Workplace stress and subsequent burnout is plaguing the American workforce and stifling productivity.

Two-thirds of Americans suffer from workplace stress, according to a Gallup poll, and burnout has become so common, the World Health Organization (WHO) has even added it to the International Classification of Diseases. As "a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed," burnout is something employers have the unique ability to mitigate.

Taking action benefits the employer as much as the employee. Disengaged employees cost businesses, with overly stressed employees are 37 percent more likely to take days off, 18 percent less productive and produce 15 percent less profitability. That's thousands of dollars burnout directly flushes down the drain.

Instead of settling for the expensive realities of this new norm, employers should follow these steps to reduce workplace stress:

1. Identify warning signs

Before employers can prevent workplace stress, they have to be able to see it. That means keeping an eye out for signs that an employee may be experiencing stress both inside and outside of work.

Telltale signs that an employee is stressed includes customer complaints, arguments with coworkers, demonstrating low productivity, engaging in workplace bullying or harassment and in appropriately shouting in meetings or on calls.

These actions may be the direct result of stress-inducing situations happening at work, but it's also possible employees are acting out because of stress-inducing problems at home, such as not being able to pay the bills, hitting a rough spot in personal relationships or experiencing health problems.

2. Invest in more than just a pre-hire background check

Contrary to popular belief, employers are able to view the sources of stress that occur at home through automated, continuous evaluation.

This goes beyond the pre-hire background check, which only allows employers to see an employee's past—not the current warning signs or their future actions.

Unfortunately, actively disengaged employees are grown, not hired, and static, pre-hire background checks fail to capture behavioral patterns that could lead to an employee committing a crime or inflicting serious harm on coworkers or the organization as a whole. Automated, continuous evaluation gives business leaders insight into some of the external life events most employers are blind to, empowering them to see and, if possible, intervene.

For example, if they discover an employee recently totaled their car, they may have human resources reach out to them to see if they need to take a day off to deal with insurance and find a new vehicle. Or, if there are other financial issues at play, HR may point them to the company's employee-assistance program or professionals with subject-matter expertise.

Some continuous evaluation workforce assurance platforms allow employees to anonymously report inappropriate or illegal individual behavior. In such cases, even if it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what could be causing that stress, input from others is sometimes enough to warrant a conversation that may reveal problems, such as understaffing, poor management, or excessive workloads—all of which could impact that particular employee, and possibly others, too.

3. Create an open workplace culture

Having the ability to see and respond to employee stress demands a cultural shift, one that moves the business toward a more open and supportive environment.

At the end of the day, this is the ultimate, mutually beneficial goal: to create a safe and fulfilling workplace environment where employee well-being and engagement are improved, retention increases, and where employees are more productive and making fewer mistakes. According to Gallup, these achieving this call can increase profitability by 21 percent.

Mitigating risk and supporting employees under stress is key to improving to an organization's progress and longevity. The good news is, it's never been easier for employers to do this, equipping themselves with the modern tools and knowledge needed to effectively and efficiently battle burnout.

Tom Miller is CEO of ClearForce, an organization that protects businesses and employees through the continuous and automated discovery of employee misconduct or high-risk activities.

Instant Insights /

An employer's guide to battling burnout

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