Slow Down to Go Fast

Seeking considerable employee engagement has traditionally been the Holy Grail for most companies. Engaged employees love their jobs and they give of themselves day in and day out, meeting stretch goals, organizing events, spearheading company initiatives and managing complicated projects with precision and leadership. Who wouldn't want an employee who gives 110%, hits target sales and turns in detailed, error-free reports before deadline?

Evidence has started to emerge that signals a counter intuitive warning: highly engaged employees can potentially be problematic for their companies. How could this be? While their work performance outcomes are positive, these employees are often the most exhausted and, given more time on the job, they can burn-out sooner or later. Symptoms of burnout include depression, sleep problems and fatigue/fogginess. These workers have operated in a high stress environment that, over time, has worn them down and taken away their zest for achievement and productivity.

One way to prevent this difficult situation is for human resource departments to watch over their employees to provide resources that support wellness and work-life balance. Human resources departments that observe high levels of stress in the workplace and seek to counterbalance this with high levels of support find that their employees are productive, feel safe, and most importantly, stick around.

Rejuv at Work offers many opportunities for HR departments to offer a variety of support: on the spot massage, yoga classes, guided meditation, fitness classes, and more. Smart employee engagement cultivates enthusiasm, motivation and productivity. It may sound paradoxical, but sometimes we have to slow down in order to go fast.

To read more on this topic, enjoy this Harvard Business Review article about employee engagement/burnout.