With burnout at record levels, Workplace Options urges Australian employers to prioritize long-term support with a free toolkit to help teams build lasting resilience. 

Burnout has become one of the most pressing challenges in Australian workplaces, with employees reporting some of the highest daily stress levels in the Asia-Pacific region. On World Mental Health Day 2025, Workplace Options (WPO) is urging employers to move beyond reactive crisis response and build proactive systems of care that sustain well-being over time. In a country frequently tested by natural disasters and economic uncertainty, anniversaries of crises can reopen emotional wounds, making long-term, structured support essential for recovery and resilience. 

“Recovery is not linear,” said Alan King, President & CEO of Workplace Options. “Anniversaries remind us that pain can resurface, but these events also give employers the chance to reaffirm care, reduce stigma, and advance access to support by thoughtful promotion of employee assistance programs.” 

Five Leadership Actions to Help Teams Communicate with care:  

1. Share simple, empathetic, meaningful messages that validate ongoing emotional challenges and highlight resources.
2. Conduct regular check-ins. Recovery takes time. Continued outreach shows it is normal, and beneficial, to seek help. 
3. Engage peer support. Encourage Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and storytelling forums to normalise conversations about trauma, stress, and anxiety. 
4. Provide manager training. Equip leaders with trauma-informed skills and toolkits so they can respond with empathy and confidence. 
5. Monitor and adapt. Gather feedback to ensure support remains relevant and responsive as needs evolve. 

“Practical steps are needed in order to turn awareness into action,” says James Callender, Director of Business Solutions at Workplace Options. “Employers must create environments where people can succeed sustainably — with realistic workloads, open conversations, and a culture where seeking support isn’t just accepted, it’s encouraged.”  

Why It Matters 

Burnout and stress have become defining features of the Australian workforce, with recent data from Workplace Options’ Center for Organizational Effectiveness Psychological Safety Study revealing: 

• 80% of employees are struggling with burnout. 

• Australians are the most stressed in the Asia-Pacific region, experiencing stress on average 12 times per day. 

• 40% of employees report that workplace stigma significantly contributes to their mental health challenges. 

The Call to Action 

World Mental Health Day is not just a date on the calendar: it is a reminder that employers are vital to sustaining care beyond the crisis. With the right, proactive approach, organisations can turn awareness into access, and access into action. 

World Mental Health Day Toolkit 

In honor of World Mental Health Day, WPO has released a free toolkit to help individuals and organizations raise awareness of mental health and take meaningful action. Available in 8 languages, this toolkit is designed to help everyone, no matter where they are, take practical steps to mark the day – Download it for free here.