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Sweet marketing music

Tanner Montague came to town from Seattle having never owned his own music venue before. He’s a musician himself, so he has a pretty good sense of good music, but he also wandered into a crowded music scene filled with concert venues large and small.But the owner of Green Room thinks he found a void in the market. It’s lacking, he says, in places serving between 200 and 500 people, a sweet spot he thinks could be a draw for both some national acts not quite big enough yet for arena gigs and local acts looking for a launching pad.“I felt that size would do well in the city to offer more options,” he says. “My goal was to A, bring another option for national acts but then, B, have a great spot for local bands to start.”Right or wrong, something seems to be working, he says. He’s got a full calendar of concerts booked out several months. How did he, as a newcomer to the market in an industry filled with competition, get the attention of the local concertgoer?

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by Andrew Tellijohn
April 2007

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Human resources

business builder human resources  

Small steps can
help employees
avoid burnout

by Jeff Meacham  

ONE OF THE GREATEST THREATS to the viability of a small business is employee burnout. Unmotivated, disengaged employees cannot perform well and often prevent the rest of the staff from working at peak efficiency.

Burnout can affect many facets of a business, from customer relations to the quality of goods and services.

Dispirited employees often quit, which creates additional problems, especially for a small business. Unlike a large firm, which has the resources to better handle the departure of an employee, a small company may find it difficult to continue operating as before.

If staff members who leave are top performers, this can have a particularly disruptive effect, as these are the hardest to replace. Clearly, losing an employee to burnout can have long-term repercussions for smaller organizations.

If you are an owner or manager at a small business, it’s critical to remain on the lookout for signs of burnout. Following are some suggestions for decreasing the odds of this malady affecting your staff.

Sustainable workloads
One common reason employees burn out is that they feel overwhelmed by the size of their workloads. This leads to stress, which can impair performance and productivity. Then the cycle begins — the harder individuals work, the more stressed they become and, paradoxically, the less they accomplish. This creates further anxiety and stress, the end result of which is typically physical and emotional exhaustion.

To nip this cycle in the bud, make sure that none of your employees is overburdened. This can be challenging at a small company, where employees typically and juggle multiple roles.

While there are certainly times when it’s reasonable to ask your employees to assume extra responsibilities — to cover for a co-worker who is out sick or on vacation, for example — you should make sure this doesn’t happen routinely. In general, try to distribute duties as evenly as possible among members of your team. Beware of allowing “superstars” who are especially ambitious to take on more than they can realistically handle.

At the same time, keep an eye out for employees who too frequently expect others to pick up their slack. Both situations can lead to imbalance and burnout on the part of your most valued workers.

Allow for balance
In some cases, it may not be work itself, but the many competing pressures and responsibilities in other areas of their lives that cause staff to feel exhausted.

You can help them deal with their many obligations within and outside the workplace by offering work/life balance benefits that your business can reasonably accommodate.

For example, a flexible scheduling policy that includes part-time, job sharing, compressed workweeks or telecommuting options will provide employees with a means to better manage the demands on their time while remaining focused and productive at work.

Build camaraderie
If you maintain a pleasant, supportive environment, employees will be less likely to burn out. Try to become your staff’s biggest advocate, providing praise, support and encouragement. Promote collaboration and cooperation, rather than competition. If your policies allow it, offer a bonus day off when the team has worked overtime or made a crucial deadline.

Another way to build cohesion and good will is to publicly recognize milestones such as service anniversaries, birthdays and other events in the lives of your employees. Recognizing employees in front of their colleagues, in the employee newsletter and on the company Web site can have a powerful and lasting effect.

Monthly staff lunches also give employees an opportunity to relax and socialize. By fostering a culture in which your employees feel valued, appreciated and respected, you’ll create a strong defense against burnout.

Your employees are more likely to stay with your company, even during challenging times, if they feel that their efforts and contributions are valued and appreciated.

It’s not necessary to establish an elaborate or costly reward program. Often, the smallest gestures are the most meaningful.

Start mentoring
Offering mentoring opportunities is an excellent retention tool. It’s a proven way to groom employees for advancement and foster collaboration and camaraderie among staff members as well as keeping things fresh and new.

Employees are less likely to burn out and leave if they feel that there are always new opportunities for growth. Mentoring enhances the skills of both mentors and mentees, building dedication and loyalty among recent hires and providing senior staff serving as mentors with a sense of satisfaction and pride in helping secure the company’s future.

While measures to fight employee exhaustion may require time, budget flexibility and creative thinking on your part, the rewards will be well worth your efforts.

In addition to preventing burnout, your efforts have the added benefits of increasing productivity, fostering employees’ commitment to the business, promoting worker loyalty and boosting retention rates.

[contact] Jeff Meacham is senior account manager at Robert Half Management Resources in Bloomington, the financial project consulting firm providing senior-level accounting and financial talent: 952.831.7240; jeff.meacham@rhmr.com; www.rhmr.com