This summer I read The Women by Kristin Hannah with my book club. It’s historical fiction about the women who served as nurses during the Vietnam War. Though fictionalized, the book has been praised for accurately portraying the war and the role of the nurses.

When I think about employee burnout, I’m reminded of the overwhelming challenges our medical providers and service members experience. The work is relentless, the fear is real, and the conditions are often horrific.

What makes it bearable? Strong leaders. Leaders who acknowledge reality instead of sugarcoating it. Leaders who are empathetic, supportive, and steady in the storm.

But burnout isn’t only found on battlefields or in emergency rooms. It can happen quietly in cubicles, classrooms, and conference rooms. Sitting in an office with challenging colleagues, unappreciative bosses, and never-ending workloads can create conditions ripe for what’s now called Quiet Cracking—when employees keep showing up but are on the verge of breaking down.

So what can you do to make sure you’re a leader who helps employees cope and thrive, instead of contributing to their unraveling? This week and next I will provide strategies to ensure that you are that leader.

Protect and Support Your People

When customers, patients, or students complain about staff, listen carefully and respond with empathy. But don’t immediately take the customer’s side at the expense of your employees. Investigate both perspectives and ensure your staff has the tools, training, and support they need to do their jobs well. Blaming or belittling an employee in front of others destroys trust and accelerates burnout.

Encourage Real Breaks

Breaks aren’t luxuries, they are lifelines. Encourage ten-minute stretch breaks, lunch breaks, no-work-after-hours breaks, and full vacations. And model this yourself. If you’re sending emails at midnight or working during vacation, your team will assume that’s the expectation. Model stepping away and trusting others.

Show Appreciation, Lavishly and Specifically

Recognition doesn’t cost a thing, but its value is immense. Call out staff members in meetings for their contributions. Send thoughtful emails. Say “thank you” often, and be specific: “Thank you for catching that error before it reached the client,” is far more powerful than a generic “great job.”

Ask What They Need, Then Consider it Your Responsibility to Supply It

One of the easiest but most overlooked tools is asking: What do you need to succeed? The answers may surprise you. Sometimes it’s a new software license, sometimes it’s more flexible hours, and sometimes it’s just reassurance that they’re doing okay. When you ask, follow through! Nothing is worse than being asked what you need only to have your response ignored.

Communicate!

Employees are much better able to cope when they know the reason behind what they are being asked to do. If there’s a budget shortfall, say so. If there’s a supply chain problem, talk with your staff and have them help strategize the solution.

Quiet Cracking doesn’t happen overnight, it builds over time when employees feel unheard, unsupported, and overwhelmed. As a leader, you have the power to interrupt that cycle. By remaining empathetic and acknowledging reality you can support your team so that they don’t reach a breaking point.