Employee burnout is a serious issue that plagues companies across a variety of industries. When employees feel overworked and undervalued, the consequences can be severe. Employees who experience burnout are more likely to be absent from work, develop illnesses and be less engaged in their jobs. These issues can lead to decreased productivity and costly turnover for credit unions.

Here are five ways you can prevent employee morale from going up in flames in 2017:

1. Open the lines of communication. It is the responsibility of leadership to create a culture of collaboration at their credit union. If employees are too afraid to speak up about an internal or external issue because of fear of repercussions, your credit union has a serious problem. Encourage employees to come to you with any serious issues, actively listen to their concerns and let them know how you are going to address them. If you can't solve the issue, give them the reason why. Everyone needs a voice in order to feel valued and appreciated.