How to Boost Morale When Your Team Is Burned Out (And You Are, Too)

These days, it can feel like the only thing standing between your team and full-on burnout is another coffee run. If you're a leader trying to keep morale up while feeling personally tapped out, you’re not alone. Burnout has become the shared background noise of the modern workplace—and it's not just affecting your team; it's quietly draining you, too.

Let’s be real: No pizza party, hollow pep talk, or forced fun is going to solve the real, systemic fatigue people are feeling. Instead, leaders should focus on small, strategic, empathy-driven moves to re-energize their teams without burning themselves out in the process. If you’re trying to lead through the fog, here are some ways to move forward.

Start With Empathy (Including for Yourself)

First things first: burnout is real, and no one is immune—including leaders. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and trying to pretend otherwise doesn’t make you resilient; it makes you exhausted.

Before you can show up for your team, check in with yourself. Are you operating at 60% capacity and still trying to run at 100%? It might be time to recalibrate. I guarantee your team and your loved ones are attuned to this and suffering as a result. This could mean blocking off time on your calendar for deep work, taking that mental health day you've been postponing, or admitting to your team that you're feeling stretched too. Empathy isn't just something you offer others—you deserve it too.

Acknowledge What’s Hard—Openly and Honestly

Your team knows things are tough. Ignoring it or pretending everything is fine doesn’t build trust; it builds resentment. Read up on toxic positivity if you don’t believe me. People appreciate honesty, especially when it comes from someone in charge.

Try naming what's real: "I know it's been a heavy lift these last few weeks, I know there’s a lot of uncertainty, and I want to acknowledge how much you've all been juggling." It doesn’t make you weak to admit the challenge—it makes you relatable.

Sometimes, simply hearing someone say, “Yeah, this is hard” is enough to let a little air out of the pressure cooker.

Give People More Autonomy, Not More Meetings

When morale is low, many managers instinctively try to "rally the troops" with more check-ins, standups, and strategy sessions. But more meetings aren't always the answer—especially when people are already stretched thin.

Instead, give people more ownership. Autonomy is one of the best morale boosters out there. Ask your team what they need to do their best work, and then trust them to do it.

• Cancel a meeting–just not their one-on-one.

• Empower someone to take the lead on a project.

• Let people flex their schedules a bit more.

• Change up a tired meeting agenda - ex. Use that time for a brainstorming sesh on fresh ideas to solve a current problem

  
  

Assess what each team member can realistically take on - because let's face it, not everyone has the same capacity - and start delegating accordingly.

Control is draining; autonomy is energizing.

Tip: Want a quick, powerful read on delegation? Check out this book, which is a regular go-to for me.

Create Micro-Moments of Recognition and Relief

When big wins feel out of reach, focus on the small ones—and recognize them relentlessly. Recognition doesn’t have to be a grand gesture to be meaningful. A quick Slack shoutout, a handwritten thank-you note, or a surprise treat delivery can go a long way. The key is to be specific: instead of a generic “Great job, team,” try something like, “Thanks for jumping in on that last-minute request. I know it threw a wrench in your day, and I really appreciate your flexibility.”

Don’t stop at recognition, create little pockets of relief, too. That might mean an unexpected half-day, a no-meeting Friday, or a low-pressure team activity that isn’t just more work. Try a show-and-tell of favorite books or TV shows, or a playlist swap. These micro-moments send a powerful message: that you see your team, you value their effort, and you care about their well-being.

Check In More, Not Less—But Keep It Human

When things get busy, it’s easy to let one-on-ones fall by the wayside. But those regular check-ins? They’re your best tool for supporting people who are running on low.

That said, these meetings should feel like conversations, not status reports. Ask open-ended questions like, “How are you holding up this week?” or “Is there anything making your work harder than it needs to be?” Make space for honest answers, and when possible, act on what you hear.

Feeling like the disconnect is deeper? You may be onto something. Ask questions around their professional goals and what they are looking to achieve. You may start to uncover some of the tension that is behind long-term burnout.

The goal isn’t to be a therapist; it’s to be a human who listens well. I’ve got lots more tips on how to have better one-on-ones in this post.

Reconnect to Purpose

While I firmly believe in the importance of purpose at work, I also understand that it can sometimes feel like a corporate buzzword. But when people are burned out, they often lose sight of why their work matters. 

Remind your team of the impact they’re making, not in abstract mission statements but in real terms. Share a story about how your work helped a client or made life easier for a colleague–or better yet, invite that client or colleague to share their experience with your team directly in their own words. There is a lot of power in an individual stating out loud how their work impacted a client or community and why it mattered!

Revisit the values that matter to your team, too. This doesn’t have to require an inspirational TED Talk level of preparation—just an honest moment of, "Here’s why this work is worth it." Not feeling like it's connecting? See above...you may have to ask the deeper questions about what the employee values and seeks to achieve in their career to find a connection.

Protect the Energy You Do Have

Your energy as a leader is a resource, and it's not infinite. The way you manage your time and boundaries signals to your team what's okay for them to do, too. A few simple ideas:

• Model healthy habits.

• Block off time for focused work.

• Take your PTO.

• Find time to connect organically with others.

• Have fun!

Let people know it’s okay to log off on time, skip nonessential meetings, or say no to the extra thing. Burnout isn’t just an individual issue; it’s a cultural one. And culture starts at the top.

Address Root Causes

If burnout is chronic on your team, it’s worth asking: what’s fueling the fire? Is it unrealistic deadlines? Lack of role clarity or clarity in the company's future? A culture of always-on communication? Temporary boosts like time off or recognition help, but if deeper issues persist, morale will continue to suffer.

Start by listening (actively listening in a two-way dialogue) to what’s draining your team. Then take action where you can, and let your team know you’re trying to help. You don’t need to fix everything at once, but showing you’re willing to dig into systemic issues goes a long way in building trust and making lasting change.

The Bottom Line

Your team doesn’t need a hero. They need a leader who’s grounded, honest, and willing to show up authentically. The good news is that kind of leadership is more sustainable - for you and for them.

You don’t have to fix everything overnight. But when you lead with empathy, create space for rest, and celebrate small wins, you start to rebuild morale in a way that lasts much longer than the effects of your next Venti coffee ever could.

Interested in learning more about coaching and building human workplaces? Send me a note at Katherine@worksproutpartners.com. I look forward to hearing from you!