A vital message to people in HR: "Protecting our own wellbeing is paramount"

Sarah Venables, a seasoned HR professional with over two decades of experience, delivered an emotional keynote at the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit. She recounted how her mental health deteriorated in 2018, driven by factors such as staff turnover, new management, and other workplace changes. Despite her extensive tenure and achievements, her actions and decisions were consistently questioned, leading her to doubt herself.

She spent countless hours wondering what others expected of her, losing focus on her own perspective. As anxiety and fear grew, she became convinced she was incompetent. Her mental state worsened, culminating in a severe depression diagnosis in 2019, which resulted in a four-month leave of absence. Since then, she has emphasized that mental health decline is preventable and urged those experiencing wobbliness, low confidence, anxiety, or depression to seek help.

According to the 2026 HR Mental Wellbeing Report by Ultimate Resilience, HR professionals are 2.5 times more likely to suffer from clinical depression and anxiety compared to the general population. Almost half of the respondents reported clinically significant symptoms of depression, while 62% felt very likely to experience burnout.

The top sources of stress for HR professionals include excessive workload, poor management, and lack of support, with only 13% feeling well-supported at work. These factors contribute to 38% of respondents considering leaving the HR profession. Venables highlighted the emotional responsibility of HR professionals, who often handle individuals' most difficult experiences, including psychological conversations about stress, bereavement, or other personal issues.

She stressed the need for greater understanding, care, empathy, and compassion to prevent suffering in this demanding role.