Combating Burnout: How Workplaces Can Support Employees
Burnout is an escalating issue in modern workplaces, and it’s crucial to address it proactively. In this article, one CEO shares insights on introducing wellness programs for mental health, while the Chief Marketing Officer suggests focus-time blocks. With nine expert opinions, each provides actionable steps to combat burnout.
- Introduce Wellness Programs for Mental Health
- Implement Job-Crafting for Employee Engagement
- Foster a Supportive Environment
- Offer Mental Health Resources
- Implement Regular Mental Well-Being Check-Ins
- Provide Dedicated Restorative Spaces
- Improve Manager Relationships and Leadership Styles
- Introduce Focus-Time Blocks
- Adopt a Trauma-Sensitive Approach
Introduce Wellness Programs for Mental Health
One thing we could do is introduce wellness programs specifically designed to address stress and mental health. These could include guided meditation sessions, mental-health workshops, or even access to counseling services. Giving employees tools to manage stress and prioritize their mental health can make a huge difference.
Offering these resources shows our team that we genuinely care about their well-being. When employees feel supported and have access to tools for managing burnout, they’re more likely to feel valued and appreciated. This can lead to a healthier, more engaged workforce where people are more motivated and productive. Instead of burnout leading to reduced performance, we can help our team recharge and return to work with renewed energy and focus.
At Teami Blends, we believe that supporting our team’s mental and emotional health is key to maintaining a positive and productive work environment. When people feel cared for, it not only benefits them individually but also enhances the overall success of the company.
Daisy Cabral
Dynamic CEO, Bella All Natural
Implement Job-Crafting for Employee Engagement
One approach workplaces should take to support employees experiencing burnout is by implementing job-crafting.
This approach allows employees to reshape certain aspects of their roles to match their strengths, values, and interests. For example, they can adjust their tasks, collaborate with colleagues differently, or focus on more impactful projects.
Moreover, it helps employees gain control over their work, thereby reducing monotony and emotional exhaustion. In terms of productivity, they can align their roles with their interests and strengths to get them engaged, motivated, and likely to produce higher-quality jobs. This method helps reduce burnout and enhances job satisfaction and performance.
In conclusion, job-crafting is a powerful strategy for combating employee burnout. Organizations can improve their well-being, foster greater engagement, and boost productivity by allowing individuals to tailor their roles. This approach helps employees feel more connected to their work and promotes a healthier, more sustainable work environment.
Peter Bryla
Senior Community Manager, MyPerfectCV
Foster a Supportive Environment
Supporting employees experiencing burnout can significantly improve workplace well-being and efficiency. One effective way is to foster a supportive environment where taking breaks and mental-health days is encouraged and normalized. This can be communicated through regular check-ins, open discussions about workload, and offering flexible work arrangements.
As someone who endured burnout early in my career, I found that having the flexibility to work remotely on days I felt overwhelmed allowed me to recharge and return to work with a clearer mind. By making such support part of your organizational culture, employees will likely feel more valued and motivated, leading to increased productivity and a more positive workplace atmosphere.
Andrew Pickett
Founder and Lead Trial Attorney, Andrew Pickett Law
Offer Mental Health Resources
Offer mental health resources, such as confidential counseling services or access to professional well-being programs. Legal work is inherently demanding; many professionals feel overwhelmed with long hours, high-pressure cases, and emotionally charged issues. By actively providing resources for stress management and mental health, firms can help employees better navigate these challenges.
Offering these services can significantly impact employee well-being, as it shows a commitment to their mental health and encourages them to seek help before burnout worsens. Access to professional guidance allows individuals to develop coping strategies and build resilience, which can reduce stress levels and prevent long-term exhaustion. The overall impact on the firm would likely be positive. Employees who feel supported are more likely to remain engaged, stay longer with the firm, and maintain higher productivity.
Focusing on mental health also creates a healthier, more supportive work environment, reducing turnover and improving morale. When employees are equipped to manage stress effectively, their performance and job satisfaction are likely to improve, benefiting both the individuals and the firm as a whole.
Meghan Freed
Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Freed Marcroft
Implement Regular Mental Well-Being Check-Ins
At Alta Pest Control, one thing we could do to better support employees experiencing burnout is to implement regular check-ins focused specifically on mental well-being, paired with more flexible scheduling options. By proactively creating spaces where employees can express their concerns and providing flexibility—whether that’s adjusting hours, offering remote workdays, or giving time for mental-health breaks—we could help prevent burnout before it escalates.
