02/06/2026
Teams donβt burn out all at once.
They usually send warning signs first.
In September 2025, SafeWork NSW reportedly ordered UTS to pause parts of a restructure because of the risk of psychological harm to staff.
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Because change risk is no longer just:
βWill the project land?β
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It is also:
βWhat is this asking people to carry?β
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Most major change programs asks people to absorb more:
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More decisions. More uncertainty. More meetings. More pressure. More βjust for nowβ workarounds. More BAU while the future state is still being built.
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Some stretch is normal.
But there is a point where stretch turns into overload.
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And the early signs are often easy to miss.
They look like:
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β Good people stop asking questions
Not because they agree, but because theyβre tired of raising the same concerns.
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β Meetings go quiet
Less debate. Less challenge. More silence.
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β Decisions slow down
Not because people are resisting, but because everything feels urgent.
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β Small issues trigger big reactions
A changed deadline or another request lands harder than it should.
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β Leaders hear βweβre fineβ too often
Especially from teams that clearly are not fine.
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β People start protecting their own patch
Not because they donβt care, but because theyβre trying to cope.
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This is where wellbeing, psychosocial safety and change governance overlap.
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It is not enough to ask:
βAre we on track?β
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We also need to ask:
βWhat is the load doing to our people?β
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Because by the time overload shows up as burnout, conflict, sick leave or resistance, the warning signs have usually been there for weeks.
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Which sign appears first in your teams?
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