Having a dedicated pastoral counseling department or team is essential, alongside promoting self-care, fostering peer support, and providing stress management training. These professionals can directly address students' emotional challenges, allowing educators to focus on teaching while alleviating stress. However, if the issue is minor and manageable, teachers should involve themselves where possible, provided it doesn't lead to burnout. This approach ensures staff well being while effectively supporting students' needs.

This is a serious issue. The higher education environment places students under increasing pressure to succeed, but some do not hold themselves accountable for not getting good marks. Academic staff have increased workloads due to HE institutions looking for productivity gains. Unfortunately, this can cause staff burnout. In my experience, the emotional needs of students need to be investigated to identify cost-effective interventions. There are modern approaches that can help, together with relatively inexpensive software solutions. Then, the workload models for academics need to measure current workloads and adjust accurately to free up time/space to address student needs.

To prevent staff burnout when your team is overwhelmed by student emotional needs, it's essential to create a supportive environment that promotes balance, self-care, and shared responsibility. Start by providing clear boundaries between professional duties and personal well-being, encouraging staff to take regular breaks and time off to recharge. Offer training on emotional resilience and active listening so that staff can better manage challenging situations without becoming emotionally drained. Foster a culture of open communication where team members feel comfortable discussing their stressors, seeking help, and sharing coping strategies. It’s also important to ensure that staff are not carrying the emotional burden alone.

Supporting students’ emotional needs can be incredibly fulfilling—but also exhausting for staff. To prevent burnout, our team focuses on self-care and boundaries. We schedule regular check-ins to share challenges, celebrate wins, and decompress. Encouraging team members to take breaks, seek peer support, and access wellness resources helps sustain energy. Clear boundaries ensure staff aren’t overburdened. Most importantly, we remind each other that we can’t pour from an empty cup. How does your team stay resilient while supporting students?

Supporting an overwhelmed team always starts with fostering a culture of care. Encourage regular check-ins with each person to openly share challenges and victories, reinforcing a sense of community. Prioritize manageable workloads by sharing resources and setting boundaries that protect staff well-being. Offer mental health days, access to unbiassed counseling, and professional development focused on stress management. Turn your staff meetings into fun celebrations in the small successes to keep morale high, and remind your team that their efforts make a lasting impact. By genuinely caring for your staff as they care for students, you create a foundation of resilience and support that prevents burnout and builds a thriving team.