Resilience at Work: The Hidden Labor Leaders Can't Ignore
Friends and Colleagues at the 2025 NGLCC International Leadership and Business Conference in Las Vegas - practicing what we preach: Rest, Play, & Joy!
The Unseen Emotional Work Teams Do, and How Leaders Can Support.
When you hear the words “emotional labor” at work, what comes to mind? Conflict resolution? Supporting a stressed colleague? Navigating ambiguous expectations? Or maybe you think it’s just “part of the job” something invisible that your team quietly carries every day.
The first time I went out of town when my children were little my husband was left to take care of the kids. Upon my return, he said to me, "I didn't realize how much you actually do around here until you were gone." This was an important and huge realization in our relationship which lended itself to a much better understanding for one another and the roles that we played in our home. And, this often carries out the same way in the workplace; we don't always know what other people are really carrying until they are gone.
Too often, leaders focus solely on deliverables, deadlines, and metrics. But the unseen emotional labor your team performs, such as managing stress, interpersonal dynamics, and morale, directly impacts resilience, engagement, and retention. Ignoring it can be costly.
🗣️ So, let’s talk about why this work matters, then I’ll give you practical ways to support it.
Emotional labor builds connection, trust, and adaptability. When people feel psychologically safe to express concerns, share ideas, or admit mistakes, teams become more resilient, creative, and collaborative. Leaders who see and support this labor aren’t coddling. They’re investing in sustainable performance.
🔬 Here’s what the research shows:
Grant Thornton's 2024 Survey found that 51% of employees reported experiencing burnout in the past year, with mental and emotional stress cited as the top cause by 63% of respondents. This underscores the critical need for leaders to recognize and address the emotional demands placed on their teams. Grant Thornton
A 2025 Study on Educators revealed that teachers who employ deep acting in their emotional labor, aligning their true feelings with organizational expectations, demonstrate higher resilience and job performance. This highlights the importance of authentic emotional engagement in fostering a resilient workforce. E-IJI
Headspace’s 2024 Workforce State of Mind Report indicated that 77% of employees reported that work stress negatively impacted their physical health. The report emphasizes the significant role that relationships with co-workers, managers, and leaders play in employees' mental and emotional well-being. Headspace
➽ The Leadership Edge
Supporting emotional labor isn’t about fixing every problem or taking over others’ feelings. It’s about engaging in emotional intelligence education so you can begin to create brave spaces, model empathy, and validate the unseen effort. Leaders who actively check in, normalize vulnerability, and recognize the full scope of work foster environments where people thrive. This is truly a mark of people doing peopling better!
💜 Quick Tips (and Why They Matter) :
Acknowledge the effort: Name it, appreciate it, and show that emotional work counts.
Check in intentionally: Add brief “emotional check-ins” to meetings. Ask how people are managing, not just what they’re delivering.
Model resilience: Demonstrate healthy boundaries, self-care, and vulnerability. Your actions give permission for others to do the same.
If you need support in any of these areas, feel free to reach out to me.
🤔 Reflection Questions :
Take time to explore these questions, perhaps even keeping a journal for a few months to track your progress.
How often do I notice and acknowledge the emotional labor my team carries?
When was the last time I created space for a colleague to express stress or frustration safely?
What small action could I take today to support team resilience?
🙆🏽♀️ Stretch Challenge :
For one week, start meetings with a short check-in about emotional well-being. Observe how it shifts engagement, communication, or collaboration. Encourage your team to recognize the invisible work they do and celebrate it! You can also buy the Empathy ConnectionCatalyst™ Conversation Card Deck to help engage your teams in dialogue.
🎶 A Final Note (for now):
Emotional labor is not “extra” not "soft". It’s essential and strategic. The question isn’t whether leaders have time to acknowledge it, it’s whether they can afford not to.
If your organization wants to build truly resilient teams while supporting well-being, let’s talk. I teach leaders to see and value emotional labor as a strategic advantage.
🌶️ Here is your Call to Action: Take care of YOU!
Being who YOU are is an ASSET. And, when you deplete yourself, everything falls apart. Cultivate YOUR Success through Joy and Rest. Learn to thrive being your AUTHENTIC SELF. Stop forcing yourself into someone else’s box and instead redefine success on your terms, with joy and rest at the center. LEARN MORE and APPLY to JOIN the Joy Group Coaching Cohort Starting October 27th; A monthly coaching cohort which meets for 2-hours each month to explore emotional well-being, emotional intelligence, empathy, communication skills, confidence-building, joy and play, and self-connection, helping you reset from the inside out.
With Empathy and Joy,
Misha Safran, MA, PCC
Keynote Speaker & Leadership Trainer and Coach
Land Acknowledgement: Born on the land of the Anacostans, Piscataway, and Pamunkey peoples. Currently living on Karkin Ohlone land.
All are valued in my practice: BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, humans of all backgrounds and ages. I hope to support a safer and braver space for all professionals to do peopling better.
