#BeTheChange at Work | Reducing Stress, Burnout and Rebuilding Engagement

For many teams, stress is no longer a spike. It is something that sits in the background of everyday work.It shows up in different ways. Slower thinking, reduced focus, more tension in conversations, and a sense that work takes more effort than it should.In this episode of our Workplace Harmonics series, supported by Viatris, mentl founder Scott Armstrong is joined by Dr Valentina Faia, Specialist Psychiatrist at the BioPsychoSocial Clinic, and Andy Fieldhouse, Team Relationship Coach at The Team Space, to explore the real drivers of stress, burnout, and disengagement in today’s workplace.Together they unpack how stress shifts from a short-term response into a chronic condition, how team dynamics influence how people cope, and why clarity, communication, and trust are critical to maintaining performance.Key Highlights• How chronic stress changes how people think and perform• Burnout is not just about working too hard• Team culture determines performance under pressure• Clarity and communication are critical psychological buffersIf work feels harder than it should right now, this conversation will help you understand why, and more importantly, what can be done about it.Whether you lead a team or are part of one, this session gives you practical ways to reduce friction, improve focus, and create a more sustainable way of working.This session is part of our Workplace Harmonics series focused on practical well-being tools for leaders and teams navigating pressure and uncertainty at work.Chapters00:00 Introduction and context for Stress Awareness Month02:00 The cost of disengagement and why it matters now03:30 What chronic stress does to the brain and body08:00 Early warning signs of stress and burnout10:45 How stress shows up in team dynamics13:40 The role of leadership behaviour and trust18:00 Why burnout is about more than workload20:00 Poll: What is driving stress in teams right now23:30 Communication, clarity and cognitive overload25:50 How to improve meetings and reduce friction29:00 Psychological safety and team performance33:30 Poll: What changes teams are willing to make36:30 Practical tools for leaders and teams50:50 Supporting people through uncertainty53:10 Actions leaders can take immediately55:55 Final reflections and key takeaways