Do This to Combat Employee Burnout

Nike is waving the white flag by giving its employees a week off to recharge.

The pandemic has sparked burnout among many global employees with more people working remotely and working longer hours.  A Robert Half survey reports that 70 percent of remote workers work on weekends and 45 percent say they work more hours than before the pandemic.

Matt Marrazzo, senior manager of global marketing science at Nike, says, “Our senior leaders are sending a clear message: Take the time to unwind, destress and spend time with your loved ones. Do not work.”

Nike is not alone in its quest to prioritize employee mental health.  In June, the dating app Bumble closed its global offices for a week to help prevent burnout.  And in April, LinkedIn gave employees worldwide a paid week off to unplug.

Marrazzo added, “This past year has been rough – we’re all human and living through a traumatic event.  But I’m hopeful that the empathy and grace we continue to show our teammates will have a positive impact on the culture of work moving forward.”  Way to just do it, Nike!

Jill, What Can I Do?  Champion a week off for all of your employees.  The gesture will help people re-energize and send an important message that you care about your greatest asset, which will boost employee engagement.  It’s a hiring jungle out there.  Want to differentiate your organization from the competition, and be able to attract and retain great talent?  Then create a culture where workloads are doable and people feel like a priority.