Iceberg: Social Worker Burnout
This infographic shows how burnout in social work is often misunderstood. It explains that managers may label staff as lazy, disorganised or unmotivated, but these surface comments hide the real issues underneath. The image uses an iceberg to illustrate how deeper problems sit out of sight. These include emotional fatigue from traumatic cases, unsafe caseloads, long term stress, poor supervision, moral distress, fear of blame and lack of practical support. It also highlights how social workers often feel judged, undervalued and unable to raise concerns, while working through breaks and carrying risk alone. The infographic makes clear that what looks like poor performance is often a sign of pressure, exhaustion and unmet support needs.
