In this episode of Wired to Work, Jess Chapman speaks with Dr. Jo Burrell, clinical psychologist and co-founder of Ultimate Resilience, about the mental health crisis facing HR professionals and why the people responsible for supporting everyone else at work often have too little support themselves.

They discuss why HR has become the emotional shock absorber of the workplace, how the profession has changed since COVID, and why burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and moral injury are becoming serious concerns for people professionals.

You’ll hear:

• why 74% of HR professionals reported symptoms of depression
• why three quarters of HR respondents are experiencing or at risk of burnout
• why HR professionals often feel isolated, even inside large teams
• how workplace culture places unrealistic expectations on HR
• why resilience can’t just be treated as an individual responsibility
• how clinical supervision could offer HR the kind of support already embedded in healthcare
• why organizations need to address the sources of stress, not just the symptoms

This conversation is for HR professionals, senior leaders, founders, and anyone who relies on HR to hold the emotional weight of the organization.

Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Context 02:54 The Evolution of HR and Mental Health Awareness 05:53 The Impact of COVID-19 on HR Professionals 08:58 Data Gaps and the Need for Research 11:50 The Role of HR in Employee Wellbeing 14:52 Challenges Faced by HR Professionals 17:56 Setting Boundaries in HR 21:06 Survey Findings on Mental Health in HR 24:04 Conclusion and Future Directions 25:06 The Mental Health Crisis in HR 30:46 The Burden of Emotional Labor 35:01 The Need for Tailored Support 42:43 Resilience as a Shared Responsibility 48:07 The Role of HR in Organizational Wellbeing

Wired to Work with Jess Chapman. Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts! https://www.wiredtowork.castos.com

Join the Wired to Work community on Patreon for bonus content and deeper conversations: https://patreon.com/WiredtoWork

Guest: Dr. Jo Burrell, Ultimate Resilience Website: https://ultimate-resilience.com
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joburrell

Resources: Clinical Supervision in Healthcare: https://www.healthcareprofessional.org/supervision
Mental Health First Aid: https://mentalhealth.org.uk/firstaid
Gallup Stress and Burnout Statistics: https://gallup.com/reports/stress-burnout
LinkedIn HR Networks: https://linkedin.com/groups/hr-networks

• (00:00:00) - The need for a more resilient work environment
• (00:00:39) - Wired to Work: The Need for Resilience in HR
• (00:01:35) - Ultimate Resilience
• (00:03:25) - What caused the switch to HR mental wellbeing?
• (00:12:49) - The need for emotional support in HR
• (00:15:43) - The Need for Boundaries
• (00:17:27) - The UK Mental Well-being Survey
• (00:21:29) - The state of wellbeing in the HR profession
• (00:28:20) - Mental Wellbeing at work
• (00:33:55) - On HR and the 2020 election
• (00:37:41) - The need for greater resilience in the workplace
• (00:45:09) - The Load That HR People Carry
• (00:47:58) - Wired for Work: Unlocking Your People