How burnout became a mission to help others

It took an almost out-of-body experience during a meeting for Dan to recognise that his working hours were unsustainable. Burnt out and disconnected, he realised something had to change.

Dan had been working in the technology industry for over a decade when the company he worked for was acquired by a much larger, international organisation.

‘The acquisition led me to work unsustainable hours, because I had three different reporting lines in Australia, the USA and Singapore, which meant I was working around the clock,’ recalls Dan.

Burnout, like what Dan experienced, is becoming more common in workplaces across the country. Globally, the rate of burnout experienced by individuals in the workplace is 38%.

A change in career paths

During the acquisition period, Dan and his colleagues struggled under the weight of their workloads. At the time, Dan was regularly working 14-hour days, but didn’t feel supported to openly discuss the experiences that come with such a vast organisational change.

‘We didn’t have the culture to have real conversations in the workplace about how we were all feeling and struggling, and we didn’t have the tools to support each other,’ Dan says.

Dan’s experience was the catalyst for a career shift that would take him on a whole new path. His unique combination of technology expertise and passion for mental health led him to form the company ByMindSide.

Through his work at ByMindSide, Dan built a technology platform that helps workplaces track real-time trends in peer support – helping to identify psychosocial risks early, celebrate the impact of peer supporters and MHFAiders, and recognise when those providing support may need support themselves.

Soon after, Dan became a Licensed MHFA Instructor to help equip workforces with the skills and confidence to assist their colleagues and intervene early.

A deeper understanding of mental health

For Dan, becoming an Mental Health First Aid Instructor was not only about supporting others but also about better understanding himself.

‘Hearing all of these people from different worlds, different lives, different ages, and different backgrounds, and their bravery to stand up and tell their story, normalised things for me,’ he says.

‘The training taught me to be kinder to myself and deepened my empathy for others,’ he reflects.

Empowering peer support in workplaces

In his role, Dan frequently collaborates with Employee Assistance Providers (EAPs) to set up MHFAider & peer support programs that are sustainable in workplaces. These programs recruit employees passionate about supporting their colleagues.

‘A lot of anecdotal evidence shows that peer supporters are the first people that employees talk to in the workplace before they speak with their EAP,’ highlights Dan.

‘At ByMindSide, our data shows that organisations with peer support and MHFA programs see a 2.5x increase in EAP referrals, as their peer supporters help to normalise professional help seeking.’

These peer support networks are transforming workplace mental health, creating cultures where staff feel safe to reach out and seek help.

Dan has seen firsthand how MHFA training reduces stigma around mental health.

‘You can see this aha moment in people’s eyes and a real empathy for people who experience the mental illnesses that we talk about in MHFA training.’

‘It also has a knock-on impact to the people who don’t complete the training,’ adds Dan. ‘They know their colleagues are being trained in MHFA and they say, “look, our organisation clearly cares about mental health to invest the time and money in this training for our team”.’

Walking the walk

For Dan, the key to creating mentally healthy workplaces lies in genuine commitment and not simple box-ticking exercises.

‘Peer support and MHFA are just one part of a much bigger picture. Workplaces must also support manageable workloads, and sound organisational or management practices, to ensure training is more than a drop in the ocean.

“What truly makes a big difference is an organisation that prioritises safety while also valuing meaningful connection. That’s what creates a genuine culture of care at all levels.’

Dan’s experience with burnout has driven his passion for helping to create genuinely supportive workplaces. He understands the difference it can make when organisations build cultures of care, helping employees to avoid burnout from the start.