What HR Needs to Know About Burnout (And Why Policies Aren’t Enough)
HR loves a policy!
Handbooks. Guidelines. Procedures. In my HR days, I used to joke about “burning the handbook”, and then I started to actually burn it!
Not because rules don’t matter, but because people matter more. And when it comes to burnout, that distinction couldn’t be more important.
Burnout is not solved by another policy. It’s not solved by updating the sickness absence procedure, adding a wellbeing clause, or writing a new framework for “mental health at work.”
Burnout is solved when people come first. And that’s where HR often gets stuck.
The Limits of Policy.
Policies create structure. They provide consistency. They matter in employment law and they protect both employers and the employees. I’m not dismissing them (not completely). But when it comes to burnout, policies can also become a shield.
Too often, HR leans on the handbook instead of leaning into the human:
- An employee raises concerns about workload and gets pointed to the stress policy.
- Someone shows signs of exhaustion and gets handed the EAP number.
- A manager flags a struggling team member and is told to follow the absence procedure.
Policies are tidy. People are messy. And burnout lives in the messy middle that policies alone can’t touch.
Burnout Isn’t a Policy Problem.
Burnout doesn’t happen because of a lack of paperwork. It happens because of culture.
- Unrealistic expectations. No policy can compensate for workloads that are structurally impossible.
- Toxic leadership. A handbook won’t stop a manager who bullies, micromanages, or ignores.
- Lack of psychological safety. No procedure can make people feel safe to say “I’m struggling” if the culture punishes honesty.
- Disconnection (or a total loss) from self. Policies can’t rebuild someone’s sense of identity when the workplace has destroyed it.
Burnout is systemic. It lives in the behaviours, the values, the unspoken rules. And that’s where HR’s real work lies.
People Before Policy.
“Burn the handbook” doesn’t mean chaos. It means priorities. It means remembering that policies exist to serve people, not the other way around.
When HR leads with people first, everything shifts:
- Instead of sending someone to the EAP, you sit down and listen.
- Instead of waiting for absence triggers, you notice the signs earlier.
- Instead of hiding behind “that’s just the process,” you ask what support is needed right now.
This is the human side of HR. The side that changes lives instead of just protecting liability.
The Cost of Getting It Wrong.
When HR hides behind policies, burnout gets worse for everyone. People feel dismissed and isolated. Leaders lose credibility. HR itself gets a reputation as “the department of no.”
And the cost?
People walk out the door.
Absence rates soar.
Trust evaporates.
And the organisation pays the price - financially, reputationally, and culturally.
What HR Needs to Do Differently. (In addition to looking after your own wellbeing and stop assuming you already know how to spot and fix burnout)
If you’re in HR, here’s the shift:
1. Spot the signs. Burnout isn’t always visible. Learn how it shows up in behaviour, performance, and presence.
2. Challenge the system. HR has a unique role in holding leadership to account. If the culture is pushing people towards burnout, no handbook will fix it.
3. Build awareness into everything. Recruitment, performance reviews, promotions - every process is a chance to either reinforce burnout culture or disrupt it.
4. Lead with empathy. Don’t wait for the absence procedure to kick in. Ask the human question: What do you need right now to be well?
HR as a Force for Change.
HR can either be the department that hides behind policies, or the department that drives cultural change. The difference lies in awareness.
Because burnout won’t be solved by another clause in the handbook. It’ll be solved when HR remembers what I used to say all those years ago: people before policy, always.
Burn the handbook.
See the person.
That’s where the real work, and the real change, begins.
Kelly
I’m daring to imagine a world where Burnout no longer exists, and if you’re daring to imagine a world like that too, then come and join me.
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