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Behind the Frontlines: Mental Health and Burnout in HR

  • jrezvani
  • May 5
  • 3 min read

This week is Mental Health Week in Canada, a time to reflect on how we support emotional well-being in the workplace. There’s no shortage of talk about wellness strategies for staff, but one group often left out of the conversation is the HR team.


Human Resources professionals are often the first to respond to mental health concerns in the workplace. They handle complex employee situations, ensure policies are followed and are expected to remain calm, fair and supportive through it all. What we don’t talk about enough is the toll this takes on them.



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HR is Burning Out

Recent research cited in HRD Canada found that 59 percent of HR and legal professionals in Canada report feeling burned out, more than any other professional group surveyed. This is a serious issue, especially considering that HR is the team tasked with supporting others through stress, conflict and crisis.


A national HR trends survey from the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) and CPHR Canada found similar results. Ninety-one percent of HR professionals said their workload has increased, but only 37 percent received additional support.


When we ignore this kind of data, we risk losing the very people holding our organizations together.


Mental Health is a Workplace Safety Concern

We often think about health and safety in terms of physical hazards, but mental health is just as critical. Both Ontario and British Columbia have recognized this in their legislation.


In Ontario, the Occupational Health and Safety Act requires employers to provide a safe and healthy workplace. This includes protections against workplace harassment and violence, which can cause psychological harm. The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) also allows claims for chronic mental stress, including mental health issues that result from work-related stressors like bullying, harassment or excessive workload.


In British Columbia, employers are required by WorkSafeBC to address bullying and harassment as part of their health and safety obligations. Since 2013, mental disorders related to workplace factors have been eligible for compensation. These policies are not just for frontline workers, they apply to HR professionals too.


Taking Care of the People Who Take Care of Everyone

We cannot ask HR to shoulder the emotional burden of an entire organization without offering them meaningful support. Burnout is not just a personal issue. When it affects HR, it becomes an organizational risk.


If your HR team is handling investigations, workplace conflict, accommodations or leadership transitions, they are doing emotional labour every day. They need space to process, reflect, and get support just like anyone else.


Here are a few ways employers can start to make that happen:


  • Check in with your HR team regularly. Not just on workload, but on how they are doing personally.

  • Offer access to therapy, clinical supervision or peer consultation, especially for those managing complex employee issues.

  • Make sure HR professionals are included in psychological safety initiatives, not just responsible for rolling them out.

  • Add HR mental health to the agenda of your Joint Health and Safety Committee.

  • Reassess workload and capacity to ensure expectations are realistic, particularly in small teams.


Let’s Start Here

Mental Health Week is an opportunity to take a closer look at who might be quietly struggling in your organization. It is easy to assume that the people providing support are fine. But the numbers tell a different story.

This week, take a moment to ask: who’s supporting HR?


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