Leadership teams have faced intensifying demands over recent years. In particular, recent studies highlight the exceptional pressures on HR Teams, including talent shortages, policy shifts, skill gaps, and more. The breakneck pace has resulted in worrying burnout rates that risk losing critical talent if left unaddressed. Targeted and supportive resilience development can help to stabilise overloaded groups.
The Rising Burnout Epidemic in HR
A recent article from HR Magazine, Half of HR professionals on verge of quitting due to burnout, put the spotlight on surging burnout rates amongst HR professionals. The article shared the results of research that includes:
- 50% of HR practitioners are on the verge of quitting due to burnout.
- Over 25% of HR leaders cite too many workplace demands and inadequate time.
- Skillsets required of HR roles have changed by 25% since 2015, expected to double by 2027.
Driving factors for this epidemic level of burnout include fast-evolving remote and hybrid policies, technology integration, employment law changes, retention and hiring struggles amidst the “Great Resignation” and more. Most teams are running at full speed just to maintain daily operations.
These unrelenting strains eventually take a toll. With HR at the centre of employee experiences organisation-wide, compromised wellbeing within this team can create ripple effects.
Targeted Resilience Building Sustains Teams
Rather than accepting exhaustion as the status quo, targeted efforts to intently listen and then build inclusive cultures, optimised systems, and resilience skills can equip overloaded groups to thrive.
Listen First – Regular engagement surveys, meetings, and safe space discussions allow people to honestly express challenges. Listen openly without judgment.
Promote Inclusion – Develop a sense of community and psychological safety for people to share feedback, ideas and support despite the isolation of hybrid work.
Optimise Systems – Audit workflows and identify repetitive low-value tasks ripe for automation, outsourcing or deletion. Refocus time on more strategic priorities.
Build Resilience Habits – Research shows resilience can build over time. Training in techniques like boundary setting, thought restructuring, self-care rituals, and community building lead to resilience improvements and coping skills sticking.
For instance, in our Building Resilience in You – Helping You to THRIVE workshop we introduce mental toughness models that assess critical resilience traits – control, commitment, challenge and confidence. Personalised audits help participants recognise automatic thoughts and then consciously reframe perspectives. Peer exercises allow for vulnerability and growth through shared experiences.
In just two hours create powerful actions and habits. Consistent practice builds muscle memory over time.
Restore Passion and Purpose
With strengthened resilience and support systems, overloaded teams can pivot from surviving to thriving. Energy can then be refocused on the passionate purpose behind HR efforts – enabling people to safely bring their best selves to work to move companies forward together.
No matter the external pressures ahead, a resilience reserve makes all the difference. Let’s talk about reigniting your HR or Leadership team’s spark.
