MHN Executive Council: Tips to Tackle Employee Burnout
Even top performers can get overwhelmed. Here are strategies to keep your team happy.
Your best employees work hard and will often take on more work or difficult tasks. But that can sometimes take a toll on people, especially in resident-facing positions. In order to hold on to your top performers, you should make sure they’re not experiencing burnout. The MHN Executive Council shares their top strategies.
Meet and Greet
Avoiding burnout requires a synergy built on trust, success and camaraderie.
- Team members must trust that they can turn to management for support with work concerns and work-life balance.
- We recognize and celebrate the hard work and achievements of our employees.
- We foster peer support, team-building and fun, ensuring that employees have multiple avenues for meaningful feedback, encouragement, and a sense of belonging that makes work more fulfilling.
The REMM Group has found that our most powerful tool for building this synergy is our weekly Zoom meetings with all our onsite associates, including maintenance. These meetings prevent isolation among our locations and strengthen the connection between teams and management. We use this time to share ideas, brainstorm solutions and build relationships. By making the meetings both informative and enjoyable, we create an environment where associates feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and seeking support. —Susan McPeak, Corporate Ambassador, The REMM Group
Culture Club
Burnout doesn’t happen overnight—it’s a slow leak. The fix? Build a culture where pressure doesn’t silently pile up.
One of the most effective ways I’ve found to tackle burnout is to normalize check-ins that go beyond project updates. Ask, “What’s on your plate that we can take off?” or “What do you need more of—support, clarity, or time?” That simple act of leadership opens the door to real conversations before burnout becomes a resignation letter.
Also: create breathing room on purpose. Whether it’s no-meeting Fridays, team-wide mental health days, or just setting the expectation that Slack messages don’t require weekend replies—it all adds up. You’re signaling that rest isn’t a luxury; it’s part of high performance.
Burnout thrives in silence. But when your team feels seen, heard, and supported — they stay energized, not just employed. —Cyrus Claffey, Founder, ButterflyMX
Work Smarter Not Harder
One of the best ways to tackle employee burnout is to prevent it. We do that by regularly monitoring our electronic timesheet system to identify employee overtime. Anyone with excessive hours in a given week is brought to the attention of the Executive Team during our weekly meeting. Studio leads are notified and they then give the designer hours back with comparable time off, which is usually taken on a Friday. This gives the employee a long weekend and a chance to rejuvenate.
Our “work hard, play hard” culture also lends itself to keeping burnout at bay. The way we meet includes a lot of personal interaction as well as social time. For example, our weekly Coffee Talks provides a forum for informal discussion about a project challenge, a lesson learned or a new innovation. Collaboration is strengthened and everyone feels a wider net of support.
Similarly, our Thursday afternoon crossover meeting provides a scheduled pause before the weekend hits for project leaders and management to share updates and issues needing attention. This meeting always ends with appetizers and refreshments. —Mary Cook, President, Mary Cook Associates
Support System
One effective approach to addressing employee burnout is to foster a supportive work environment that emphasizes work-life blend. Encouraging employees to set boundaries between their professional and personal lives not only helps prevent exhaustion, but assists with greater happiness in the workplace. This might include implementing flexible work hours or remote work options, allowing team members to manage their schedules more effectively. As leaders, you should utilize technology resources that help limit after hours communication and streamlining efficiency for team members. Additionally, providing resources such as mental health support and promoting open communication about stress and workload can empower employees to seek help when needed. Regularly recognizing and appreciating the hard work of employees also contributes to a positive workplace culture, which can significantly reduce feelings of burnout. —Stephanie Anderson, Senior Director, Grace Hill
Interested in joining the MHN Executive Council and sharing your insights? Email Jessica Fiur.
