Let’s talk about the hidden, not outspoken, but at some point, felt, witnessed, or tried to push through: Burnout.
It’s no longer a silent shadow in the background; employees in any organization increasingly live it. That said, many organizations attempt to combat burnout by offering meditation apps, workshops, free yoga sessions, or wellness outings. The truth is that burnout is no longer an individual matter. It’s a systematic one.
To truly address this, organizations must thoroughly examine the root causes and be honest and direct with themselves, both as leaders and as an organization.
As a coach and capacity builder who works with professionals across industries, I’ve seen how burnout isn’t just about working too much. It’s about working in systems that are out of sync — systems that demand output without refuelling people, reward availability over efficiency, and ignore the very real need for purpose, autonomy, and connection.
Hidden cost for any organization acting as “Business as Usual”
Our business world operates at high performance and celebrates employees who act professionally, while trying to navigate uncertainty as we experience it now. And here is the reality – when humans are constantly in survival mode, whether on an emotional, physical, or mental basis, creativity, engagement, trust, and faith get lost.
What does this mean for the organization?
Resilience goes out the window. Innovation goes out the window. Passion and ambition go out the window, and humans are on autopilot.
True organizational resilience is not only to be able to “Bounce Forward” quickly, but also to create a company culture where people can adapt, be authentic, thrive, and embrace. Not only react.
- For my followers, you might know about my co-authored book: The Resillient Professional
- And tailored to that topic, our workshop: The Resilient Professional Workshops
This is a topic for this year and beyond. As a forward thinker and deeply involved in the professional sphere, I created this workshop for organizations and individuals who are increasingly struggling with resilience and how to thrive in the face of uncertainty.
Let’s change gears to the blog again.
So, what shall organizations do?
Here is some food for thought.
5 Essentials to Systematically Prevent Burnout
How do we move from temporary fixes to real, tangible impact and prevention to a place that has a sustainable approach towards energy, motivation, and growth?
Here’s where the long-term fix comes in – it begins at the top but spreads throughout the entire organization.
The systematic approach.
Below are five tips to help you start the journey towards a resilient and aligned workforce and company culture.
1. Shift your mindset from productivity to purpose
When employees, especially our young workforce, understand the “why” and their impact on the broader community and society, they are no longer just checking boxes; they feel engaged and empowered. The famous why, from Simon Sinek, whom I admire for his thoughts on professional life.
So, each organization needs to take a stance, step back, and ask:
- Do we regularly communicate the purpose?
- Do people see beyond their job titles?
- Do people feel that they do more than a job, and it has some meaning?
Driven employees by the why are protected against burnout. It makes sense for them to work for your organization, as it aligns with their values and increases motivation, leading to fully engaged humans with a soul and mind.
2. Recreate Leadership Expectations
Misaligned leadership is something I observe quite often, which is the primary driver of burnout among leaders and employees. Many leaders have outdated beliefs, assumptions, and leadership styles that equate performance with equal pressure.
However, in today’s work landscape, leaders need to be like coaches. Good listeners, who ask open questions, talk less, and remain open-minded, have a growth mindset and apply different problem-solving approaches, even if it’s not their usual style.
We need to train leaders not only in vision, mission, and strategy, but also in emotional intelligence, empathy, psychological safety, and active listening. This is how trust is built, and when trust is in place, the burnout percentage drops.
Research indicates that trust reduces stress and burnout in the workplace, resulting in 74% less anxiety and 40% less burnout among employees.
3. Create space for reset recovery and reconsideration – 3 R’s
Organizations typically recommend “take care of yourself,” but do they provide space for it? Not always.
Imagine what might occur if teams set aside time each month for reflection, reset, and reconsider. Not only does it focus on performance metrics, but also on well-being, learning, and emotional bandwidth.
Recovery is not a luxury. It constitutes a leadership strategy.
Resilient systems include time to breathe.
4. Focus on workflows, not only on mindset
Sometimes burnout is not a mindset issue; moreover, it reflects the employee’s frustration with the processes, hierarchy, and structural flow within the organization.
Endless meetings, unclear roles, unheard voices, unrealistic deadlines, and key metrics. I guess you might resonate with these mentioned workplace challenges.
This shows that it is time for an internal audit:
- Assess where the time and energy of employees are flowing.
- What are the draining and repetitive tasks that can be potentially made easier and more flawless?
- Do you need these tasks to be done, or is the information available somewhere else?
- What needs going and what needs replacing?
Continuous improvement efforts show the employees that their time and challenges are respected and that any ideas put forward are listened to. This is deeply motivating.
5. Foster Collaboration and not Competition
Being alone can create isolation and lead to burnout. We do need connections; we need to talk and share—even our vulnerable sides. Therefore, the sense of belonging is crucial for a well-balanced work environment.
When pain is shared, and when laughter is shared, the recovery from any down moments is faster.
Create a company culture where everyone can be authentic and be themselves, where peer and mentoring relationships are the norm. Cross-team collaboration and open, non-judgmental communication shall be taught and demonstrated. That’s why leaders shall be role models and walk the talk.
Human connections are often overlooked as productivity tools.
A call for brave organizations and leaders
If you are reading this as a leader, HR partner, or as an employee, think bigger.
Bigger than snippets of well-being retreats.
We need organizations that are ready to redesign, rethink, re-imagine, and rebuild.
For long-term human workforce sustainability.
This differentiates it from AI.
Burnout does not necessarily imply that your team is broken.
It indicates that your system needs to be in balance.
And the positive news? It’s possible. I saw it. I help construct it.
Let’s move beyond burnout and build resilience from the inside out.
Check out the Resilient Professional workshop. Additionally, according to your needs, we can tailor this workshop. Just reach out.