Study after study has proven that work is a key source of stress for many people. A heightened amount of employee stress can bear an extreme financial burden on employers with turnover, absenteeism, lowered productivity, and workers' compensation claims. In asking this question, your interviewer is looking to hear your experiences and overall philosophies in helping to prevent burnout and stress among staff to ensure a healthy, happy, and productive workforce in their organization. As you answer, try to be creative in your answer by talking about unique techniques you are familiar with that help promote a stress-free workplace. Don't hesitate to talk about new trends in employment like teleworking options and how they are positively impacting workforces throughout the world.

"First and foremost, I am confident that the monitoring of workloads and department scheduling is crucial in preventing staff burnout. In my current role, I work closely with managers and department supervisors to coach them in monitoring staff through frequent one-on-one meetings. This effort allows staff to openly discuss happenings in their work so managers can evaluate and reassign work if needed. I also keep a very open-door policy for staff to come directly to me with any issues impacting their stress on the job. Another important factor in preventing burnout is encouraging staff to use their vacation time. I have heard employees way too many times speak to how taking paid time away from work often creates more work and stress when they return. Being a believer that time away from work is important, I have worked closely with leaders and staff to ensure that proper coverage is provided when a staff member is out of the office."