Burnout : why prevention matters more than ever even in Belgium

5 TIPS TO GET STARTED WITH BURN-OUT PREVENTION

​Credit: Canva free pics

I recently had the opportunity to facilitate a workshop on stress and burnout awareness for Famenet. It is always a thrill to collaborate with organizations that recognize that prevention is not just important, it's essential.

Yes, recovery from burnout is possible. But anyone who's been there—individuals and organizations alike—will tell you: 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵.

Burnout is widely discussed, yet still often misunderstood and underestimated.The numbers speak for themselves, and Belgium is no exception—particularly among younger workers and women:

🔺 44% rise in long-term absences for burnout and depression over the past 5 years (INAMI, end of 2023)

💰 Average employer cost per burnout case: €23,677 (Securex)

💸 National cost of mental health-related absenteeism exceeded €2 billion/year in 2023—up 74% since 2018 (INAMI)

🚨 Impact on organizations: increased absenteeism, reduced efficiency, heavier workloads, disengagement, and higher turnover

❤️ Beyond the numbers: the mental and physical toll on individuals, teams, and families is deep and lasting

Many companies still try to “treat” stress with wellness apps or yoga breaks. These tools can help—but they 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 healthy workloads or supportive management.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗻𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲. One where loyalty, engagement, and efficiency can grow.✨ Whether you're leading a team or part of one, here are 5 meaningful actions to start today:

🌱 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆—to yourself and your people. Keep communication open.

🧑‍🎓 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 to spot early signs of overload and support one another.

📵 𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, like digital detox and disconnecting after hours.

👍 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆—with clarity, purpose, and realistic expectations.

💚 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 where saying “I need help” is not only accepted but encouraged.

Let's continue on the path of prevention. Your people—and your performance—will thank you.