Your social work team is facing burnout. What can you do to build resilience?

Facing team burnout? Here's a story of resilience! ???? As a social worker, I've seen the toll of high-stress environments. Recently, we tackled burnout by initiating regular 'Resilience Meetings'. ???? These aren't just check-ins; they're safe spaces for sharing, learning mindfulness techniques, and celebrating small victories. ????♂? It transformed our team's approach to stress, fostering a supportive and resilient culture.

Caring for others is a noble cause and a worth while endeavour but one that should never exceed self-care, self-love and self-acceptance. The balance should always tip in the right direction for sustainability.

In my experience when I start to feel drained I have found it helpful to seek someone to speak with as well as daily exercise/walks. I even do these things as preventative measures- consistent peer groups, consultations with those smarter/wiser, regular care of my physical health (sleep, eating, exercise/walking) all really help. The work we do can be isolating and emotionally draining. It is vital we care for ourselves so our cup is full to be able to give in the way the work requires. Getting in those breaks as well to rejuvenate. It can be challenging to get them in. Being intentional about this is crucial. And best of all- being compassionate to your emotional self and to hold space for yourself in the way that you do for others.

Bring in innovation and diversity in their work. We can learn more from failures rather than successes. Start analysing failures that can lead to enlightenment which brings a positive mood

The notion of individual resilience being cultivated to cope with what is an unsafe work environment is unethical and unprofessional. Burnout is a psychological injury inflicted by the work undertaken. Generally Burnout cannot be managed by the worker but must be managed by the employer. If the employer provides; - structured workloads that are matched to the workers experience and skills, - safety resources for the operating environment, - supports independent professional supervision chosen by the worker, - dedicated time and workload cover for professional development and personal leave, Then the workers have an environment that mitigates burnout and supports collective care and monitoring.

An important piece of self-care that many often tend to overlook is learning how and when to set boundaries with others. Burnout is often caused by people giving more than they are able to, either because they are afraid to say no or they don’t feel that they are entitled to say no. By setting these clear boundaries ahead of time, not only will you experience less burnout, but you will also enjoy giving and doing much more.

Self-care is essential for building resilience and preventing burnout. Encourage team members to prioritize self-care activities such as exercise, meditation, and spending time with loved ones. Consider offering flexible schedules or telecommuting options to allow for better work-life balance.

In my experience practicing self care and self awareness go hand in hand. It is so important to take care of ourselves in order for us to support others. But also being aware of our own needs and setting our own boundaries to prevent increase stress and/or burn out. I feel that supervision/coaching/mentoring is vital in this realm to support all allied health to continue to grow and develop self care and self awareness skills. As a supervisor who has supervised/mentored/coached both OTs and Social workers it is important that you are open, approachable and have this awareness to ensure you are able to support and empower your supervisees.

My experience working as a Social Worker advocate. I find we speak on several solutions about burnout, but we never follow though. I think it's because the employers are not so graceful. We really have to continue to advocate for Social Workers, Counselors and Therapist.

Self care is so important with the work that we do. It improves our emotional, mental, and physical health so that we’re able to move forward with our roles and responsibilities. Self care can be anything that feels good to you. Whether it’s watching a funny show, going outside, playing a game, etc. Without proper self care, we risk burn out and harm to the clients we serve.

Postive mindset can make the crappiest days, seem bareable. Instead of thinking glass half empty. Think glass half full. For example, you woke up late, skipped breakfast, missed your train and was late to work/class. These are daily stressors that noone feels great about. But there are pockets and windows in time, where it can be bareable if you have the right mindset. You woke up 1 hour late, totalling 6 hours sleep (for argument sake). Your sleep was no good but a cherry on top is waking late too and now you need to rush around. Instead, you can view it as a good thing. You had 1 more hour of sleep your body needed. You have to rush a little, but once you are in class/at work, you can make a brew and press pause for a second.

Their will be failure someday, but at end of day Positive productive outcome is always important; with right positive attitude, thinking process and right patience.

A positive mindset can go a long way in building resilience. Encourage team members to focus on the positive aspects of their work and the impact they're making. Celebrate successes, no matter how small, and recognize individual contributions.

Talking about positive mindset, remember that it’s not only about giving your team a pep talk and keeping them motivated, but also about going back to square one. This means breaking down everything that they’ve been working on in bits and pieces and trace the journey of how far they’ve come in terms of achieving these goals. Remind them of why they took up this cause in the first place and appreciate how much they’ve accomplished step by step. This not only makes them feel positive, satisfied and proud, but also ensures they don’t feel overburdened. When they see their journey simplified into a systematic timeline, they are more hopeful about the future as bigger goals start feeling more achievable. This reduces their feeling of burnout.

