𝐇𝐑’𝐬 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 (𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏) | 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐫 & 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤

𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:

Burnout recovery doesn’t end when someone returns to work, in many ways, that’s when the hardest part begins.

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, burnout survivor and podcast host Chris Wilson speaks with HR expert Martina Teufner about the emotional reality of returning to the workplace after burnout. They discuss the often-overlooked fears employees carry, what HR can do to create safe re-entry spaces, and why reintegration needs more than a policy on paper.

🎯 𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏:

• What returning from burnout actually feels like

• The emotional risks of speaking up

• Why many reintegration processes fail

• The gap between company policy and employee trust

• HR’s opportunity to become a bridge, not a barrier

📍 Part 2 continues with how to build a supportive recovery culture, protect HR boundaries, and create meaningful change.

📣 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:Have you navigated burnout at work? Share your story in the comments or connect

🌟 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭:Martina Teufner is an award-winning HR consultant and advocate for human-centric workplaces. Follow her on LinkedIn for insights into modern HR challenges.

🔗 Connect with Martina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martina-teufner/

⚠️ 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: This episode discusses burnout, stress, and workplace mental health struggles. Listener discretion advised.

💬 Got a question or your own burnout experience to share? Drop a comment below, we’d love to hear from you!

🌟 If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your preferred podcast platform, it helps more people find this content.

☕ 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐊𝐨-𝐟𝐢: https://ko-fi.com/whereimatcommunity

📝 Join the waiting list for our upcoming burnout support community: https://www.whereimatcommunity.com/community

#BurnoutRecovery #HRLeadership #MentalHealthAtWork #HumanResources #ReturnToWork #ShareInspireExplorePodcast #BurnoutPodcast

🔥 Burning Out? What Fuels the Fire at Work?

🎙️ Share, Inspire and Explore Podcast – Episode 09

Burnout isn’t just about being “too busy.” It’s about what’s burning you out.In this solo episode, host Chris Wilson dives deep into the hidden workplace dynamics that fuel burnout, long before anyone reaches the point of collapse.

From toxic cultures and unspoken expectations to emotional manipulation and leadership gaps,

Chris unpacks the systemic roots that make burnout a shared responsibility, not a personal failure.

Whether you’re an employee feeling the heat or a leader trying to understand what’s going wrong in your team, this episode offers clarity, validation, and a call for meaningful change.

🧠 In this episode:

• The real reasons people burn out at work

• Why overwork is often a symptom, not the cause

• How micromanagement, gaslighting & emotional labour play a role

• The importance of psychological safety & boundaries

• What organisations can do to prevent, not just treat, burnout

💡 Burnout is a mirror. And the workplace is often the reflection.

⸻

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode discusses burnout, stress, and toxic workplace mental health struggles. Listener discretion advised.

💬 Got a question or your own burnout experience to share? Drop a comment below, we’d love to hear from you!

🌟 If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your preferred podcast platform, it helps more people find this content.

☕ Support Independent Content CreationIf this podcast or my content has helped you, consider supporting my work on Ko-fi. Every contribution helps cover hosting, editing, and the hours it takes to create meaningful mental health conversations.💛 Donate or subscribe here: https://ko-fi.com/whereimatcommunity

📝 Join the waiting list for our upcoming burnout support community: https://www.whereimatcommunity.com/community

Sources and references

https://www.gallup.com/workplace/313160/preventing-and-dealing-with-employee-burnout.aspx

https://www.spill.chat/burnout/burnout-causes

https://business.calm.com/resources/blog/is-work-overload-hurting-your-organizations-performance/

https://growthsignals.co/how-a-lack-of-autonomy-contributes-to-employee-burnout/

https://www.batimes.com/articles/5-effective-strategies-to-address-employee-burnout-in-an-organization/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4294456/https://www.greatplacetowork.ca/en/resources/blog/10-factors-that-lead-to-employee-burnout

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/burnout

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.623912/full

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/six_causes_of_burnout_at_work

https://www.drmichellerozen.com/burnout-risk-factors/

https://theantiburnoutclub.com/workplace-wellbeing-hub/

https://carelearning.org.uk/qualifications/level-2-mental-health/unit-02-stress/2-1-describe-possible-causes-of-stress/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

#burnoutprevention #mentalhealthatwork #toxicworkplace #workplacewellbeing #leadershipmatters #employeeburnout #burnoutpodcast #burnoutsupport #workplacementalhealth

Welcome to Part 2 of our powerful conversation with HR expert Martina Teufner on how HR can prevent burnout—not just manage it after the damage is done.

Picking up where Part 1 left off, this episode dives deeper into the how:

• How to balance business goals with employee wellbeing

• How to build trust and train leaders to recognise burnout

• And how to create a workplace culture that supports, not punishes, people who are struggling.

Martina and Chris also discuss the fear employees feel about speaking up, the cultural stigma around burnout, and why the future of prevention depends on honest conversations and flexible thinking.

🎯 Topics in Part 2:

• How HR can support flexibility without sacrificing performance

• Training managers to recognize early signs of burnout

• Leading by example, why leadership behaviour matters

• The danger of toxic silence and how to speak up safely

• Employee advocacy and policy change from the ground up

• What the future of burnout prevention could (and should) look like

📌 Missed Part 1? Go back and listen to learn about foundational burnout risks and why prevention starts with policy, not perks. https://youtu.be/PIEj6JIm534📣 Join the Conversation:Have you navigated burnout at work? Share your story in the comments or connect🌟 About Our Guest:Martina Teufner is an award-winning HR consultant and advocate for human-centric workplaces. Follow her on LinkedIn for insights into modern HR challenges.🔗 Connect with Martina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martina-teufner/⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode discusses burnout, stress, and workplace mental health struggles. Listener discretion advised.💬 Got a question or your own burnout experience to share? Drop a comment below, we’d love to hear from you!🌟 If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your preferred podcast platform, it helps more people find this content.☕ Support me on Ko-fi: [https://ko-fi.com/whereimatcommunity]📝 Join the waiting list for our upcoming burnout support community: https://www.whereimatcommunity.com/community#BurnoutRecovery #HRStrategies #MentalHealthInTheWorkplace #LeadershipDevelopment #BurnoutAwareness #HRTraining #ShareInspireExplorePodcast