Women, Work, and Wellbeing: Protecting Yourself from Burnout in the Workplace and Beyond (in Partnership with Schnel Hanson)

Schnel Hanson is a Chartered HR Practitioner (MCIPD), a qualified educator (PGCE), an executive coach, and a dedicated PhD researcher. She is passionate about women’s professional development and workplace wellbeing, bringing years of hands-on experience in corporate HR, leadership development, and organisational wellbeing to her role as our Professional Women’s Group (PWG) co-chair.

We have collaborated with Schnel on a series of blog posts, looking at key issues like the motherhood penalty and intersectional barriers to career development. In this latest article, Schnel shares insights on women’s workplace wellbeing, offering practical guidance on how to avoid burnout.

A Frank Look at Women’s Mental Health in the Workplace

Women have never been more visible in the workforce. In 1971, an estimated 52.7% of women participated in the UK labour marketplace, versus 72% today.[1] Yet despite this extraordinary progress, almost half of UK working women report higher levels of stress, suggesting that advances in workforce participation have not always been matched by improvements in wellbeing.

In a 2024 report by Deloitte, more than a third of women (39%) surveyed said they had taken time off work in the past year for mental health reasons. Two-thirds (65%) said they did not feel comfortable discussing mental health at work or disclosing mental health as the reason for taking time off.  For racially minoritised women, this was felt more acutely, with over half (56%) having taken time off work for their mental health, and only 20% having felt comfortable sharing this with their employer.[2] The report found that the most common reason for not disclosing this information was the concern that it would impact their career progression.

These findings raise an important question: if women are progressing professionally, why are so many struggling to sustain their wellbeing?

The truth is, burnout is rarely caused by work alone, though we often think of it in purely occupational terms. For many women, burnout emerges from the intersection of professional demands, caring responsibilities, and the pressure to be constantly available both inside and outside of the workplace.

The Double Burden Remains a Reality

Burnout among women is often treated as a personal wellbeing issue, when the evidence points to a wider structural challenge.

While workplace equality has advanced in many respects, domestic equality has not progressed at the same rate. For many women, the end of the working day simply marks the beginning of a second shift. In the Deloitte report cited earlier, nearly half (44%) of women who live with a partner and have children at home bear the most responsibility for childcare.[2]  Says Schnel,

'What the data consistently reflects is that for many women, the end of the working day simply marks the beginning of a second set of responsibilities. Childcare, household management, the invisible mental load of keeping everything on track. This is not a lifestyle choice — it is a structural imbalance, and until organisations acknowledge that, wellbeing strategies will only ever scratch the surface.'

Workplace Wellbeing is an Issue Leaders Cannot Ignore

Burnout is often presented as an individual wellbeing issue, but its impact extends far beyond the employee experiencing it. Rising levels of stress and exhaustion can lead to absenteeism, presenteeism, reduced productivity and a higher staff turnover.

The Mental Health Foundation reports that an estimated 875,000 UK workers have experienced work-related stress, anxiety or depression, resulting in 17.1 million lost working days. And poor mental health costs UK employers an estimated £42-45 billion each year.[3]

For employers seeking to attract and retain talent, burnout should be viewed, not simply as a health issue, but as a strategic business concern. When talented employees are forced to step back, reduce their hours or leave altogether due to chronic stress, organisations risk losing valuable skills, experience, and leadership potential.

'Burnout doesn’t stay behind closed doors. It shows up in the team, in the quality of work, in the number of sick days. Leaders who think this isn’t their problem are usually the ones who are also wondering why their best people keep leaving.' — Schnel Hanson

Recognising Signs of Burnout

Burnout is often described as physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. It’s not something that usually improves on its own and it can have a knock-on effect. If left unmanaged, burnout can lead to other mental and physical health challenges, and impact relationships both in and out of work.

Early signs of burnout can include:

• Exhaustion, fatigue, or lacking energy

• Reduced motivation

• Difficulty concentrating

• Problems sleeping

• Physical symptoms, such as headaches.

Workplace burnout happens when job stresses become chronic. Living in a state of permanent stress has a huge impact on the body physically, leading to low energy, exhaustion and fatigue. It can also impact how employees feel about and show up at work, leading to demotivation, reduced productivity, and a need for time off more frequently.

It’s important to recognise these early warning signs and proactively take steps to protect your wellbeing before stress becomes chronic.

