HR professionals are the ones who seek to ensure that the work environment is a safe, professional environment for all workers.
However, it is the health and well-being of HR professionals themselves that can often pass by under the radar, and more needs to be done to address this issue.
What is the problem facing HR professionals?
According to a recent survey, almost nine in ten HR professionals felt that their mental health was not being supported enough.
When inadequate mental health support is in place, burnout becomes incredibly likely.
While most employees will utilise HR to resolve the stresses and strains that are incurred during work life, HR professionals lack the same mechanisms by which to seek help.
The report warned that nearly half of HR professionals are considering leaving the profession due to the impact that it has on their mental health.
This could be paving the way for a greater crisis in HR if the matter is not effectively dealt with as soon as employers become aware of it.
How can HR professionals avoid burnout?
The most effective way to mitigate the burnout of HR professionals is to provide them with the same style of mental health pathways that are available to other members of staff.
For HR professionals, this could involve the utilisation of mental health first aiders either within the company or externally provided.
There should also be a requirement for HR staff to make the most of their annual leave and to ensure that they do not work during time off.
This could be achieved by redirecting emails so that the HR professionals do not feel tempted to engage with work-related matters when they are supposed to be recharging.
Employers can also consider hiring multiple HR professionals to ensure that the workload is fairly spread and not the responsibility of any one individual.
Good workplace mental health is the responsibility of everyone who works for an organisation, and a team should assist each other where possible to promote better mental health.
Above all, the implementation of structured support systems that allow HR professionals to manage their mental health is imperative if a bigger crisis is to be avoided in the future.
