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As the end of the year approaches, more childcare providers are experiencing burnout. With less staff, lower pay, and more responsibilities, stress is at an all-time high. In fact, 45% of early childhood educators are experiencing burnout and stress. (k12dive.com) Alleviating this stress starts with recognizing the signs of burnout and implementing manageable changes to help avoid it. In this article, we’ll walk you through some common signs of burnout and how you can manage it with tangible strategies and techniques.
Signs of Burnout
Recognizing that your staff is burnt out can help you get ahead of it and start making changes to eliminate it. Here are a few signs that your employees may be experiencing burnout.
Physical Signs
- Feeling tired
- Headaches and pains
- Change in appetite
Emotional Signs
- Detachment
- Decreased motivation
- Self-doubt
Behavioral Signs
- Isolation
- Calling off of work
- Withdrawing from responsibilities
How to Help Childcare Staff Avoid Burnout
Schedule a form of movement
A quick session of yoga, light stretching, or walking throughout the day can help stimulate the brain and reduce stress. Blocking off times in the morning, during breaks, and in the afternoon for light movement can greatly reduce staff burnout.
Institute more breaks
Upon hearing staff members were overwhelmed, tired, and frustrated, childcare providers implemented schedule changes to include more breaks for staff members. Even an extra 5-10 minutes per day can make a huge difference in your staff’s performance.
Create new roles
To help motivate staff and reduce responsibilities, try creating new roles within your center. Some providers have instituted program coordinators, floaters, culture clubs, and more to make a positive change within staff roles.
Offer food and prizes
Depending on your budget, try setting up a free lunch, special snacks, or a small raffle to show staff appreciation and make their day a little brighter. These simple events can help improve your team culture and help manage frustration at your center.
Show appreciation
There are a number of ways to show staff you appreciate their hard work that don’t have to be expensive or complex. These could be theme days, contests, and recognition boards. For more ideas on showing childcare staff appreciation, click here.
The best way to avoid burnout is stopping it before it happens. Focus on building a strong company culture, building relationships with staff, and automating processes to save employees time.
Kangarootime is the leading all-in-one childcare management software for daycares and preschools. With billing and invoicing capabilities, parent communication and staff management tools, and classroom automation, Kangarootime helps childcare centers grow and scale. To learn more about optimizing your center with Kangarootime, visit kangarootime.com
