THEME

Decreasing employee burnout and stress

 

Burnout is not caused by individual weakness or a lack of resilience. It’s the predictable outcome of work environments that continuously drain energy without offering recovery, purpose, or psychological safety.

Across industries, we see the same pattern repeating: high performers pushing through chronic stress, blurred work-life boundaries in hybrid setups, and organisational systems that reward output at the expense of wellbeing. The result? Burnout is rising—and it’s costing organisations dearly.

But burnout isn’t inevitable. It’s preventable. And that begins by rethinking how work is structured, how teams are supported, and how wellbeing is embedded—not bolted on.

At ImpactWork, we work with organisations to move beyond surface-level solutions and address the root causes of employee stress and burnout. We help you shift from crisis response to proactive, systemic change—so your people can perform at their best, without burning out in the process.

94%
of Dutch employees consider a healthy work-life balance a top priority. 61% would reject a job offer if it disrupted that balance.
Why?

The Challenge: 

You can't fix burnout with fruit baskets and mindfulness apps.

Organisations today operate in high-speed, high-change environments. But the pace of work has outstripped the capacity of many employees to keep up—mentally, emotionally, and physically. While productivity expectations have climbed, the systems to support sustainable performance have not.

Here’s what we’re seeing on the workfloor grounds:

  • Employees facing constant pressure with no time to recover

  • Managers unequipped to spot or address early signs of burnout

  • Teams overloaded with priorities, lacking clarity and focus

  • Cultural norms that discourage vulnerability or saying “no”

  • HR frameworks that measure output, but not energy or wellbeing

The impact is widespread: increased absenteeism, reduced creativity, higher turnover, and weakened team dynamics. When people are running on empty, the whole system slows down.

Most wellbeing initiatives don’t go far enough. Perks and apps won’t fix a structural problem. What’s needed is a shift in how work is designed, led, and experienced.

Our approach.

We take a systemic, evidence-based approach to reduce burnout and prevent chronic stress across your organisation. Our model blends behavioural insights, employee experience design, and leadership development to rebuild work environments that energise instead of exhaust.

Diagnose what drives stress and fatigue

We start by uncovering the true sources of pressure in your organisation. Through interviews, surveys, and journey mapping, we identify where stress builds up—whether in workload patterns, leadership habits, team dynamics or structural misalignment.

Redesign work with wellbeing in mind

Together with your teams, we reimagine the flow of work. This means building in recovery, improving role clarity, and aligning expectations with capacity. We optimise meeting rhythms, feedback cycles, and decision-making structures to remove unnecessary pressure and increase focus. Wellbeing isn’t treated as an add-on—it becomes part of how work is done.

Training leaders to spot and solve early signals
Absenteeism prevention starts with leadership. We help managers build the skills and habits to notice early signs of burnout, have open conversations, and create psychologically safe environments. This isn’t about checking a box—it’s about reshaping the leadership culture.
''Reducing burnout and absenteeism isn’t about managing costs—it’s about creating a workplace people don’t want to escape from. ''
ImpactWork.

The impact.

Reducing burnout and absenteeism is not just about cutting costs—it’s about unlocking the full potential of your people. When organisations invest in understanding the root causes of absence and take intentional steps to redesign the employee experience, the effects ripple far beyond the HR dashboard.

We see absenteeism as a cultural and operational indicator. By addressing it through a proactive, wellbeing-driven approach, organisations gain more than just lower sick-leave numbers—they gain momentum.

Here’s what starts to shift:

1. Improved productivity and energy flow

When employees feel supported, healthy, and psychologically safe, they bring more energy and focus to their work. Reduced absenteeism leads to fewer workflow disruptions, less strain on teammates, and higher collective performance.

2. Higher retention and stronger engagement

Addressing absenteeism through employee wellbeing sends a clear message: you matter here. That builds trust. And trust fuels loyalty. Teams that feel cared for are less likely to disengage or leave—cutting recruitment costs and boosting institutional knowledge retention.

3. Stronger leadership and team dynamics

As managers learn to recognise early signs of burnout and create open dialogue around stress and workload, leadership quality improves. Teams become more connected, resilient, and equipped to navigate challenges together.

4. A magnetic employer brand

In a world where top talent values wellbeing as much as compensation, a low-absence, high-trust culture becomes a powerful asset. Organisations known for their supportive work environment attract purpose-driven professionals who want to grow—not just grind.

5. A foundation for sustainable growth

Absenteeism is often the canary in the coal mine. Tackling it means you’re also fixing broken systems, addressing invisible workloads, and aligning your people strategy with your business ambitions. The result? A stronger, more agile organisation built for the future of work.

 

Reducing absenteeism isn’t just an outcome—it’s a sign that your culture is working. That people feel safe, seen, and ready to contribute. That your organisation is not just functioning, but flourishing!

 

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Want to get started with employee wellbeing?

Discover how our services can help you with your employee wellbeing and employee engagement. From redefining your entire HR strategy to helping you improve employee experience and intervening where necessary. We help you pave the way towards a better employee experience with increased workforce productivity!

Let's create a workplace where working wellbeing is central- and we can all thrive!

73%
of HR executives expect talent shortages in the coming three years.

Let's connect!

 avatar
Jildert Huitema
|
Co-founder ImpactWork
There's many challenges in the world of work, but together we can tackle them. With a passionate team, we're here to help you improve your HR strategically and creating thriving workplaces. Check our services pages for more information on how we can help, and feel free to reach out!
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