It’s almost winter and as we consider end-of-year tasks and what’s in store after the election, why have we stopped talking about the high burnout rate? ‘98% of HRs were burned out’ littered the headlines for about a month and then it seemed we all went back to the daily grind. But if you’re burned out, that’s nearly impossible.

You can’t expect yourself to continue with the status quo when your health, whether mental, physical or emotional, is in jeopardy. The longer you ignore the problem, the more damage it’ll do.

Workplace stress has been reported to cause 120,000 deaths in the US each year. Do your end-of-year plans include changing careers, moving to another position, or changing companies? When we think about preparing for next year, as overworked HR professionals, it’s critical to consider these questions.

My experience with burnout catapulted me into a career change. Leading up to my breaking point, I kept thinking the CEO would eventually offer me the pay and promotion I deserved, but when it came, the offer was low and I was physically sick. This was the push out the door I needed. The journey was fraught with challenges, but in the end, I now have a better job that works for my lifestyle and supports my health and well-being.

What prevents us from moving forward? According to Forbes, here are the top reasons that can prevent people from making a significant life change:

• Fear of failure
• Fear of what others will think
• Fear of being too old
• Fear of wasted experience and career in HR
• Fear of uncertainty

Experts say some HR professionals are more at risk of being burned out than others. Sarah Devereaux, Co-Founder and Executive Coach at White Pine Leadership Collective & HCI Facilitator, says it depends on the organizational structure and support of the leadership team that makes some HR professionals higher risk.

Organizationally, this looks like having the support of your leadership team on HR initiatives and presenting them to your workforce as a united front. Recently employers are dealing with return to work policies after covid. This change of initiative can cause ripples across your culture, but if the message is coming only from HR, as the designated “bad cop” for the company, your level of burnout will most likely remain high.

If you don’t have a seat at the table, it can also affect your ability to continue in your current situation. You want to gauge the level of influence you have with leadership as, without their support, you can continue to feel powerless over making a change.

If you’re up against these challenges, there are two forks to consider:

1. Accepting that you need to make a change will require some growth and uncomfortable moments.

Harvard Business Review calls it the liminal state, “where you must navigate between a past that’s clearly over and a future that’s still uncertain.” Liminality can be uncomfortable, especially for those of us with a well-defined path.

When changing careers, this stage is like a time out. A time to let go of who you used to be and focus on who you want to become. It can take time to think through this change, identify what beliefs and habits are holding you back, and develop new skills and relationships to propel you forward.

2. Staying in your current situation. Is your company willing to provide you with successful conditions in order to have a life of well-being and health? Some companies are not focused on work/life balance as a priority. 

Since the pandemic, HR is being asked to convey challenging messages, deal with a reduction of force, layoffs, etc. These responsibilities contribute to burnout, but the effects are significantly diminished when you have the support of your employer.

• Does your executive team say, “we made the decision to …” when conveying culturally sensitive messages to employees?
• Does your CEO ask for your advice on delicate messaging when addressing culturally sensitive topics?
• Is the company fair to people? Are they thoughtful and people centric when faced with negative cultural impacts?
• What’s the level of transparency with C-Suite and leadership?
• Do you have a seat at the table or does a member of your team report directly to the CEO?
• Does the company share the same values, principals, and people centric methods that you do?
• Do employees understand “the why”?

Tip: If your employees don’t understand “the why” it can cause misalignment with values that causes a higher burn out with HR.

• Is it safe to go to your CEO with well-being issues? (hint: this indicates if your culture is psychologically safe).

HR is on the front lines of negative cultural consequences and people impacts, which has been a war zone since 2020. We are almost five years into tackling these issues and they continue to get more extreme with political polarization. You have to gauge the level of time you have left before you have a breakdown or worse, have to apply for short-term disability. Your emotional and physical health may not be able to wait.

There are many things HR can do to apply roles and responsibilities to another career. It is the most widespread and diverse industry that grows a multitude of talents. With HR’s eco-system of continuing education credits required to maintain your standing, you can develop the skills you need to take the next step in a new direction.

Devereaux says that not everyone wants to move up. We expect that everyone wants to climb the ladder and take on more responsibility, but that lifestyle is not for everyone. Take this SHRM Internal Communications Manager role. This role is autonomous and combines HR expertise while pursuing a career in writing. This allows you to use your HR expertise while stepping into a less demanding role.

It warrants a look at your strategy with how your time is spent maintaining recertification credits and if it can be used to help propel you into the next chapter of your life. When you say you don’t have time, which is more than likely true in HR’s case, capitalizing on the time you have will help you make progress toward changing your situation.

With webinars, do you play it in the background during busy work? How do you decide which one to pick? Do you have a strategy around what resources you select? Whether you stay at your current organization, move on to another one with the same role, or make a career change entirely, a strategy in your recertification credits can be advantageous.

Devereaux says there are a lot of free-resources out there but resources are different. Recertification credits for your SHRM or HRCI degree are rated at a higher caliber as they are required to address a specific applied body of knowledge and skills. These skills can easily be transferred into other industries and roles.

Make it simple. Do you listen to podcasts on your way to work? In the background of your mindless busy work? Or has recertifications just been another item on the already too long to-do list?

I am currently sitting on a course I have wanted to take but keep putting off. Now, it’s almost time for the due date and I am scrambling. When you make a plan for your recertification credits throughout the year, that deadline won’t seem like as big of a lift.

SHRM splits up their education into 3 clusters: Interpersonal, Leadership, and Business. Where do you have the most energy? Why did you get into HR? Lean in to what part of the role you are interested in. Maybe you like to help people, like to lead, or are always more interested in projects that involve the people analytics and business side of HR. Finding courses in these areas could help you strategize how to move more in those directions.

When you find a resource you resonate with, go even further and connect with the speaker on LinkedIn. Making a connection through resources you find meaningful is the best way to increase your professional circle to new groups. SHRM offers plenty of opportunities to be involved in your local chapter and can open the door to new relationships to help you move around in your career.

Find ways to kill two birds with one stone. If time is of the essence and you need an escape plan, capitalize on time and make the most out of the education you are already pursuing in your current role. HR is one of those unique roles that allows you to continue growing and developing in your role with support like no other industry. Take that opportunity to create the life you love.

Resources: SHRM vs. HRCI: Which Certification is Better