I’m worried my staff will burn out. Help!

Dear Aunty B,

I have a major problem with several of my young female staff. They are extremely hard working, very driven, highly competitive, have personal and gym coaches, are beautifully groomed and put in incredibly long hours.

I love them to death and they get fantastic results for the company. The problem is they expect their male colleagues to work like they do and make disparaging comments about them taking breaks and going to the barber.

I worry these women are on the road to burn out as I am their boss and I look at their lives and feel like a beer and a lie down. How do I get them to stop passing judgment when the men work as hard as they do?

And how do I calm them down and stop the hyper performing and the hyper competition? They can get quite emotional at times and I think it is because they are exhausted!! I am sure you are a superworker Aunty and thought I would give you a shot for some advice.

Will,
Geelong

Dear Will,

First you don’t deny the obvious. Of course your women are working harder. I recently read a survey that pointed out that women under 30 are burning out because they are less likely than men to look after their personal wellbeing at work. Men are 25% more likely to take breaks throughout the day for personal activities, 7% more likely to take a walk, 5% more likely to go out to lunch, and 35% more likely to take breaks “just to relax”. So you will lose instant cred if you try to deny the obvious to your stars.

These women also feel like they have a lot to prove. Why? Is it your workplace? Is it a bit blokey? Are they super competitive because the men pass “innocent” comments that chip away at their confidence? Alright… just thought I would ask.

Maybe they are just overachievers and it is nothing to do with their gender. There are always a few of those in the office who shine a light on the others, intentionally or otherwise. And you have to make sure those people are rewarded or they will leave. But you also need to ensure they don’t burn out.

The best thing you can do is constantly discuss your culture and values in the workplace with pointed comments like this:

“I take pride in the fact that my staff don’t burn out.”
“I like the office empty by 6.”
“If you work back late I want to know why. Can’t you manage the workload? Can’t you delegate efficiently?”
“Losing it at work is a bad look.”
“The longer you last in business the more you know. Not burning out is a competitive advantage so my best people don’t burn out.”

Be smart,
Your Aunty B