How to Screen for and Address Workplace Burnout
Overview
Burnout often shows up subtly before performance issues become obvious, making regular 1-on-1s one of the best opportunities for early intervention.
Leaders can reduce burnout risk by creating structured conversations that make space for both work discussions and human check-ins.
Normalizing conversations about burnout helps create a team culture where employees feel supported, heard, and empowered.
Burnout in the Workplace: How Leaders Can Create Sustainable Teams
“Work-related burnout results from chronic stress that hasn’t been managed.”
It’s no secret that burnout is rampant and one of the primary challenges leaders and organizations are currently facing.
Many leaders continue performing while quietly operating beyond their capacity, making the signs of workplace burnout difficult to recognize until it creates larger problems (ie. resignations, missed deadlines, lowered morale or energy.)
That’s why regular 1-on-1s matter. Weekly or bi-weekly check-ins with your leaders should move beyond just status updates and create space for honest conversations, stronger support, and healthier ways of working.
It's time to chart a new, sustainable path forward for your leaders with three strategies to help screen for and address burnout in your teams.
3 Ways Leaders Can Use 1-on-1s to Address Burnout Early
The cost of burnout is too high to ignore. Maximize your 1-on-1 meetings by creating space for honest conversations, meaningful support, and sustainability.
1. Create an Intentional 1-on-1 Structure
You likely have an unspoken, weekly norm for your 1-on-1 meetings that includes a quick “how are you”, small talk, and work-related discussions. Instead, try following the simple structure below to make your direct reports feel supported, aligned, and seen.
Start with a Check-In: Begin by asking how your colleague is really doing. Create space to listen and understand the whole person across from you, not just the work they’re responsible for. Building trust may require thoughtful questions and consistent conversations that show this is a safe place for support. And support does not always mean solving the problem. Listening, empathizing, and relating are often the most valuable forms of support a leader can offer. Resist the urge to jump into fix-it mode.
Address Work Priorities and Challenges: Use this portion of the conversation to discuss ongoing projects, workload, priorities, and any work-related questions or blockers. While this may feel like business as usual, these conversations are often more productive when employees first feel supported and heard.
Identify Next Steps: Leave time to clarify actionable next steps from the conversation related to workload, priorities, support needs, or follow-up actions. This helps both leaders and employees move forward intentionally and with accountability. Giving next steps their own space also creates room for the practical details that often get lost, like scheduling follow-ups, drafting emails, adjusting priorities, or documenting action items to revisit between 1-on-1s.
End with Acknowledgment: Don’t just wrap up the meeting—take a moment to genuinely acknowledge your direct report. Reflect back what you’ve noticed about their effort, growth, and challenges. Let them know you see them not only in their output, but in the complexity of what they’re navigating, including the tension between their own needs and the demands of work. A simple, honest recognition can go a long way in strengthening trust and connection.
2. Look and Listen for Burnout Signals
Even with a strong 1-on-1 structure in place, employees may not openly share when they’re overwhelmed or nearing burnout. That means leaders need to pay attention to more subtle signals, including energy, tone, engagement or capacity. In other words, noticing burnout becomes part of how you manage sustainable high performance.
You can also ask about burnout directly. Simple, honest questions like:
“Are you getting enough rest?”
“How full does your workload feel right now?”
“Any upcoming PTO you’re looking forward to?
“How’s your burnout level these days?” (My favorite for its directness.)
3. Make Burnout a Topic That’s on the Table
When something matters, it gets spoken about. I recently listened to Nice White Parents, and one point that stood out was how a school district successfully addressed racial integration simply by consistently naming it as a priority. By talking about it openly, they reinforced its importance—and that signaling shaped both everyday behaviors and larger systemic action.
The same is true for burnout. When leaders regularly acknowledge it as a real and valid topic, it becomes easier for people to name their own experience and ask for support earlier. You don’t need perfect solutions, just consistent permission to talk about it. That alone can shift culture and create space for more sustainable ways of working.
Conclusion
Workplace burnout prevention requires consistent attention and conversations, rather than perfect systems. When leaders build intentional 1-on-1 meeting structures, actively look for early burnout signals, and make burnout a normal topic of conversation, they create the conditions for healthier teams and reduced burnout. Over time, these small but steady practices to screen for and address burnout shift the culture from reactive problem-solving to proactive support.
If your leaders are experiencing burnout, leadership coaching and team development can help you create healthier and more sustainable teams.
