Burnout at work: understanding, preventing, acting differently

1. Could you introduce yourself and explain what led you to develop in psychology at work?

I am a psychologist and founder of the practice. Lively Up in Mont-sur-Lausanne, where we support individuals, couples, families, executives and entrepreneurs in their personal and professional transformations. My reputation has spread beyond Switzerland's borders, particularly because of the atypical and direct nature of my methods, which are often more results-oriented than what we are used to in traditional psychology. Before entering this profession, I spent more than ten years in the Geneva police force, an intense human experience that had a profound impact on me. It taught me many things, including the importance of efficiency and individual responsibility. So, when I entered the professional world of psychology in my forties, I was struck by the fact that efficiency often remained a secondary concern. This observation instilled in me a requirement: that psychology should not remain a discourse on change, but should be a powerful lever for transformation. When I resumed my studies in psychology at the age of 38, as part of my professional retraining, I was looking for a course that would quickly lead to a career. Occupational psychology and career guidance psychology were the natural choices: they allowed me to get started quickly, while offering the possibility of working independently, which was a priority for me from the outset.

2. In your opinion, what are the most common warning signs of burnout in employees and how can they be identified by a manager or HR?

When addressing the issue of burnout, it is essential to rely on research rather than clinical impressions or personal opinions. Indeed, our individual observations and personal beliefs can be biased by a multitude of factors; only scientific literature allows us to extract what stands up to the test of facts.
The scientific literature is remarkably consistent on this subject: for more than forty years, studies have shown that burnout develops gradually, through a prolonged imbalance between perceived demands and available resources. Its early signs are now well identified: persistent emotional fatigue, a decline in self-efficacy, an attitude of detachment or cynicism towards work, and often a gradual social withdrawal.
For a manager or HR manager, the key is not to draw up a list of
symptoms, but to cultivate a sincere awareness of these micro-changes: a fading tone of voice, decreased responsiveness, a withdrawn presence. It is often these subtle shifts, rather than dramatic signals, that reveal that an employee is becoming exhausted.

3. What role should companies and managers play in preventing burnout and promoting well-being at work?

Responsibility is shared. We often tend to blame companies, but we must also remember that mental health is based on personal foundations: sleep, nutrition, physical activity, the quality of social relationships and the ability to maintain a positive and constructive mindset. When these pillars collapse, the professional environment becomes an amplifier of these personal weaknesses. Conversely, some companies make matters worse through inhumane management practices. The recruitment and appointment of executives too often focuses on technical skills and productivity rather than human qualities. As a result, individuals who may be brilliant but emotionally immature rise to positions of authority. Yet when a manager despises, humiliates or remains indifferent, they silently destroy the vitality of individuals.
Preventing burnout therefore means teaching individuals to take back responsibility for their mental well-being, as well as rethinking the way we choose those who lead them. Prevention is not just about stress management, but also about the human qualities of those in power. Too many organisations promote performance technicians who lack interpersonal skills, but when a leader has neither psychological depth nor awareness of their emotional influence, they will always end up, sooner or later, damaging those they manage.

4. What are the measurable impacts of burnout on performance, productivity and
team commitment?

On an individual level, research shows a clear deterioration in higher cognitive functions: reduced concentration, slower information processing, mental rigidity and more frequent errors of judgement. These impairments directly translate into a decline in the quality and reliability of work.
On a collective level, productivity declines through two main channels: absenteeism and, above all, presenteeism (i.e. physical presence but mental disconnection). In companies, this translates into more delays, corrections to be made, a loss of fluidity in processes and an overall decline in efficiency, without always understanding why. Engagement follows the same downward curve. Exhausted employees no longer identify with their role and no longer see the meaning of their contribution.

5. Can you share some concrete strategies or tools that managers and HR can implement to prevent
burnout?

The question is legitimate: strategies must be sought. However, it must be noted that companies have been implementing them for several decades without any significant improvement. Training, prevention programmes, listening centres, coaching of all kinds: all of this already exists. And yet, the figures are not falling, and in fact show a worsening of the situation.
The problem therefore does not stem from a lack of strategies, but from targeting the wrong audience.
We have gradually shifted the focus of responsibility: work has become the main culprit, and the company the main provider of care. This reversal is morally appealing, but untenable in reality. If we transform organisations into centres for psychosocial care, we distort their raison d'être. The company cannot replace the psychological maturity of the individual.
Of course, some structures remain pathogenic and some leaders toxic; but by psychologising everything, we forget that individual resilience can be trained. Many men and women today enter the world of work without having developed the tolerance for frustration, inner discipline and moral strength that our elders considered normal. The problem is not that the professional world has become tougher: it is that individuals have, all too often, become more fragile.
Preventing burnout is therefore not about “taking care” of employees in a patronising sense; it is about giving everyone back responsibility for their own mental well-being, while requiring managers to embody clarity, fairness and emotional control. This dual approach is the only strategy that still makes sense.

6. In your opinion, how important is training managers and HR professionals on mental health in the workplace, and what long-term benefits can it bring to the company?

Training managers in mental health at work is essential, but its effectiveness depends on what is actually taught. Too often, these training courses consist of piling up psychological concepts without transforming the attitude of those in leadership positions. We learn to «recognise the signs», «listen actively» and «prevent stress», but without addressing the root causes: self-awareness, emotional responsibility and the ability to regulate one's own state of mind.
A manager cannot stabilise a team if they do not first know how to stabilise themselves. It is therefore less a question of skills than a question of maturity.
Psychological: knowing how to remain calm in uncertain situations, make decisions without being harsh, and maintain control without becoming exhausted. When put into practice, this form of applied emotional intelligence has tangible effects: lower staff turnover, more autonomous teams, more open communication and, ultimately, sustainable productivity. However, for these training programmes to have a long-term impact, the company must also value this type of leadership. As long as evaluation criteria remain focused on immediate performance, mental health will remain a peripheral issue.
Training managers in human awareness at work only makes sense if the organisation's culture encourages it. Training can change a lot of things, provided that it is no longer treated as an HR ritual, because it is not a module to be followed, it is a transformation to be experienced.


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