Valerie Polunas

The former director left three years ago. Why are they still running your meetings? Nobody says their name per se. Someone suggests a new approach, and the room goes quiet. Finally, a colleague explains, “The last time we tried that, we got burned.” There it is. An organizational ghost. Halloween just passed here in the United States, and yes, I watched Ghostbusters again. I love the humor, the teamwork, and Winston’s ability to bring some much-needed realness to a strange situation....

Each fall, I hear geese honking as they fly overhead, migrating from one nesting location to another. Leaves turn brilliant shades of orange, red, and yellow before carpeting the forest floor, and the air gets just a little sharper. I love this change of season. Winter? That’s another story. I know it’s coming (thanks Game of Thrones), but I still resist the cold, the gray days, and the feeling of being stuck indoors. Workplace change can stir up a similar response. An employee might welcome...

Burnout isn't always an individual problem. When exhaustion, conflict, mistakes, and disengagement begin appearing across a team, managers need to examine the system—not just encourage employees to practice more self-care. Discover practical ways HR can help managers spot and address team burnout before it spreads.