Helping Employees Speak Up So Burnout Never Has a Chance
As the calendar flips to a new year, organizations often set ambitious goals. But one of the most important “resolutions” for 2026 should be less about output and more about how we show up for our people. In Canada, nearly 39% of employees report feeling burnt out, a rise from 35% in 2023. By choosing to build a workplace culture where people feel safe to speak up before burnout takes hold, leaders can help turn a new year into a renewal for both wellness and performance.
Why the New Year Is the Perfect Time to Reset Workplace Culture
January naturally invites reflection. Employees assess last year’s wins and stresses, and leadership sets new objectives. It’s also the ideal point to reset communication norms, reinforce values and position psychological safety as a priority for the coming year.
As the new year begins, workload surges (new projects, quarterly goals, strategy resets). Without intentional support, this burst of activity can lead to quicker burnout. Proactively building safe spaces for honest conversations before pressure builds is a smarter way to protect mental health.
What Causes Silence at Work and Why It Often Leads to Burnout
Silence at work isn’t just about “employees not wanting to speak up.” There are real structural causes that quietly chip away at well-being over time.
Heavy workloads & work-life imbalance
About 21.2% of employed people report high or very high levels of work-related stress. Stressors include heavy workloads (affecting 23.7% of employees) and difficulty balancing work with personal life. Over time, that stress becomes chronic and can morph into burnout.
Lack of psychological safety
Not everyone feels their workplace supports mental health. According to Mental Health Research Canada, 1 in 4 working Canadians report feeling burnout “most of the time” or “always.” When people fear judgement, repercussions, or feel they’ll be dismissed, they are much less likely to raise concerns, even when they’re struggling.
Unseen costs
Burnout doesn’t just harm individuals, it drains productivity, increases turnover and erodes trust. A 2025 national survey found that support from managers and co-workers has the strongest positive impact on workplace mental health. When people stay silent, problems fester; when they speak up, early, there’s a chance for healing, adjustment, or prevention. Silence rooted in fear or uncertainty becomes a breeding ground for burnout.
The Role of Leaders in Creating Space for Honest Conversations
Organizational culture doesn’t shift on its own. It changes when leaders intentionally commit to creating environments where people feel safe to speak openly about their workload, their mental health, and the pressures they’re carrying. A speak-up culture starts with leadership behaviour, long before it becomes an organizational norm.
Leaders set the tone by modelling vulnerability and openness. When a leader acknowledges a moment of exhaustion, confusion, or stress, they show their team that honesty is acceptable. This transparency humanizes leaders and gives employees permission to express their own experiences without fear of judgement. It could be as simple as “I’ll be honest - juggling these deadlines is wearing me down a bit today. I’m a little scattered, so if I miss something, please flag it.” Even the CEO can model this type of vulnerability. Overtime, these moments chip away at stigma and normalize conversations that once felt risky. Leaders also need a strong sounding board, and having someone to simply listen can soften the edges during high stress times.
Part of cultivating this kind of culture involves setting clear values and expectations. When leaders articulate that mental wellness, psychological safety and open communication are non-negotiable parts of the organization’s identity, it grounds the work in purpose. Employees understand that speaking up is encouraged because it supports healthier teams and stronger performance. This clarity gives people a “why” that reinforces trust.
Leaders also strengthen speak-up culture when they invest in their own training and support. Leadership development in areas like emotional intelligence, mental-health first aid and active listening equips leaders with the skills needed to respond thoughtfully. These skills help leaders move beyond surface-level reactions and toward deeper, more supportive conversations. When leaders know how to recognize early signs of burnout or distress, they can intervene in ways that prevent issues from escalating.
Finally, leaders bring honesty into the everyday fabric of work by embedding structural supports that back up their words. Policies like flexible scheduling, wellness days, transparent expectations and clearly communicated mental-health resources act as tangible proof that the organization supports well-being. These structures reinforce that speaking up will be met with care rather than repercussions.
When leadership consistently aligns their behaviour, communication and systems with wellness, employees begin to feel genuinely seen and supported.