Practical Ways to Protect Your Wellbeing

Whilst organisations have a responsibility to create healthier, more sustainable workplaces, there are also steps that employees can take to reduce the risk of burnout.

1: Set Boundaries Before Burnout Forces You To

Setting healthy boundaries in work and in life is paramount to your overall wellbeing. Many women find themselves juggling multiple roles and responsibilities, so it’s important to recognise when you’re at capacity. Occasional periods of increased workload may be unavoidable, but this shouldn’t be a regular occurrence. Setting boundaries around working hours, email notifications, and availability can help to create a healthier separation between work and home life. Schnel explains,

'In my experience working with women across different sectors and levels, one of the most common patterns I see is an inability to set boundaries without guilt. Many have built their careers on being adaptable and available, and those are genuine strengths. But without clear limits around capacity and workload, those same strengths become unsustainable. Boundaries are not a barrier to high performance — they are what makes it maintainable.'

2: Stop Treating Rest as Something You Have to Earn

In a culture that celebrates busyness, rest can feel like something you have to “earn”. But recovery is not a luxury; it is fundamental for maintaining good mental and physical health.

Whether it’s taking regular breaks during the workday, booking annual leave, prioritising sleep or making time for activities that bring you joy and fulfilment, rest and recovery should be viewed as an investment – not an indulgence.

'Sustainable performance requires recovery. That is true in sport, it is true in healthcare, and it is true in the workplace. When we treat rest as something to be earned rather than something to be built into how we work, we are setting people up for eventual breakdown rather than long-term success. Organisations and individuals both have a role to play in changing that.' — Schnel Hanson

3: Challenge the Pressure to do Everything Perfectly

Many women experience pressure to excel in every aspect of their lives and, while high standards can be a strength, perfectionism can become a significant contributor to stress and burnout.

Learning to distinguish between excellence and perfection can help to preserve energy and reduce additional, unnecessary pressure. Recognising when “good enough” is actually good enough can be transformative. Challenging our inner critics this way helps us to become kinder and more compassionate to ourselves – ultimately helping us to thrive in our personal and professional lives.

'Perfectionism is one of the more underacknowledged contributors to burnout, particularly among high-achieving women. There is an important distinction between maintaining high professional standards and holding yourself to an impossible standard that shifts every time you meet it. Part of building resilience is developing the judgement to know when something is genuinely complete and giving yourself permission to move on.' — Schnel Hanson

4: Build a Support Network

Having a trusted network of friends, family, colleagues and mentors provides perspective, practical support, and reassurance during periods of stress. Support networks can also help to shift the belief that we must manage everything alone, giving us the resources to ask for and receive help when we need it.

'One thing I emphasise in both my coaching and my HR practice is the professional value of a strong support network. Career development does not happen in isolation, and neither does recovery from stress. Having trusted colleagues, mentors or peers you can be honest with — about workload, about challenges, about capacity — is not a sign of weakness. It is good professional practice.' — Schnel Hanson

5: Pay Attention to Early Warning Signs

Burnout rarely happens overnight. Usually, it develops gradually, with some of the warning signs listed above. It can be easy to overlook or dismiss these symptoms of stress until they begin to affect work performance, relationships, and overall health.

Persistent exhaustion, difficulty concentrating, irritability, sleep problems and a sense of detachment from work can all indicate that stress is becoming unsustainable. By responding to these signs early, you’re better placed to manage them, preventing more serious burnout further down the line.

'In HR, we talk a great deal about early intervention, and that principle applies as much to individual wellbeing as it does to any other people risk. By the time burnout is visible in someone’s performance or attendance, it has usually been building for some time. Recognising the early indicators — persistent fatigue, disengagement, difficulty concentrating — and responding to them promptly makes a significant difference to outcomes, both for the individual and the organisation.' — Schnel Hanson

Ultimately, protecting yourself from burnout is about recognising that your wellbeing is a finite resource. Women in particular are faced with heavy demands, and it’s important that workplaces, families, and communities recognise these often-overlooked responsibilities. But it’s also crucial that we start to think of our wellbeing and energy as finite resources. Protecting these is not selfish: it’s essential for our long-term health, happiness, and development.

We offer up to 15 months of continued support to the women we serve, offering a series of workplace development programmes that help our clients to advance in their careers. Workplace wellbeing is an essential part of this programming, and we recognise the link between long-term employability and good mental health.

[1] Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS)

[2] Source: Women at Work: A Global Outlook, Deloitte

[3] Source: Mental Health at Work: Statistics, Mental Health Foundation