This kind of support would have a significant positive impact on employee well-being. It would show that we value the health and happiness of our team, which would, in turn, increase morale and loyalty. Employees who feel supported are more likely to be engaged and motivated, leading to increased productivity and better customer service, which ultimately benefits the entire company. Supporting mental well-being would help foster a more resilient, productive, and satisfied workforce.
Faith Rock
Marketing Specialist, Alta Pest Control
Provide Dedicated Restorative Spaces
Provide dedicated, restorative spaces, carefully designed for mental well-being. Open offices can be relentlessly stressful, nudging employees toward burnout and making things far worse for those already suffering.
Unlike a token “quiet room,” which may feel sterile or uninspired, a restorative space should be a rich sensory retreat—think natural soundscaping, calming scents, ergonomic furniture, greenery, natural or circadian lighting, and acoustic treatments.
The impact on well-being can be significant. Even brief exposure to restorative environments can reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure, and restore mental clarity—helping people return to their tasks refreshed. Research shows that spaces like these help everyone, even people who are already feeling well, but they are particularly beneficial to those already suffering from stress, so they’re an important consideration for any workplace.
Fran Board
Marketing and Research Director, Moodsonic
Improve Manager Relationships and Leadership Styles
Look at the relationships and leadership styles of the managers. If you can build a positive, supportive, and listening group of managers, your employees are more likely to lessen their burnout or ride it out more quickly.
If there is safety in communication and employees at least feel heard about their concerns, it will allow for a much better culture overall. It’s hard to say that any implementation will rid a workplace of burnout—our immediacy/hustle culture in all industries just breeds this naturally. So we need to accept that burnout happens, is normal, and can be processed through without the answer of “I need to quit” or another quick action.
Abigale Johnson, LCSW
Founder & Psychotherapist, The Boundary
Introduce Focus-Time Blocks
One approach I’ve found effective in managing burnout is introducing dedicated “focus-time” blocks—specific periods during the week when meetings are off-limits, and distractions are minimized.
At NimbleWork, we initially experimented with this within the Marketing team, where constant context-switching was eroding the quality of deep work. By designating a few hours each week for uninterrupted work, team members could immerse themselves in complex tasks without the anxiety of constant communication demands. This not only improved productivity but also allowed employees to experience reduced stress and greater autonomy over their schedules.
The success in the Marketing team quickly influenced other departments to adopt the practice. As focus time spread, meetings became more efficient, with employees arriving better prepared and less distracted by unfinished work. This shift wasn’t just about increasing productivity—it symbolized a commitment to well-being, making it clear that thoughtful, high-quality work was prioritized over being constantly “busy.”
By reducing stress and fostering a healthier work-life balance, focus time has led to a cultural change at NimbleWork, where employees feel genuinely supported, leading to sustained productivity and a boost in morale.
Mahesh Singh
Chief Marketing Officer, NimbleWork
Adopt a Trauma-Sensitive Approach
To better support employees experiencing burnout, workplaces should adopt a trauma-sensitive approach, recognizing trauma as a root cause of burnout rather than solely focusing on surface-level solutions. Burnout is often a symptom of deeper issues, particularly trauma. Research shows that over 70% of U.S. adults report experiencing at least one traumatic event, with almost 20% reporting four or more.
Trauma, especially childhood trauma, often leads to burnout through the “fawn” trauma response—chronic people-pleasing, perfectionism, and boundary flexibility—behaviors rewarded in our society but detrimental to long-term well-being.
By implementing trauma-informed practices, workplaces can better address the root causes of burnout. This could involve providing training for leaders and HR professionals to recognize trauma responses like absenteeism (flight), frustration (fight), disengagement (freeze), or overwork (fawn). Rather than labeling these behaviors as poor performance, a trauma-aware approach fosters meaningful discussions to support employees, acknowledging their struggles and creating collaborative, tailored corrective plans.
The impact of trauma-sensitive support would be profound. Not only would it improve employee well-being by fostering a safer, more understanding work environment, but it would also enhance productivity. Trauma-aware environments lead to healthier employees who can contribute more effectively without fear of burnout.
Furthermore, addressing the root causes of trauma-driven burnout could potentially save organizations millions, as trauma-related absenteeism and lost productivity cost the U.S. $193 billion annually. Through trauma-awareness and care, workplaces can become not just more productive but also more humane.
Anita Roach
Founder, Safe & Sound Workplace Alliance
Submit Your Answer
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