Who's taking care of HR?

While the issue of burnout has been a big concern for human resources professionals, these same people have been facing the same crisis themselves.

Overall, 98 per cent of HR leaders report experiencing burnout, according to a 2022 survey by Workivo. 

“I think HR professionals have been impacted, in some ways, even more than other individuals, simply based on where they are located within the organizations... They are in between the leaders and the employees,” says JB Gruet, chief revenue officer at Workplace Options (WPO).

On the one hand, HR leaders are dealing with the concerns of workers. On the other, they are dealing with the demands from the business’s leadership team, he explains.

This intermediary role puts HR professionals in a tough spot.

“Sometimes those [HR] employees are like the silent group that doesn’t get to... express too much discomfort when everybody else gets a chance to do that.”

A previous study from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) found that nearly half of employees across the world are suffering from burnout.

What are the organizational consequences of burnout among HR leaders?

Having burnt-out HR leaders can be costly to organizations, says Gruet.

Overall, workers who go through burnout – no matter what their role may be – will not be able to perform at an optimal level at work, he says. 

They could be less responsive, he says. They could also have high levels of dissatisfaction and a tendency to leave. 

“Resolving problems is part of everybody's job every day, regardless of your function. And so if you now have those same HR people who are supposed to be the glue to everything in many ways [go through burnout]... they're not going to be able to implement certain policies and projects will be delayed.”

HR has a vital role in modern business, according to a previous report.

Lack of tools a problem for HR leaders

While dealing with burnout themselves, 72% of HR professionals report lacking the tools needed to thrive in today’s complex workplace, according to the Workivo survey.

For workers regardless of age, “there will be a number of things that happen in your life that suggest that you could benefit from external help,” says Gruet.

And in most cases, workers would seek out the help of HR leaders, he says.

“Let's say there was somebody who had cancer. They passed away, and now you have a small team of individuals who are impacted by that. So the manager of that team may not need counseling for herself or himself, but may need some coaching around how to deal with that situation. The same applies to HR professionals.”

The problem, however – and particularly among younger HR leaders – is that they do not always know how to handle that kind of situation, hence a need for supporting tools, says Gruet, adding WPO has released a toolkit to help HR leaders.  

Many HR teams are facing challenges when it comes to navigating an increasingly digital workforce and AI-driven technologies, according to a previous report.

How to deal with burnout effectively?

Gruet notes that there are a lot of things that can cause burnout, including unfair treatment, unmanageable workload, lack of role clarity, poor communication, and lack of empathy from leadership.

To counter these drivers, Gruet recommended a multifaceted approach:

• Flexible scheduling: Having a flexible schedule is important so workers can deal with some of their personal needs, he says. Allowing employees to manage their schedules effectively can alleviate personal stressors.
• Expanded benefits: Employers are increasingly offering specialized mental health services. “Some employers will go as far as providing specialty counseling for [workers’] kids... They go further to help people,” Gruet explains.
• Paid time off: Allowing workers some time off work can help address burnout, he says.
• Clear feedback: Gruet emphasizes the importance of validation, stating, “People want to know that the work that they did was useful... They need to be validated.”
• Empathetic leadership: “As a leader, you need to be mindful that people may be experiencing a very difficult challenge in their personal life,” says Gruet. He stresses that empathy is critical for fostering a productive and engaged workforce.

Employees across the world have underscored the need for more empathetic leaders as they grapple with stress, burnout, and declining job satisfaction, according to a previous Dayforce report. And among workers who say their organization does not empathize with employees, 90 per cent believe having leaders show more empathy would make a positive difference in their work life.