisors, or lack of adequate social support from their co-workers (Bailey, Kang, & Kuiper, 2012). To combat the potential for staff burnout this season, consider the roles and responsibilities asked of your staff. Young adults are hired for highly visible positions within parks and recreation agencies: camp counselors, lifeguards, sports officials, instructors, or maintenance crews. Millennial employees seek performance feedback, which some supervisors find time consuming and unimportant. However, this information can support employee mental growth and motivation, particularly during the second half of the summer season.

The feeling of value and understanding one’s contribution to an organization is sought by many millennial workers in their jobs today (Winter & Jackson, 2014). Supervisors that demonstrate their appreciation of staff’s hard work and dedication may develop a stronger rapport than simply expecting staff to "just do their job." Are you asking your staff to complete tasks that you are unwilling to complete? Do you remain in an air conditioned office while your staff are outside all day? Regardless of a supervisor’s vast responsibilities, these behaviors do not elicit the value-oriented, team atmosphere sought by the millennial generation. A surprise treat of ice cream can brighten spirits on a hot day or helping staff on busy days demonstrates care and concern to them.

Social support is available from multiple sources in one’s life and workplace friendships may be one such avenue. The recreation field is a people-oriented career that includes both positive and negative situations. Difficult customers and prolonged, unfavorable weather conditions can create stress among our staff. Workplace friends or friendly colleagues may bring humor to situations as well as provide another perspective to the shared experience. In some cases, staff establish a sense of community, which may create a supportive environment when challenging situations do occur (McCole, Jacobs, Lindley, & McAvoy, 2012). Co-workers that lose motivation or shirk responsibilities can cause ill feelings among the staff. A teambuilding or group activity during a mid-summer in-service may help to refocus and re-energize staff connectedness. However, if the problem lies deeper than teamwork, the issue must be addressed by the supervisor in a timely manner. 

Supervisors are encouraged to watch for signs of staff burnout and stress. Staff may display short tempers, exhaustion, or experience declining levels of enthusiasm compared to the onset of summer (Maslach, Jackson, & Leiter, 1996). Promptly addressing the individual’s behavior is an important step toward limiting their impact on fellow staff members or customers. Remember to maintain composure, display patience, and be realistic with your staff expectations. It’s been a hot summer so far, let’s work toward maintaining cool, calm, and collected behaviors. 

 

References: 

Bailey, A., Kang, H., and Kuiper, K. (2012). Personal, environmental, and social predictors of camp staff burnout. Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership, 4(3), 151-171.

Maslach, C., Jackson, S. E., & Leiter, M. P. (1996). Maslach Burnout Inventory Manual (3rd ed.). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

McCole, D., Jacobs, J., Lindley, B., and McAvoy, L. (2012). The relationship between seasonal employee retention and sense of community: The case of summer camp employment. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 30(2), 85-101.

Winter, R.P. and Jackson, B.A. (2014). Expanding the younger worker employment relationship: Insights from values-based organizations. Human Resource Management, 53(2), 311-328.