According to a Flexijob report, 75% of workers have experienced burnout. Therefore, in-house agency
leaders need to prevent and address burnout effectively. Overwork culture can be harmful to the wellbeing and productivity of creative teams. It often results in a diminished ability to think creatively.

The word ‘burnout’ was recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as an ‘occupational
phenomenon’. So, there it is. Burnout is real, and it costs your in-house agency money. We’re talking about high staff turnover and lower creative productivity.

8 tips to break the cycle of overwork

• Reward creatives who finish tasks on time instead of those who work late hours.
• Find out why creatives are working more – is creative production taking up most of their time?
• Set positive examples for employees by taking unplugged vacations and encouraging them to
do the same.
• Use the right tech tools to automate or simplify some tasks.
• Encourage mindfulness techniques such as meditation or breathing exercises.
• Provide the team with organisation and time management training.
• Look to implement smarter and more creative strategies rather than longer hours.
• Consider outsourcing elements that are creating overwork for the team. This could be creative production, video editing, or transcreation.

How to include stress reduction habits into your team’s daily workflows

Encourage the use of private workspaces when creatives need to focus. If you don’t have private workspaces where your team can go to focus or decompress, use signals like ‘do not disturb’ signs when needed, or schedule ‘no meeting hours’ to enable creatives to focus on elements of their job such as ideation.

Nowadays, teams are often in different locations and might work outside of traditional hours. However, the  blurring of work and personal time is a source of job stress. One study has found that it is not just answering emails that increase employees’ anxiety; it is the expectation that they are available outside of work hours. To combat this, set guidelines and look to schedule emails during work times.

For a highly adaptive team, create an adaptable work environment. Give your employees flexibility by allowing them to work staggered hours. Hold one-to-one’s to understand those needs and discuss arrangements for people who are struggling with work-life balance.