As an employer of a social work practice, you have to make sure that there is a good balance between work and play for all of your employees. This can look like many different things. For example, some offices may have occasional potlucks and talent shows to encourage team building spirit and get the employees closer together and also take their mind off of things and provide relaxation during busy weeks.

Connecting with others goes so much further than learning someone else’s name or accolades. True connection involves vulnerability, and this exchange of humanity allows change agents to establish and nurture a form of professional intimacy that builds resilience. This is needed for us to thrive and survive in our work.

Always maintain an attitude of layman and show keenness towards learning from every situation and every person by networking with right people, leads to a multiplier effect. Share our wisdom with others and keep engaging them for constructive dialoguing

Building connections within the team and beyond can help prevent feelings of isolation and burnout. Encourage team members to attend conferences, workshops, and networking events to expand their professional networks. Create opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and encourage mentorship within the team.

Did you know that building a strong social support network can supercharge your resilience? By connecting with others who get what you do - like your colleagues, supervisors, mentors, or peers - you'll have access to emotional, practical, and informational support that can help you tackle any challenge that comes your way. And, by tapping into the perspectives, insights, and resources of your friends, family, and community members, you'll be even more equipped to take on whatever life throws your way! So, start building those connections today and watch your resilience soar!

Social workers will feel better when they connect with other people in the same field. This is because although your experiences and the challenges your face with your clients are unique, there are going to be other social workers who have gone through similar things and their practice. Talking to them about these things will give you strategies to cope better with your own stress as well as the encounters you have at work.

To address burnout in your social work team, focus on fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth. Implement regular training sessions to enhance their skills and knowledge, promoting a sense of professional development. Encourage open communication about challenges and successes, creating a supportive environment where team members can learn from each other. Provide resources for self-directed learning, such as relevant articles or webinars, to empower individuals to expand their expertise. Recognize and celebrate achievements to boost morale and motivation. Additionally, establish mentorship programs to facilitate knowledge exchange and skill-sharing within the team, promoting a collaborative and resilient work atmosphere

As SWs, we must be willing to learn new skills and do continuous training to stay current. Exploring other areas allows us to obtain knowledge from different career perspectives.

The journey is one of continuous growth, and we do that through exploration. I will say there is a degree of balance and mindfulness that is essential with this realm that requires honing and application of skills vs obtaining them for the sake of adding something new to the resume. It also means awareness that some skills will resonate with you and others may not. I recall entering this field very clear on what I wanted, however circumstances required me to be flexible. In doing so i was challenged to become well versed in areas I did not prepare for which subsequently led to this become a fulfilling journey. So I say be open and know that it can be a journey full of surprises and growth.

Learning is an never-ending process, especially for a social worker. Since the possibility of cases you can encounter at endless, so is learning, different strategies and mechanisms to implement for those cases.

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, burnout persists. Don't hesitate to seek professional help if needed. Consult with mental health professionals, organizational coaches, or leadership experts to gain new insights and strategies.

As a social worker, you understand better than anyone, the importance and the normalisation of seeking help when you need it. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a therapist or another social worker. When you think you have not been able to manage your own burnout and stress and could do with some professional help.

I love the work I do. Everyday I am grateful but I know some days will be tougher than others. I also know I have enough space to be a competent social worker, a loving wife and a much more to many more. But if work feels tougher some weeks and/or family is driving you crazy. It's too late to seek the help when your cup has already runneth over. I am consistently in therapy knowing burnout is real, whether that is from work or personal life.

If you or your team members are experiencing burnout, it's essential to take positive steps towards recovery. Seeking professional help is an excellent way to start. Professional help can include counseling, coaching, therapy, or other interventions that can help identify the underlying causes of burnout and provide effective solutions. With the right tools, strategies, and resources, you can work towards enhancing your resilience and regaining a sense of balance. Remember that taking care of yourself is crucial for your well-being and your team's success.

Burnout should not be seen purely as an issue of self care or even of good team practices. The structural issues which bring about burnout need to be raised and addressed. Until that happens the problem is simply being managed and contained rather than fully addressed.

In order for people to manage well the stress of the work it must be ok to be vulnerable. To get it wrong and be able to say so. We all get it wrong. When we create environments where people are afraid of getting it wrong then we need to stop and reassess the organisational culture. Professor Eileen Munro tells us ‘the single biggest factor in minimising error (in child protection) is to admit you might be wrong’ To do this the organisation and its leaders and staff must work hard at creating an environment where it is ok!

Burnout can, unfortunately, often be an ongoing experience for social workers. It may take someone to experience 'breaking point' for them to acknowledge that they are experiencing or are at risk of burnout. Often having supportive coworkers, friends and family to assist the person to identify their symptoms or things they may not have noticed, can provide insight and reflection for the person on what things may need to change.