Cottingham counsellor urges businesses to tackle burnout early

Debi Bell, pictured at her counselling practice.

DEBI Bell, who runs DeBell Counselling Ltd, spent nearly 30 years in senior corporate leadership before retraining as a counsellor, including working as a Supply Chain Director on the Senior Leadership Team of a PLC.

Recent figures from the CIPD’s Health and Wellbeing at Work 2025 report found that 21% of UK workers always or often feel exhausted at work, while 12% always or often feel under excessive pressure.

Debi said her experience in both corporate leadership and counselling has given her an insight into how workplace burnout can develop and how easily the warning signs can be missed.

“Nobody around me used the word burnout back then,” said Debi. “We used words like resilient, driven, always on. Looking back, most of us weren’t thriving, we were just further along the same road than the people who eventually cracked.”

According to Debi, burnout does not always present itself dramatically. Employees may become quieter in meetings, experience a drop in performance or gradually disengage from their work, with the signs potentially developing over several months.

She is encouraging employers to look beyond written wellbeing policies and consider how workplace culture, management and workloads affect employees on a day-to-day basis.

Debi said managers who recognise changes early, ensure workloads remain manageable and create an environment where employees feel comfortable asking for support can play an important role in preventing burnout from escalating.

As part of her work with local organisations, Debi is offering three free 30-minute burnout conversations to Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce member businesses this quarter.

The sessions give business owners or managers an opportunity to discuss concerns they may be seeing within their teams and receive practical guidance on possible next steps.

About DeBell Counselling Ltd

DeBell Counselling Ltd is based in Cottingham, East Yorkshire, and works with individuals, couples and organisations in areas including stress, burnout and career transition.

Debi Bell spent nearly 30 years in senior corporate leadership before retraining as a counsellor and mediator.

Contact Debi Bell, DeBell Counselling Ltd
Email: contact@debell.co.uk
Telephone: 07867 818018
Website: www.debell.co.uk