How charities can spot signs of burnout among their people

Charity professionals are at heightened risk of experiencing burnout, given the seriousness of their work and the often-unrelenting pace of it. Faced with the pressure to do more with less, to keep fundraising levels settled enough to support their services, and to keep services moving, it can often feel as though we’re on a carousel that never stops. 

Feelings of fatigue are particularly stark as we approach the end of the year. Work rarely slows down, annual leave may remain untaken, and there are always more services to be delivered, more funds to raise, and more changes to make. This can lead to poor wellbeing and eventually, burnout, resulting in reduced morale, performance and staff retention.  

Recent research by Breathe HR found that 66% of employees take less than half of their annual leave by July and, as a result, more than half of them experience burnout by autumn. This echoes the findings from this research report from 2023, where one in four charities cited burnout as the reason behind poor retention. 

Wellbeing and signs of burnout can often be overlooked during busy periods – especially in the charity sector. Passion for the charity’s mission can also mask signs of stress. But looking after wellbeing in charity organisations is particularly vital, underpinning their ability to keep delivering impact for the communities they serve.  

While burnout can be difficult to reverse – it can be easily prevented. By staying away aware of the warning signs – things like persistent stress, emotional exhaustion, and that sense of detachment – teams and individuals can take proactive steps to manage stress and get help before burnout escalates into more severe health problems.  

Below, we explore some of the key ways that charities can tackle burnout among their teams and share some helpful resources from Breathe to support employees.  

Read Breathe’s guide to burnout

How can charities prevent burnout? 

Encourage people to take time off  

According to Breathe’s research, ‘holiday hoarding’ is a big contributor to burnout. This is when employees don’t take regular breaks or they save up all their holiday for later in the year.  

Charities should actively encourage their teams to take their holiday, checking in regularly and creating space for them to do so, whether it’s reducing their workload or removing any unnecessary admin around booking leave. 

Charity leaders should also set an example – working while on leave or not taking leave at all can send a damaging message that this is expected of all employees. Instead, charity leaders should establish a healthy culture, one where leave is encouraged, talked about, and simplified.  

This sends a powerful message to your team: your health matters. When employees feel comfortable stepping away from work, they’re more likely to take the leave they need and come back refreshed and recharged. Not only does this reduce the risk of burnout, it boosts morale and performance across the board.  

For employees who are showing signs of burnout and aren’t taking time off, you can enforce it if you really need to. It might be the push they need to priortise their own wellbeing.  

Jemma Fairclough-Haynes, Breathe partner and Founder of Orchard Employment Law, says “If someone’s not taking their leave and you’re concerned, you can enforce it – just give double the amount of notice. So if you want someone to take a week off, give them two weeks’ notice. This can be really helpful if someone’s showing signs of burnout but insists they’re fine. You have the right to step in and protect their wellbeing.” 

Charities should make sure they’re keeping track of when their employees are taking leave, how much they’re taking and anyone who is overdue for a break. Breathe’s free Burnout Risk Calculator can help organisations understand who could be at risk of burnout based on the last time an employee took holiday. Users enter the last holiday date taken and receive a traffic-light score (green, amber, or red) to determine if burnout is a risk to that employee, guiding their manager to check in if needed. 

Know the signs 

One of the challenges around tackling burnout is that it can be difficult to spot, particularly in the world of remote working. It can also manifest itself in different ways in different people. But there are some common signs that managers can look out for, such as low motivation levels, overwhelm, cynicism, and exhaustion.  

Even if managers spot the signs, many are unsure how to intervene, making it easier to choose not to and leaving employees unsupported. To support with this, Breathe has created a simple infographic,  outlining the four signs of burnout and practical solutions to help managers improve their wellbeing support.  

For example, if an employee is experiencing low motivation levels, managers should check their recent holiday history – perhaps they’ve not had a break for too long.  They could also look into their professional development plan – low motivation can often result from feeling unchallenged and unrewarded at work.  

Download the infographic here

Check in regularly  

The resources shared above can be incredibly helpful in addressing burnout but for them to be most effective, charity leaders must first understand their teams. Knowing employees’ typical working patterns, their motivations and building strong working relationships based on mutual trust are essential to managing wellbeing and preventing burnout.  

Charity leaders should ensure they check in regularly to give their teams space to talk about how they are feeling about work. Regular check-ins make these discussions less daunting over time, ensuring that when issues do arise employees feel comfortable talking about them.  

Breathe recommends  being especially intentional with check-ins if you work remotely. Develop a simple scale so employees can tell you simply where they’re at and how they’re feeling as part of the regular meeting agenda.  

These check-ins also allow charity leaders to give their teams constructive feedback and praise for the work they’ve done. Recognition is rewarding, particularly for charity professionals who care deeply about the work they deliver, and helps keep employees engaged, preventing the sense of purposelessness and cynicism that often comes with burnout.  

Breathe’s Kudos feature, for example, allows managers to post a note of praise that’s visible to the entire organisation, reinforcing a culture of praise and positivity. 

For more information about burnout and free resources to help you understand, manage and prevent it, head to Breathe’s Burnout Hub.  

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