Nicola Sturgeon – the latest burnout victim?

Yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon stepped down from her position, openly explaining that her eight years leading the country has ‘taken its toll’, explaining she is looking forward to “a different way of living life.” She is the latest high-profile leader to openly discuss the impact of burnout this year, following Jacinda Arden’s announcement that she no longer had “enough in the tank” back in January. 

Is the tide finally turning for open conversations about mental health in the workplace? 

It’s no secret that after a tumultuous few years, economic pressures and geopolitical tensions have taken their toll on the nation’s mental health. However, recent research from Mental Health First Aid England shows that a third (33%) of managers in the UK reported feeling out of their depth when supporting teammates through mental health issues.

The research found:

• Three quarters (74%) of managers were concerned about their teams’ mental health due to the cost of living crisis.
• Younger managers were particularly likely to feel overwhelmed, with nearly half (45%) saying they felt under-equipped to help teammates who were struggling.

Rashim Mogha, GM of Leadership & Business at Skillsoft:

“In the last few months, we have seen leaders prioritising their mental health and not being afraid of pausing their high-pressure, high-visibility jobs to take care of themselves. 

This is another stark reminder that organisations must do more to support their employees’ health and mental wellbeing. The shift to remote and hybrid working partnered with economic and geopolitical pressures has taken its toll on employees in recent years. Indeed, research shows that over half of employees have experienced at least one characteristic of burnout due to greater job demands and expectations, lack of social interaction and boundaries between work and home life.

Wellbeing is a shared responsibility between the organisation and their employees, so that team members feel safe and supported at work. Learning is a crucial part of this. Effective learning programmes should help employees manage their time and stress and ensure managers know how to spot and help those suffering from mental health issues. Understanding the warning signs of mental health issues is important as early intervention can make a significant impact.”