Here's how you can improve collaboration and teamwork in the workplace despite burnout.

Improve collaboration and teamwork despite burnout by promoting work-life balance and encouraging open communication about workload. Implement flexible scheduling and task delegation to prevent overwhelm. Foster a supportive environment where team members can express concerns and offer solutions. Schedule regular check-ins to assess team morale and adjust workflows as needed. Provide opportunities for team bonding and recognition of achievements to maintain motivation and strengthen collaboration during challenging times.

In my practice, when attempting to promote open dialogue and improve collaboration whilst there may be some aspects of a toxic culture, I often begin with ice breakers (e.g., games, anonymous chat rooms, or workshops that require each individual to provide input on a subject). Open dialogue can also be difficult to promote at times due to diggerent dynamics and personalities (e.g., shyness, over-sharing, narcissism, and other traits). However, I’ve noticed in all my attempts that when you actively and positively mediate (as a manager or leader) the first set of open dialogue prompts, and if you initiate the dialogues frequently, it becomes easier for everyone to share wholeheartedly.

Of course! And I stand by my opinion here, that I believe ANY industry, ANY company, can and will operate at a better state of productivity given their employees have the option for flexible schedules. Further, yes, that includes manufacturing, client-facing roles, grocery store positions, baristas, educators, you name it. All it takes is a little trust from the employer, setting firm boundaries and offering a window of time for the worker(s) to begin and end work. Flexible scheduling doesn’t always mean ‘start and stop work - whenever’, it means giving PEOPLE the freedom to wake up 30 minutes later, go home sooner to hug their children, or longer mid-day breaks to enjoy a hobby or work a side-hustle.

I agree; however, this requires some specificity in explanation. Role rotation shouldn’t necessarily happen throughout a single day, but instead it can be enacted every other day, few days, every other week, or by the month. Recent research has shown that role rotation can actually lead to one of many unfavorable things, such as frustration and frustration leading to burnout. Two examples are too much cognitive resource delegation, and multitasking. Also, some individuals are highly connected to projects or tasks and cannot separate themselves easily. So, role rotation could happen on a basis of giving the employee the freedom to rotate when they’re ready, given the expectation that they WILL rotate.

Of course! And here are some tips for giving recognition: - If you have a large company with many employees, use Slack, email, or your payroll app to frequently (daily or weekly) give recognition to individuals, teams, and so on, even for the smallest accomplishments. Adding the feature for others to comment on, or ‘react’ with emojis to that recognition amplifies it! - If you have a small company, use daily or weekly meetings to give recognition. Never let recognition wait. The moment you see the sales numbers or production stats, go on and cheer those who met or exceeded the goals. - Always, ALWAYS, outweigh the negatives with positives. Never give a negative without a positive recognition.

To be iterate, these initiatives should be standard, not a benefit - some individuals will use them and some won’t and that’s OK, even if the company loses a little money on the plan. Your workers’ health is worth more, and healthy workers will produce more, outweighing any negative costs of well-being initiatives. But don’t stop there, these initiatives should include flexible scheduling, appropriate role rotations, open dialogues, advanced training opportunities, and anything else your employees suggest. And when I say, “suggest”, I encourage you to not blindly create well-being initiatives - ask your workforce what they want. If it’s too many things, rotate the options, try new options, just please make the effort!

"Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort." Franklin D. Roosevelt "Inspiration and creativity arise when you least expect it, when you allow yourself to disconnect and rest." Anonymous As leaders, we must embrace these teachings. Rather than just rewards, we should foster an environment focused on achievement and recognizing each team member's rational and creative efforts. We all thrive where we can do what we love, express ourselves, grow without fear, and feel valued for our contributions. With the right environment, avoid pushing efforts to breaking points. Sometimes, the best support is ensuring team members disconnect to restore their balance and energy.

Liderança e toxicidade não combinam: No dia 27 de março de 2024, foi publicado no Diário Oficial da União a Lei 14.831/2024, que criou o Certificado Empresa Promotora da Saúde Mental. Em um ambiente empresarial onde competitividade e eficiência são cruciais, investir na saúde dos funcionários não é apenas uma escolha ética, mas também estratégica. A saúde dos trabalhadores não deve ser vista apenas como uma preocupação regulatória, mas como um indicador claro do futuro sustentável e produtivo da empresa.

A reputação de uma empresa não sobrevive a simultaneidade dos discursos inspiradores dos muros para fora e a disseminação do terror dos muros para dentro. Não se trata apenas um investimento na satisfação e bem-estar de seus colaboradores, mas igualmente um alicerce sólido para a sustentabilidade e prosperidade do negócio no longo prazo.