By Amy Schabacker Dufrane
I’ve written about change management with some frequency in this column. The speed and depth of change have our heads spinning most days. HR professionals almost never catch a break from this accelerated pace of progress. And that’s what I want to cover this month.
HR professionals are caught in the middle of organizational changes, layoffs, and crisis management. We’re responsible for providing the guidance and support needed by managers and employees during turbulent times. Relied upon for delivering resilience training and a supportive work environment—even during seasons of upheaval—HR is there to minimize stress and provide clear, reassuring messaging.
But when our own workload is overwhelming, when we’re trying to do more with less, stress intensifies, and burnout ensues. Who takes care of you?
First, it’s important to note it’s rarely one single instance that drives burnout: it’s the combination of multiple factors competing for time and attention. It’s the endless to-do list coupled with the uncertainty of economic conditions, legislative changes, and personal problems. It’s feeling failure instead of satisfaction at the end of the day and wondering if there’s light at the end of the tunnel. We’ve all been there.
As HR leaders, we might think we need to “just deal with” whatever is thrown our direction. That’s not realistic. Self-care, boundary setting, and professional networking can help HR avert burnout. For example:
- Intentionally making time for good health practices, including sleep, physical activity, and nutritious meals, will help “fuel your tank” for when you need it most (both at work and in life).
- Setting firm boundaries and delegating to team members can help you focus on high-value, high-impact work instead of reacting to the crisis du jour.
- Connecting with peers about your burnout concerns can reduce anxiety and create assurances that others are facing similar challenges. The HRCI ENGAGE community offers a wealth of perspectives on the issues HR professionals are experiencing and how they are choosing to handle them.
- Investing in learning and skill development can add new techniques to your problem-solving arsenal while helping you build confidence and work-related skills.
Sometimes, bouncing back from burnout includes unexpected elements. One of our most popular presenters at HRCI is Kat Kibben, author of “The Bounce Back Factor.” When Kat lost their job, they took an unconventional approach: selling everything they owned and moving into a van for three years. The unpredictability of being on the road forged new lessons and became the foundation for a real-time education in leading during challenging times.
There’s a familiar saying about the shoemaker’s children not having shoes. In many organizations, HR suffers from this syndrome. Providing systems for mental health, wellness, coaching, and learning for entire workforces without considering the load placed on HR can mean the children are shoeless. Leveraging technology—even something as simple as a calendar—to prioritize time for microlearning, cross-functional team building, and adaptive problem-solving exercises is a discipline worth practicing. Giving more autonomy to team members and delegating responsibilities, such as increasing employee engagement or delivering peer-driven training, can help reduce burnout. Most of all, making HR’s needs a priority will safeguard the resiliency of your valuable resources for when they are needed most.
Burnout manifests in many forms: physical tiredness, mental exhaustion, and negative feelings are just a few of the symptoms. Workload, management styles, and uncertainty are contributing factors. Recognizing burnout for what it truly is—having that level of awareness—will enable HR professionals to address it.
Gaining better job control, deepening skills, and expanding knowledge through additional training can be restorative. So can participating in activities like professional networking or taking up new hobbies such as pickleball or painting. Most of all, you—and only you—can orchestrate your bounce back from burnout. HRCI is here to help.
