Here's how you can spot and tackle burnout in your colleagues or team members.

For those early in their careers, recognizing the signs of burnout can be challenging. When you're new, there's often a desire to impress and show you can handle everything. This is where experienced team members can offer valuable guidance. They can share strategies to manage burnout while maintaining high productivity. For example, I find that taking several breaks outside helps me reset—I need to physically step away from my desk and move around. Other effective strategies include the Pomodoro technique. Experiment with different approaches to see what works best for you.

From my own experience and seeing it in my employees there are a few things that you can spot immediately. First, is a lack of communication. Second, delays in meeting deadlines. Third, avoiding meetings. People that are overworked or burned out avoid contact.

Pay attention to signs of burnout, such as changes in behaviour, mood swings, decreased productivity, or increased absenteeism. Approach the colleague privately and express your concern in a non-confrontational manner, ensuring they understand your intention is to support, not criticize. Choose a quiet, private setting where the colleague feels comfortable to talk openly. Reassure them that this conversation is a safe space, free from judgment or negative repercussions. Give them your full attention by maintaining eye contact, nodding, and responding appropriately. Work together to develop long-term strategies to address the root causes of burnout, ensuring sustainable changes that promote well-being.

Talk to your team as if you were talking to a close friend, keeping communication as open as possible allow other to feel free to share if something is not working out for them. The more you play as the "unavailable boss" the more closed your relationship internally will be. No communication = problems

One of the most important factors in cases like this is to ensure that the person's feelings are validated. A caseload or scenario might feel manageable for you, but if someone is struggling it's important to recognise that, and really listen.

Creating a safe environment where people don't get judge for their lack of work or failure is important for people who are burned out to open up about their issues or situations. If you notice in someone burn out it's helpful to start the conversation in this as a first step.

Assess whether the current expectations and deadlines are realistic given the available resources and time. Unrealistic demands are a common cause of burnout. If goals are found to be unrealistic, work with the team to adjust them accordingly. This can involve extending deadlines or redefining project scopes. Identify tasks that can be redistributed among team members to balance the workload more evenly. Consider the strengths and capacities of each team member when redistributing tasks to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. Conduct regular workload reviews to ensure that the balance between work demands and personal well-being is maintained.

Allow colleagues to adjust their work hours according to their peak productivity times or personal commitments. Offer the option for colleagues to work remotely, allowing them to choose an environment where they feel most comfortable and productive. Flexibility in scheduling enables better integration of work and personal life, leading to improved overall well-being. Offer temporary part-time arrangements for colleagues who may need a break or are struggling with burnout. Allow individuals to gradually increase their workload once they feel ready, easing back into full-time responsibilities.

A veces nos quedamos cortos al pensar cómo podemos crear esas redes o sistemas de apoyos, aquí te dejo unas opciones: - Programas de tutoría: Conectar a trabajadores nuevos con trabajadores más experimentados que puedan brindarles orientación, apoyo y asesoramiento. - Sesión de checkpoint con supervisores - Grupos de apoyo entre pares: Suena con un montón, pero es necesario crear espacios seguros donde las personas puedan reunirse para compartir experiencias, intercambiar estrategias de afrontamiento y brindar apoyo mutuo. - Fomentar una cultura organizacional que valore el bienestar de los personas, la comunicación abierta, el respeto mutuo y el equilibrio entre la vida laboral y personal.

Empathy plays a dominating role within support systems. Simply feeling seen and heard by other team members can help them tackle the challenge and move forward. Asking open-ended questions like 'how can we help you' or reassuring statements such as 'I understand, let me know if there's something I can do' goes a long way in mental health.

1. Watch for the shift: Notice changes in energy, enthusiasm, or participation. Are they the social butterfly gone quiet? 2. Listen actively: Start casual conversations, ask open-ended questions, and truly listen to their responses. 3. Be an ally, not a boss: Offer support without judgment. Encourage them to utilize resources like company wellness programs or paid time off.