Walking into my first placement at the age of eighteen, with a bag full of personalised “student midwife” stationery and an ambition larger than life to support women, I was greeted by my first mentor. She smiled at me in the handover room, and I smiled back. Once handover was completed, we left the room and she took me to one side, telling me, “Prepare for burnout and consider leaving before you’re in too deep.”
In that moment, I realised I wanted to challenge the normalisation of burnout within the profession. I wanted a career where people could not only provide excellent care but also feel happy and supported in their work.
Burnout can be caused by a variety of factors. It is rarely the result of a single event, but more often a gradual build-up of pressures over a prolonged period.
Burnout also presents differently for everyone. Some individuals may enter a “fight or flight” mode, pushing through difficult periods without fully recognising the impact until much later. Others may step away when they realise their wellbeing is being negatively affected by their working environment. One important lesson I have learned is that burnout has no single face; however, it often reveals itself through recognisable signs in behaviour, body language, and communication.
Over the past three years, I have learned that meaningful change often begins with a small group of committed individuals. While the culture of a team cannot be transformed overnight, change does not require people to become entirely different. Everyone brings unique perspectives and experiences, and it is this diversity that strengthens a team and supports its growth.
One year into my midwifery career, I chose to take on a staff wellbeing role to support our team and help reduce burnout. In this role, I focused on creating opportunities for personalised, protected time where staff could rest, reflect, and feel supported within the workplace. Recognising and valuing team members is central to both individual development and the growth of the wider team.
While this protected time often included team-building activities, games, and reflective discussions, I also recognised that these initiatives have long been the traditional face of workplace wellbeing. Although well intentioned, these gestures alone do not change how work feels on a day-to-day basis. Instead, I focus on helping to create a culture where people feel safe to speak up without judgement and can thrive in an environment where they can be themselves without fear of criticism or shame.
For me, wellbeing is not an optional extra within the workforce—it is essential. Every individual deserves the right to feel supported and comfortable at work. I have learnt when people strive for happiness in a work team, everyone around them wins.
We can never fully know what someone is experiencing outside of work, which is why it is so important to continue fostering kindness, equitable treatment, and consistent support for all.
About the author: My name is Rosie and I am a registered midwife who works at MSI Reproductive choices. I have worked in reproductive choices since qualifying in 2023 and I am currently entering my third year of midwifery. I work with a passion for staff welfare and believe that everyone has the right to feel comfortable. Abortion care has always been a deep-rooted passion of mine and when the opportunity was presented to work in the sector, I had no doubts that this was the specialty I wanted to develop my skills within.