How to Build a Speak-Up Culture That Prevents Burnout Before It Starts
Start at the top
Embed open communication into regular routines
Provide accessible wellness supports
Train leaders in emotional intelligence and psychological safety
Encourage and reinforce early-stage speaking up
Establish feedback loops and act on feedback
Here are actionable steps to create a culture where employees feel safe to share when things are getting heavy, without waiting until burnout hits.
1. Start at the top
When leaders model vulnerability, it sends a powerful message about what is acceptable in the workplace. When someone in a leadership role openly acknowledges workload pressures, admits when they’re stretched, or shares how they’re adjusting to a shifting priority, it shows employees that honesty is not a liability. It becomes an invitation: it’s safe to be human here. This kind of leadership behaviour creates the psychological permission people need to speak up long before stress becomes unmanageable.
Leaders also recognize that certain business cycles - budget season, major client deliverables, or annual audits - are predictably high-pressure periods that require all hands on deck. By anticipating these periods, top leadership can put preventative measures in place, such as temporary workload adjustments, extra check-ins, or early planning sessions. For example, a CEO might acknowledge the upcoming audit season in a town hall: “We know the next six weeks will be intense. We’re adjusting deadlines where we can and adding support so nobody feels alone in managing the workload. Let’s keep communicating openly about what’s realistic.” This combination of vulnerability and foresight helps teams navigate high-pressure cycles with greater ease and trust.
2. Embed open communication into regular routines
A speak-up culture doesn’t appear during an annual survey or a once-a-year performance review. It builds through consistent, predictable touchpoints where people know they can safely share what’s on their plate. Monthly one-on-ones, team debriefs, post-project pulse checks and informal check-ins all help normalize open dialogue. When these touchpoints are built into workflow, not treated as “extra”, employees feel less pressure to hold everything in until something goes wrong.
3. Provide accessible wellness supports
Resources only matter when people know they exist and feel comfortable using them. Make wellness supports visible and easy to access, whether it’s the EAP, mental-health days, flexible scheduling, or wellness-focused workshops. Where possible, reduce friction at every step. Removing stigma is essential. Employees shouldn’t have to justify using a resource that’s meant to help them stay healthy.
4. Train leaders in emotional intelligence and psychological safety
Most employees don’t burn out overnight. There are early signs such as withdrawal, irritability, reduced engagement, sudden drops in quality, or unusual fatigue. Leaders often see these signals first, which makes their training essential. Emotional-intelligence and psychological-safety skills help managers respond with empathy instead of judgement and open conversations instead of assumptions. This training builds leaders who know how to listen, ask good questions and guide people toward the help they need.
5. Encourage and reinforce early-stage speaking up
A culture of openness grows when people see that speaking up is not only allowed but valued. When employees raise concerns early, even if the issue feels minor, take time to acknowledge their courage. Thank them. Reinforce that small conversations can prevent big problems. The more employees see that concerns lead to constructive dialogue rather than consequences, the more willing they’ll be to share before burnout becomes unavoidable.
6. Establish feedback loops and act on feedback
Listening is only the first step. Action is what builds credibility. When staff voice concerns about workload, team tensions, or resource gaps, leaders need to respond in ways that employees can see and feel. That might mean adjusting expectations, reallocating work, updating policies, or adding additional support. Even when a full solution isn’t possible, communicating the steps being taken builds trust. This transparency tells employees: your voice matters here.
These steps shift speak-up culture from a reactionary crisis response to a proactive workplace-wellness strategy. When employees feel safe to surface challenges early, organizations gain healthier teams, stronger relationships and far fewer surprises along the way.
Summary
As leaders, we often focus on metrics: productivity, growth, retention, profitability, especially at the start of a new year. But 2026 offers a different kind of aspiration: a chance to lead with humanity.
Building a workplace where people feel safe speaking up before burnout strikes isn’t a “soft” strategy. It’s smart business. It reduces risk, builds trust, enhances engagement and strengthens long-term performance.
If you're ready to build a workplace where people feel supported before burnout begins, our Workplace Wellness Program can help. Connect with us to design a wellness approach that strengthens your culture and supports your team’s long-term well-being.
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