Personal Perspective | Employee Wellbeing | Leadership
“Sometimes we don’t realize how heavy the weight has become until someone finally takes it
off our shoulders.”
A Flight I Never Took
On Friday, March 13, 2020, I was packing for a work trip to Panama when I realized I couldn’t get on the plane. Another week of travel, meetings, and pressure felt overwhelming. At the time I called it stress. Looking back, it was burnout. For months I had lived with constant pressure, headaches, and the feeling that pushing through was simply part of success. Then the world shut down. The pace slowed, travel stopped, and I rediscovered time with my family. Within weeks, the headaches disappeared and I realized how much stress I had accepted as normal.
Burnout Is a Business Issue
My experience reflects what many employees face today. Burnout contributes to absenteeism, presenteeism, turnover, and rising healthcare costs. Organizations that address mental wellbeing proactively strengthen both employee experience and business performance.
What Employers Can Do
- Train leaders to recognize early signs of burnout.
- Create psychological safety so employees can speak openly.
- Evaluate workloads—not just wellness offerings.
- Encourage employees to disconnect and use PTO.
- Promote behavioral health resources before employees reach a crisis.
Building a Comprehensive Strategy
Burnout is only one part of workplace mental health. For a deeper exploration of integrated employer
strategies—including leadership, benefits, care pathways, and population health—read Shay Boesl’s companion article, Linking Mental Health and Population Health: What Employers Need to Know.
Looking back, I don’t wish for another global shutdown, but I’m grateful for what it taught me. Sustainable performance requires sustainable people. Organizations that intentionally support employee wellbeing create healthier cultures, stronger engagement, and better long-term outcomes.
