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Preventing burnout: the role of HR

Published on 5 June 2025
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Burn-out is a major cause for concern. Marine Gandouet, coach and trainer, explains how to better understand, detect and avoid it.

Illustration of the article on preventing burnout

According to the 14th "Psychological health of French employees" barometer conducted by OpinionWay for Empreinte Humaine, 31 % of employees will be at risk of burn-out in 2025, including 10 % at a severe level (sick leave with risk of hospitalisation and need for psychological support). This represents around 2.5 million people. 

Stress at work was also the leading cause of sick leave in France in 2022. 

That's why HR plays a key role This is a key factor in preventing burnout and safeguarding the health of employees and the company.

Understanding burnout

Definition of burn-out

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines burn-out as a syndrome resulting from chronic occupational stress that has not been successfully managed.

It is characterised by three dimensions:

  • a feeling of loss of energy or exhaustion
  • increasing distance from work, negative emotions or cynicism about one's job
  • reduced professional effectiveness

Burn-out means to burn until all energy is gone. In other words, it's the act of being completely consumed. In other words, a burned-out person is drained of energy, feels physically, psychologically and emotionally exhausted, and develops a feeling of self-depreciation. This exhaustion originates in the workplace. It develops insidiously, over time.

This is an imbalance between energy expenditure and energy resources/gains. The problem is not the expenditure of energy but the fact of spending more energy than its capacity to regenerate.

For example, if a mobile phone is used all day long, it will run down to the point where it has no battery. If it is not recharged, it cannot be used again. Recharging is essential. It's the same for humans. By way of regeneration, it needs time to rest in order to regain its equilibrium and cope with its energy expenditure.

Causes of burnout and risk factors

While the main sources of burnout are to be found in the world of work and the relationship between the individual and his or her work, many other factors also come into play.

In her book Guide du burn-out, comment l'éviter, comment s'en sortir, author Anne Everard takes stock of the various causes of burn-out. Here's a mind map summarising the essentials.

The causes of burn-out are presented in the form of a mind map, which identifies 5 main causes: the world of work, the overflow of professional life into personal life, hyper-connectivity, and individual and societal causes.

Some people therefore have a high-risk profile, often with the same type of characteristics.

They are :

  • motivated
  • very committed to their work
  • perfectionists
  • reliable
  • more attentive to the needs of others than to their own needs

What's more, they require very little help.

The strategic role of HR in prevention

The prevention of psychosocial risks (RPS) is a challenge for all those involved in the world of work. In addition to the regulatory obligations imposed on employers, preventive measures are invaluable for companies in preserving human capital and ensuring that strategic and operational objectives are met.

Identifying the warning signs of burnout

Firstly, it is essential to be able to detect the risk by spotting the warning signs of employee burnout. HR must therefore support managers in developing their observation and questioning skills.

1/ Individual warning signs

These warning indicators can be used to place the employee on a burnout scale.

Managers can then offer employees additional tests, such as the MBI (Maslach Burnout Inventory) or the CBI (Copenhagen Burnout Inventory). The aim is to raise employees' awareness, without asking them for their own results.

2/ Warning signs at company level

At company level, other indicators are markers of the progression of burnout.

For example:

  • Increased absenteeism: late arrivals, absences
  • Growth in the number of work stoppages
  • Reduced productivity
  • Deterioration in working conditions: accidents in the workplace
  • Impact on interpersonal relations: team tensions, demotivation, etc.

Prevention, an HR policy within a legal and regulatory framework

What is prevention?

Prevention is the implementation of a set of actions to avert a risk. In this case, we are talking about preventing the risk of depleting vital energy, a resource that is running out.

There are three levels of prevention: primary, secondary and tertiary.

Prevention means: observing to spot the risk, measuring to alert, acting to stop and regain balance.

There are 3 levels of prevention: primary, secondary and tertiary.

PRIMARY: absence of signs of exhaustion, state of equilibrium.

SECONDARY: detection of early signs, onset of imbalance.

TERTIARY: presence of advanced signs of exhaustion, dysfunction and pathologies.

Specific actions can be calibrated for each level.

Example of actions to be implemented by HR

Primary prevention: information, awareness-raising, training

The company can initiate a number of primary prevention actions when no signals are detected. This is ideal for acquiring and developing skills that maintain a state of equilibrium.

Numerous formats can be offered on the subject of burnout and stress management, both for employees and for local managers:

  • Newsletters
  • Conferences
  • Raising awareness
  • Workshops
  • Training

For example:

The more operational these formats are, the more effective prevention is. In fact, being able to identify the warning signs of exhaustion and put in place a routine to regenerate helps each employee to protect themselves in the face of stressful, energy-intensive situations.

Secondary prevention: setting up an organisation and appropriate resources

If the first individual warning signs are already present, secondary prevention measures need to be implemented immediately. This involves :

1/ first of all, listening

2/ actions to be adapted on a case-by-case basis

For example:

  • make an appointment with occupational medicine
  • offer training or individual support on burnout
  • reorganising working hours (offering part-time work or teleworking)
  • supporting the return to work after a long period off (systematically offering a return interview)

What can be done if burnout is denied?

A phase of denial may be present. Denial is a mechanism that is unique to each person, and its positive intention is to protect oneself.

Here's a good practice to communicate to managers: keep it factual. In other words, rely on concrete observations.

For example:

  • Lucie, I've noticed that for the last month you haven't been having lunch with your colleagues.
  • I've also noticed that you take your phone to consult it at every meeting, which wasn't the case before.
  • Over the last 6 months, I've noticed that your posture has changed. You massage your shoulders and neck several times an hour.
  • I'm worried because I can see that these changes are causing physical tension, difficulty concentrating and isolation. How are you getting on?

Despite this, the manager must bear in mind that acceptance can take months. The best reflexes are to keep listening, sharing factual observations and regularly asking "How are you feeling at the moment?

Structure the prevention approach in 4 stages

Finally, to be effective, it is essential to structuring a concrete approach prevention of psychosocial risks.

Ultimately, burnout is present in all companies. It is insidious and takes hold over time. Prevention by the company and HR is essential. It's a question of observing to spot the risk, measuring to alert, acting to stop and regain balance. The more concrete action is taken before any signs of burnout appear, the more likely it is to be limited. The benefits will be felt as much for the health of the employees as for that of the company.

Our expert

Marine GANDOUET

Time management and personal organisation

Marketing assistant for 7 years with the management of a small business, she developed transversal skills […]

field of training

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