Have you thought about how your organisation could benefit from implementing a burnout prevention strategy? There is certainly a strong business case for investing the time to do this, alongside wider initiatives that support employee wellbeing.
Did you know that in the UK alone, 1 in 5 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (such as anxiety and depression) in any given week? Additionally, a HSE Report cites that approximately 16.4 million working days were lost in 2023/24 due to work-related stress, depression, or anxiety. Furthermore, better mental health support at work can save UK businesses up to 8 billion annually.
How can you make a meaningful change happen in your workplace? The good news is, it can start with just one person, no matter your level of seniority, and here’s how you can get started.
Putting humanity at the heart of your organisation
Accordingly to research, two thirds of workers fear burnout and believe their employers prioritise profit and productivity over their wellbeing. This analysis comes from international recruitment firm Robert Half’s 2025 Candidate Sentiment Survey – a study of more than 1,200 UK workers.
The reality is, when choosing where to work, an inclusive and supportive workplace culture is an integral part of that decision-making process for many people. People are increasingly prioritising work environments where they feel motivated, valued, and have the autonomy to prioritise the balance between personal and professional lives, and the role of HR in building a resilient workforce can’t be underestimated.
When you put humanity at the heart of your organisation, people truly thrive.
7 Steps to create a burnout prevention strategy at work
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to implementing a long-term burnout prevention strategy at work, as this needs to be tailored to each individual organisation’s values and goals. It begins with awareness, of the self and others, and here are 7 steps to guide you through the start of this process.
1. Big steps start small
Change can start with one person. Start by defining what improvements you think could be made within your company culture to prevent high stress and burnout by writing down a few ‘best case scenarios’ ideas. Then have a conversation about this with someone you trust, either in your HR team team, People and Culture team, or a Managing Director - someone in an influential position in the employee structure and could escalate your ideas to other decision makers in the company.
Make sure you feel comfortable to speak with them about these ideas so that you know it will be taken seriously, and at the end of the conversation request another time for a brief catch up with them to find out how their conversations have developed and what the next steps could be.
2. Keep the momentum going
Following this conversation and your subsequent catch up, enquire about what training and support could be available for all employees, whether it’s company-wide masterclasses or training courses, enrolling in an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), restructured team and 121 check-ins where mental health and wellbeing is on the agenda, to name a few.
You could also suggest running a new company-wide survey to understand how burnt out people are feeling, and create an opportunity for staff to share their own feedback about what support would be helpful to prevent burnout from escalating.
3. Harness the power of 121’s and Team meetings
In team meetings, experiment with being open about how you feel in terms of managing stress and preventing burnout - what’s working well and what has been challenging? Encourage others to share too, if they choose to and feel comfortable to do so, and create that space for openness - your story can give others the permission they may need to be honest about what help or support they may need.
121’s are an integral part of providing consistent support for your staff. Alongside the support, policies and procedures already in place in your organisation to ensure staff wellbeing, if you’re a manager you can contribute to this process by ensurinf regular 121’s are booked in the calendar with your team members. Creating a safe, non-judgemental space for people to share how they’re really feeling not only fosters trust and builds rapport, in the long-term it can boost team morale as consistency is a key contributnig factor to a successful burnout prevention strategy.
4. Review signposting resources
What are your organisation already doing well to support employee wellbeing, and what could be improved?
This is a helpful check-in question to ask yourself and your colleagues, to refresh your memory on what proecess and support is in fact available to access, and identify any gaps in the support resources that could help people to prevent burnout from escalating.
5. Use awareness dates to drive consistency
Utilise an annual calendar of key mental health and wellbeing awareness dates to engage staff in burnout prevention initiatives, and most importantly, keep the conversation moving.
It can’t be said enough that consistency is key; it is one thing for organisations to publicly support employee wellbeing, but without taking substantive, long-term action to create a truly supportive and inclusive environment, those commitments risk becoming performative gestures rather than meaningful change — leaving employees disengaged, mistrustful, and at greater risk of burnout.
6. Allow for micro-moments of change
There is so much to be said for the power of choice, and reminding yourself that you have choice every day to make small, micro-changes that can end up going a very long way.
Micro-moments allow individuals to release tension that builds up during the day, which helps to prevent emotional overload and soothe the nervous system. These acts can enable wellbeing and self-responsibility in a powerful way, as it shifts the mindset from seeking external solutions to personal accountability.
7. Be persistent
Change does not happen over night, however consistent, intentional effort over time can help to transform your workplace culture, build resilience among teams, and role model healthy habits to your fellow colleagues. Embedding a long-term strategy that nurtures wellbeing and empowers staff to reduce stress takes time, but it is worth every ounce of effort to see where it can lead to.
One choice can make a meaningful difference
It may not feel like it, but making the choice to speak up and voice your concerns around burnout at work is the most powerful step you can take. It takes courage, and will set an inspiring tone for others to feel able to share as well.
Remember, whatever you choose to do, be consistent. It won’t always feel easy, but the small wins will add up, reminding you that progress is being made and that meaningful change is built one step at a time.