A restless night. From whatever little sleep, you wake not feeling rested. The constant crisis state, ongoing conflicting priorities, and repeated pressure from seemingly ungrateful managers seem to never end. Work spills into your time off, as if “time off” is non-existent. But you continue to push through because what else is there to do? Your burnout, as a HR leader, is a very real.
In my 30-years of HR leadership experience I felt the same way many times. Admittedly, a “work-life” balance just wasn’t something I did well. Many times, I maxed out my PTO accrual limit. Looking back…killing myself for a job wasn’t worth it. That said, along the way I did learn ways to help relieve the strain, even if temporarily. I want to share these with my HR leader colleagues.
3 Ways HR Can Get Relief from Burn Out:
- Leverage Cross Functional Teams
Why does HR have to solve all the problems? No doubt you can. But why not rely on cross functional teams to resolve a key issue? Task forces can be temporary and involving others from outside the HR department helps them see what you must deal with firsthand. Empathy and collaboration can form and ultimately you can take a break.
2. Set Boundaries
As my DiSC profile would tell you, I am a high “C” which means I worked hard at being diligent, responsive, and efficient. But I found over time that those late night or weekend incoming emails can simply wait until I returned to the office. Setting boundaries and expectations of your attention can go far towards giving yourself some much-needed relief. Do it.
3. Focus On Things You Love
One thing that zapped my ever-living energy was when an unaccountable leader would ask in public settings, “What is HR doing about retention or finding me staff?” They didn’t see their part in that problem, solution, and put blame square on HR shoulders which burns my biscuits so to speak. But alas, that is part of the package of the role. I found very helpful to focus on what I love to do the most. Work with accountable leaders and get great things done! I also love my furries and writing. I built that time into my realities to help balance from the things that may zap energy.
It's no secret that part of the great resignation also includes HR professionals who are quitting in record numbers. Teams left behind and having to pick up additional work threatening a perpetual level of burnout like we’ve not seen before. Making burnout relief as a key priority will serve you and your team’s mental health and productivity well into the future. What are you waiting for?
What other ways can you relieve burnout?
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If this article resonates with you, know that you are not alone. I have HR clients that are feeling the burn right now. I am offering a Jump Start Coaching Program for HR clients who want to lead strong by taking a proactive approach to strategic workforce planning, maximizing labor costs, closing skills gaps, and strengthening HR relationships with leaders and employees. If you are interested in learning about the Jump Start Program, just complete the short form below and we will find a time to talk.
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