Are your social media team members burning out? It’s a new year, maybe you have too many goals and you’re not meeting them. Or, you are seeing lots of overdue tasks and it makes you want to push projects out even further. Social Media Managers are knee-deep in client accounts on social every day which can lead to burnout.
Read on for tips on how to handle workplace burnout for social media managers.
Burnout Is Bad (Duh!)
The World Health Organization defines burnout as an “occupational phenomenon” and “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” Does this ring true for you and your team?
As we have seen already, customer experience will be key in 2020. With this comes a new pressure added to the unpredictability on social media which can lead to uncertainty. Eventually, raising the question: how do you keep your social media managers from fizzling out?
Here are our three tips to help alleviate social media burnout!
Tip 1: Stay Connected to Your Coworkers
Whether your team is in the same office or remote, a great tip for social media burnout is to keep everyone connected. This can include covering projects, shifts, or sharing ideas. Ultimately, keeping the team positively connected helps moral. Our B2 Crew consists of all remote workers so it becomes vital for us to stay connected.
One trick is to use the tools you have in place. (I know, sounds too simple!) For instance, utilize a CRM or project management tool to set up a way for everyone to discuss questions or client issues directly.
Here at B Squared we stay connected in Basecamp. From project campfires to direct pings, Basecamp is awesomesauce and makes us feel like we are in the same building. Equally important, when we need a break or have a client issue to discuss, we have that virtual connection to do so.
In an article by SHRM, they suggest “one way to keep tabs on employee burnout is to conduct regular employee engagement surveys—not just annually, but perhaps once a quarter or even once a month.” On one hand, it seems like a basic tip, but a lot of companies don’t do this and assume their employee will come to them. Unfortunately, it’s not usually until a team member is prepared to walk away from their role that they will speak up.
Tip 2: Reassess Your Accounts
Our next tip for social media burnout is to reassess your projects and accounts. Earlier, I mentioned social is unpredictable and sometimes you need to refresh your mindset. What is making you feel like you don’t have control and are teetering on burnout? Maybe you need a new focus or you have too many goals/KPI’s and you don’t know where to start.
Reassess your client SOWs and see where your point of contention is. Or, go back to the basics to define the KPI’s. Are they the same as 2019 or is your focus different for 2020? If you can pinpoint the cause, you can define a plan for the team to work towards a resolution.
Go back into your notes, form a list of questions to take back to your Account Manager or the client. Keeping your client references organized will help for quick reference. Once you reassess your approach to the client, you can regain a sense of control and avoid burnout for your team.
Tip 3: Re-evaluate Your Space
Re-evaluating your headspace and coming up with a plan is a great tip, but don’t forget about your physical workspace! For example, if you work in an office, can you work from the conference room or outside on a nice day? If so, grab your laptop and set up in a different, fresh space.
While I can’t speak to how my fellow B2 Crew keeps their workspace, I can tell you what works for me. I keep my workspace overly organized and clutter-free. As a result, this keeps me successful on a daily basis. I love a fun notepad and keep multiple lists going daily. Additionally, I utilize my iPhone calendar in tandem with my family kitchen calendar at the start of my week.
At the end of each week, I am sure to go back over my list and make sure I took care of all my assignments. Staying on top of my lists keeps me from being burned out. Equally important, I also clear out all unnecessary emails and tidy up my workspace.
Lastly, I usually start my new list for the upcoming week Sunday, so I’m prepared and ready to go Monday morning.
Summing Up
In conclusion, Social Media Managers are the front line for customer service which means they can easily feel burnout due to the unpredictability and high volume on social platforms. Similarly, we have all experienced days where we wonder if there is a full moon based on the comments we see flowing in. Keep these tips for social media burnout in mind as jumping-off points. Above all, never underestimate the support your team has to offer!
What are your tips for social media burnout? Let us know in the comments below!
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