Burnout is relational: Reflections on resilience in our workplaces

Lately, we've been reflecting on the state of our workforce in mental health and wellbeing spaces. As the demands on services continue to rise, we’re noticing something important — the ways we relate to each other under pressure can either protect us or contribute to burnout.

It’s easy to slip into comparisons: “Why do they get that and we don’t?” Especially when resources feel scarce and the pressure to do more with less keeps building. In these moments, reflective spaces — which should be a buffer — can start to feel thin or unsupported. We see colleagues skipping breaks, pushing through illness, or not taking leave because they worry about burdening or angering the rest of the team. This culture of self-sacrifice may be well-intentioned, but it adds up.

What if burnout isn’t just individual, but relational?

Feeling unsupported or undervalued is rarely just about workload — it’s about how we’re met in our work. And the same goes for resilience. It lives not just within people, but between them.

Resilient teams make space to reflect together. They allow for imperfection. They support diversity, creativity, flexibility, and care — even (and especially) when things are hard. They remind each other that being valued isn’t about always coping or performing, but about showing up as humans in a system that often forgets we’re just that.

Let’s keep asking: How do we support each other not just to survive this work, but to do it in a way that’s sustainable and relational?