Updated September 2025 with latest workplace wellness insights
Read Time - 6 Minutes
Ever notice one of your usually energetic team members suddenly looking like they're running on empty? Or maybe you've caught yourself wondering if that star performer who used to light up meetings is now just going through the motions?
If you're a manager or team leader, here's something that might keep you up at night: burnout doesn't announce itself with a dramatic resignation letter. It creeps in quietly, slowly draining your best people until they're shadows of their former selves.
And here's the kicker – by the time most managers notice burnout, it's often too late to prevent the real damage.
What Burnout Actually Looks Like (Hint: It's Not Just Being Tired)
Burnout isn't just someone having a bad day or feeling a bit overwhelmed. It's emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by extended periods of stress and overwork. Think of it as your team member's internal battery slowly dying, and no amount of weekend rest seems to recharge it.
The tricky part? Burnout shows up differently for everyone. Some people become irritable and snappy, others withdraw and become quiet. Some work even harder (trying to prove they're still capable), while others start making mistakes they'd never normally make.
The Warning Signs You Might Be Missing
Here's what to watch for in your team members:
The Behavioural Changes
- Difficulty concentrating during meetings' they used to dominate
- Mood swings that seem out of character
- Increased isolation – skipping team lunches or after-work events
- Cynicism about projects they used to be excited about
- Questioning their role or value to the team
The Physical Red Flags
- Changes in sleep patterns – yawning more, looking tired despite claiming they slept well
- Appetite changes – eating more or less, different food choices
- Increased caffeine consumption (watch for that third or fourth coffee)
- More frequent headaches or digestive issues
- Getting sick more often than usual
The Performance Indicators
- Loss of enthusiasm for work they used to love
- Decreased quality in work output
- Missing deadlines that would have been easy before
- Avoiding new challenges or responsibilities
- General apathy about outcomes
Here's what I want you to understand: these aren't character flaws or signs of laziness. They're symptoms of a nervous system that's been pushed beyond its capacity for too long.
Why Smart Managers Miss the Signs
Even well-intentioned leaders often miss burnout because:
- High performers hide it well – they've learned to push through and maintain appearances
- It develops gradually – there's no single moment when someone goes from fine to burned out
- We normalise overwork – in many cultures, exhaustion is seen as dedication
- Remote work makes it harder to spot – you're not seeing the daily physical cues
Plus, if you're dealing with your own stress and overwhelm, you might not have the bandwidth to notice subtle changes in your team members.
The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Team Burnout
When you don't address burnout early, here's what happens:
- Productivity actually decreases (despite people working longer hours)
- Mistakes increase, and quality suffers
- Team morale drops as burnout spreads like a contagion
- Your best people leave – often without much warning
- Recruitment and training costs skyrocket
- Remaining team members pick up extra work and risk burning themselves out
Research shows that replacing a burned-out employee can cost anywhere from 50-200% of their annual salary. Prevention is always cheaper than replacement.
The Special Challenge for Women in Leadership
If you're managing women in their 40s and 50s, there's an additional layer to consider. Many of your high-performing female team members might be dealing with perimenopause symptoms that amplify work stress:
- Brain fog that makes them doubt their competence
- Sleep disruption from hot flashes affecting daytime performance
- Mood fluctuations that feel out of control
- Energy crashes that don't match their usual patterns
These women often feel like they're failing when really they're dealing with a biological transition that no one talks about in the workplace.
Prevention Strategies That Actually Work
Here's the thing about burnout prevention: it's not about adding more wellness programs that nobody uses. It's about creating an environment where people can sustain their performance without depleting themselves.
Create Psychological Safety
- Make it okay to not be okay – normalise conversations about stress and overwhelm
- Check in regularly with one-on-ones that go beyond project updates
- Model vulnerability by sharing your own challenges and how you handle them
Build-in Recovery Time
- Encourage actual breaks – not just working lunches
- Respect time off – don't contact people during vacation
- Create buffer time in project schedules for unexpected challenges
Provide Clear Direction and Support
- Give specific feedback rather than vague criticism
- Recognise effort, not just results – acknowledge when someone is trying hard, even if outcomes aren't perfect
- Ensure workloads are realistic and adjust when they're not
Foster Connection Over Competition
- Celebrate team wins rather than just individual achievements
- Encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing
- Address toxic team dynamics quickly before they spread
What to Do When You Spot the Signs
If you notice burnout symptoms in a team member:
- Have a private conversation – don't wait for your next scheduled one-on-one
- Ask open-ended questions about their workload, stress levels, and what support they need
- Listen without trying to immediately fix – sometimes people just need to be heard
- Work together on solutions – they know best what would help them
- Follow up regularly – burnout recovery takes time
Remember: your role isn't to be their therapist, but you can be a supportive manager who creates conditions for recovery.
The Leadership Opportunity
Here's what I want every manager to understand: preventing team burnout isn't just about being nice or creating a "soft" workplace. It's about creating sustainable high performance.
Teams that prioritise wellbeing alongside productivity:
- Maintain higher performance over the long term
- Retain top talent longer
- Attract better candidates who want to work in healthy environments
- Handle challenges and changes more effectively
You have more power than you realise to create a workplace where people can thrive without burning out.
Your Next Step as a Leader
If you're recognising some of these patterns in your team (or yourself), don't wait. The earlier you intervene, the easier it is to course-correct.
Start with one simple question: "How are you really doing?" And then actually listen to the answer.
The strategies I work with help leaders understand not just how to spot burnout, but how to create team cultures that prevent it from happening in the first place. Because the best managers don't just manage performance – they manage the conditions that make sustainable performance possible.
Concerned about burnout in your team or organisation? As a clinical hypnotherapist specialising in workplace burnout, I help leaders create healthier, more sustainable work environments.
Let's discuss strategies that protect your team's well-being while maintaining high performance.
Follow Me for honest insights on perimenopause, burnout recovery, stress management and weight loss and how to keep thriving when life throws you curveballs.
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