Workplace burnout is reaching alarming levels in the UK. A recent survey of 2,000 working Brits found that 28% had experienced burnout in the past month alone, with a further 27% hitting breaking point in the last six months. This isn’t just a passing phase it’s a sustained crisis affecting both performance and wellbeing.
The main causes cited by respondents were familiar culprits:
- Heavy workloads (53%)
- Long working hours (46%)
- Unrealistic expectations (34%)
- Lack of recognition (30%)
- Unfair pressure from leadership (29%)
Beyond harming performance, burnout spills into people’s personal lives, straining relationships and impacting overall wellbeing. While individuals may cope by taking breaks, spending time with loved ones, or setting boundaries, tackling burnout effectively requires a more structured and strategic approach at both the individual and organisational levels.
How can organisations and employees work together to reduce burnout?
1. Rebalance workloads
Organisation: Leaders should regularly review team workloads to ensure they are fair and realistic. Resource planning must consider individual capacity, not just business demand.
Leadership Tip: Use one-to-ones to regularly assess whether team members feel overwhelmed, and adjust allocations accordingly.
Employee Tip: Learn to triage tasks to distinguish between urgent and important. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or push back when necessary.
2. Encourage genuine downtime
Organisation: Promote a culture where rest is respected. That means discouraging out-of-hours emails, not praising overworking, and actively encouraging use of annual leave.
Leadership Tip: Set the example. Leaders who visibly take breaks and disconnect signal to their teams that it’s safe to do so.
Employee Tip: Establish digital boundaries. Turn off work notifications after hours and protect break times during the day.
3. Strengthen recognition and support
Organisation: Create systems that reward effort and celebrate achievements, both big and small. Recognition doesn’t always have to be monetary; a sincere thank you or a public acknowledgment goes a long way.
Leadership Tip: Make it a habit to recognise contributions during team meetings or via internal channels. Personalised recognition is more impactful than generic praise.
Employee Tip: Support your colleagues. Peer recognition builds morale and fosters a sense of community.
4. Invest in leadership training
Organisation: Train managers to identify early signs of burnout and take action. This includes understanding psychological safety, fair workload distribution, and emotional intelligence.
Leadership Tip: Leaders must manage their own stress effectively to avoid projecting pressure onto their teams.
Employee Tip: If you’re in a leadership role share how you manage stress to normalise wellbeing conversations.
5. Foster open conversations about wellbeing
Organisation: Remove the stigma from mental health discussions. Offer mental health days, signpost support services, and include wellbeing as a standing agenda item in team check-ins.
Leadership Tip: Encourage open dialogue and be approachable. A supportive conversation can help prevent long-term absence due to stress-related conditions.
Employee Tip: Speak up early if you’re struggling. Burnout often builds gradually and is easier to manage with early intervention.
Why Mental Health First Aiders matter
Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) play a vital role in building psychologically safe workplaces and reducing burnout risk. They are trained to spot signs of mental ill-health, offer initial support, and guide individuals toward appropriate professional help.
Benefits for organisations:
- Early Intervention: MHFAs can identify warning signs before burnout escalates into long-term sickness absence.
- Culture Change: Having trained MHFAs signals a proactive commitment to employee wellbeing.
- Support for Managers: Leaders aren’t expected to have all the answers—MHFAs provide an accessible point of contact for employees in distress.
