The Burnout Fix: Building Sustainable Team Resilience at Work
Series Context & Introduction
Welcome back to our Workplace Wellness & Burnout Prevention series. Last week, we focused on the power of human-centered leadership and how it shapes a resilient, people-first workplace. This week, we’re tackling an even more urgent frontier: preventing burnout and actively building team resilience—before problems start.
Burnout is more than just stress or a bad day. It’s a workplace epidemic that quietly erodes talent, culture, and business results. The solution? Sustainable, team-driven resilience—anchored by new research and practical frameworks from The Burnout Fix (Dr. Jacinta Jiménez), The Happiness Advantage (Shawn Achor), and Investing in People (Cascio & Boudreau).
The Burnout Fix
What Really Causes Burnout?
Burnout isn’t about weak willpower or individual shortcomings—it’s the predictable result of chronic overload, isolation, and lack of meaning at work. Jiménez identifies five dimensions to fight burnout and build sustainable energy, using the PULSE framework:
Pace: Balance drive with recovery. Intense sprints are only possible when paired with real downtime.
Undo: Let go of perfectionism. High performers are most at risk of burnout because they struggle to stop “doing” and start “recovering.”
Leisure: Prioritize non-work joy—play, hobbies, nature, and friendship recharge your mind for resilience.
Support: Create intentional networks—no one thrives in isolation. Real team connection is both a buffer and a booster.
Evaluate: Check in regularly. What’s energizing you? What’s draining you? Adjust before you crash.
The Burnout Fix is a call to action for leaders and teams: resilience isn’t accidental; it’s designed, modeled, and protected at every level.
Why Burnout Is a Business Problem—Not Just a Personal One
Gallup estimates that burned-out employees are 2.6x more likely to actively seek a new job.
Investing in People shows companies that build cultures of sustainable wellbeing outperform the S&P 500 by wide margins.
Shawn Achor’s The Happiness Advantage proves that happier, less-burned-out teams are more creative, productive, and loyal.
Burnout is preventable. But only when leaders treat wellbeing as a core competency—not an afterthought.
Key Takeaways
Burnout is a systems problem—leaders must build resilience into the fabric of teams and workflows.
Use the PULSE framework: Pace, Undo, Leisure, Support, Evaluate.
Wellbeing and high performance go hand in hand; happy teams drive business results.
Proactive, regular check-ins beat last-minute “burnout recovery” every time.
It starts at the top—model resilience, reward healthy boundaries, and create a safe space for honest conversations.
What’s Next This Week
Wednesday: How leaders operationalize resilience—frameworks, warning signs, and what works.
Thursday: Practical tools and habits for dental teams to prevent burnout and foster everyday wellbeing.