HR Burnout on the Rise in 2022

HR professionals across the globe are dealing with serious HR burnout. It’s not a surprise. During COVID-19 HR professionals dealt with some of the most difficult existential questions of life.  No wonder, they are exhausted, drained, feeling helpless, hopeless, alone and overwhelmed. Which ticks all the boxes for HR burnout.

Dear HR team, I need to tell you, because it seems you are not taking care of yourself well enough: you have every right to feel burnout, and every reason too. HR professional’s life in the last three years was insane. Yes, we see you! And you need to start taking care of yourself!

What are the key reasons leading to HR Burnout?

HR team’s daily work from the five core responsibilities of HR: recruitment, talent management, compensation and benefits, learning and compliance & safety has shifted partially to “The Big Five” existential questions: death, isolation, identity, freedom and meaning (of life). Covid pandemic and social injustice events triggered them all. Leaders and employees were looking for help from HR teams to solve the unsolvable. 

Wait, it gets worse before it gets better. HR professionals across the globe have been dealing with the biggest existential questions of life themselves too, while as everyone else, they have been constantly challenged by the need for safety. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs’s second stage, the need for safety due to the COVID pandemic, was triggered constantly.  It’s not a surprise it led HR teams to burnout.

Additionally, the HR Professional’s job is traditionally very close to the primary caregiver role for the organisations. The caregiver burnout tends to be one of the worst ones ever, since it’s a glorified way of sacrificing yourselves for others. It’s a constant putting others ahead of you. Sounds familiar?

Honestly, congratulations for surviving! Seriously, I really mean it! It’s not your incompetence or inexperience. I know, you are the most amazing HR Professional, focusing on nurturing your team. It’s not your fault you are beyond exhaustion. Your flight or fight buttons were constantly ON for the last three years and you are in the exhaustion stage. 

It’s real, it’s valid and you have every right by all means to feel exhausted and hit your pause button for a sec. And start nurturing yourself to move away from HR Burnout.

How to crush your HR Burnout

It took you years to get here. I am sorry, but I do not know one magic pill you can take and feel energised, happy and ready to climb Mount Everest again in a heartbeat, permanently.

Your coping mechanism will be based on you, but I can share my top three solutions that can help you:

1. Experiment with micro-habits. I personally love micro-habits and recommend it to everyone. A micro habit is just a very very small step you can start 

doing right away because they are so small, it’s ridiculous not to do. Create a bucket list of micro-habits, with things to make you feel better. Some easy, feel-good options:

• • Call one friend every week you haven’t spoken with in a long time.
  • Walk 5 minutes every day.
  • Collect one achievement a day to feel good about (put it to your brag sheet).

2. Speak with a coach/mentor/supporter on a regular basis. It comes with the HR profession, most people just don’t care how you are, how you feel, they just want you to solve their issues, their problems and their needs. HR experts need someone as well to get 100% dedicated attention focusing on their issues, problems and needs. It’s one of the best ways to stay balanced especially if you feel you have HR Burnout.

3. Take time out. Even if it’s an hour, a day, a week, a month, or a year. Whichever is the most doable for you, you absolutely deserve to be in a quiet place, chill and do only the things you want to do for you. Just for yourself.

And if nothing works, there is still wine 🙂 and if it’s not enough, Let’s Connect!