Your work questions answered: ‘As a HR resource I deal with people’s sensitive and complex issues. It’s all-consuming. How can I prevent burnout?’

I am a HR practitioner working for a professional services firm. My remit of responsibilities is large and I am the only HR resource “on the ground”. I have colleagues in centralised teams in the UK and other offices but we do not encounter each other much on the day-to-day.
I am finding that I myself am reaching burnout. The pace and variety of work is intense, dealing with often very sensitive and complex issues, frequently alone. I am a coach and often unofficial therapist to employees and managers and it’s extremely hard to leave my work in work at the end of the day.
It is all-consuming and it’s beginning to take a physical and mental toll on me. How can I preserve myself as a lone HR resource? Ironically, I know I should be able to answer this myself, as part of my job.
Just like counsellors or psychologists, there must be help for the helper, says independent HR consultant and workplace investigator Michelle Halloran, of Halloran HR Resolutions.
HR professionals often deal with challenging cases or issues in the workplace, commonly handling conflict and the resulting emotional pain, anxiety, fear or stress among affected employees.
Employees often lean on HR professionals for advice and practical support but also emotional support, and can sometimes be seen as the unofficial counsellor in the workplace, she says.
“You don’t mean to take it on, but of course you do, and it affects us in a negative way.
“If you’re giving that amount of emotional support to other people, you’ve got to keep your own emotional well topped up because otherwise it just drains you,” she says.
The reader’s scenario is “common enough”, says Halloran, with some businesses often having a minimal number of HR staff. She says one HR worker could be handling up to 150 employees.
Halloran mainly recommends supervision, in which the reader can receive regular support and mentorship with either a more experienced HR professional or a therapist.
While mandatory for some professionals in certain sectors, it is a common practice across a range of careers or roles that can be emotionally taxing.
It provides an opportunity for those working primarily alone to debrief, work through any difficulties and “get out that stress”.
“Anyone involved in any kind of work that involves intense emotional support to other people can benefit from it,” she says.
Some psychologists or counsellors often specialise in supervision, she says, advising the reader to seek this benefit through their employer, given their working arrangements.
“It’s not healthy to continue working on their own without support, a lot of us do it and it’s very hard,” she says.
Niamh Delmar, a counselling psychologist who provides workplace psychological support workshops to organisations, first and foremost recommends identifying the key stressors at work before generating possible solutions and options.
“Many people will relate to this issue,” she says, adding that prolonged work-related stress can be damaging, leading to burnout, which can negatively impact sleep and their relationships, as well as their physical and psychological health.
She advises identifying any possible solutions that may make work that bit smoother and taking these suggestions to upper management.
[ Sleep and rest are not the same and failure to address both can increase risk of burnoutOpens in new window ]
Delmar also recommends regular meetings with colleagues either online or in person, during which the reader could seek peer support.
Overall, it is vital that the reader assesses their relationship with work, she says, adding that tighter boundaries may be required, or attitudes towards work may need adjusting.
“They need to look at their non-working life too and expand on this,” she said, suggesting trying find ways to let go of work at the end of the day through “healthy distractions” such as socialising, hobbies or exercise.
“If they continue to struggle, I would suggest discussing their symptoms with their GP. They may need some time out to take stock and recover,” she says adding: “Health comes first.”
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