Leigh Ann Errico of LAeRRICO & Partners On How the World’s Best Leaders Build Burnout-Free Workplace Cultures
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Resilience: Early in my leadership career, I faced significant resistance and doubt from colleagues who didn’t believe I was ready for my role. Instead of letting that negativity derail me, I focused on delivering results, proving that competence and hard work can shift perceptions over time.
In today’s high-pressure business landscape, burnout has become an epidemic affecting both employees and leaders. The question is — how can companies create workplace cultures that prioritize well-being without compromising performance? To dive into this important topic, we are interviewing Leigh Ann Errico.
Leigh Ann Errico is CEO and Founder of LAeRRICO & Partners where she guides corporate leaders through transformation, leadership development, and organizational change. With extensive experience as a former VP of HR at two global healthcare companies and her work across a diverse range of industries, she specializes in leadership coaching, burnout recovery, stress resilience, corporate transformation, high-impact communication, and team optimization. Certified by Georgetown University as both an Executive Coach and Health & Wellness Coach, Leigh Ann co-developed the neuroscience-based program From Surviving to Thriving, teaching executives and their teams how to harness the power of their nervous system, including the vagus nerve.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
I started my career in Human Resources at a major pharmaceutical company, where I was deeply involved in strategy, project management, and operationalizing key initiatives. My relentless work ethic and drive led me to a Vice President of Human Resources role at a global organization by my early 30s, even though I initially doubted my readiness. Over time, I realized the immense impact leadership and workplace culture have on individuals’ well-being and performance. When I left the corporate world to start my own firm, LAeRRICO & Partners, I dedicated myself to supporting leaders in ways that would help them thrive without the unnecessary struggles I faced.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
One of the most defining moments in my career was being promoted to Vice President despite feeling unprepared. Some colleagues were skeptical because of my younger age and the imposter syndrome I experienced was a significant challenge. However, through hard work and determination, I proved to myself and others that I belonged in that role. That experience shaped my coaching philosophy: helping leaders step into their power with confidence, resilience, and the right support system.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
- Strategic: In both my corporate career and my coaching practice, I’ve learned that trying to “boil the ocean” is ineffective. Instead, I prioritize key objectives and execute them with intention, just as I advise my clients to do.
- Resilience: Early in my leadership career, I faced significant resistance and doubt from colleagues who didn’t believe I was ready for my role. Instead of letting that negativity derail me, I focused on delivering results, proving that competence and hard work can shift perceptions over time.
- Empathetic: I’ve personally experienced the toll that high-pressure environments can take on one’s well-being. That’s why I emphasize the human aspect of leadership, helping my clients build supportive workplace cultures where people can thrive. We all need to be seen.
Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you share a pivotal moment in your career when you realized the importance of creating a burnout-free workplace culture? How did it influence your approach to leadership?
In my early career, I worked long hours, often leaving the office at 1 or 2 AM and returning by 6 AM. While it earned me recognition, it also led to exhaustion and stress. Reflecting on that experience, I realized that sustainable success isn’t about working harder, it’s about working smarter. Now, I coach leaders on setting boundaries, prioritizing well-being, and fostering cultures where people can be highly productive without sacrificing their health.
What are some of the most common causes of burnout in today’s workplaces, and what signs should leaders look out for in their teams?
Signs of burnout include decreased engagement, increased absenteeism, declining performance, cynicism, and emotional exhaustion. Some of the common causes of burnout are:
- Excessive workload and unrealistic expectations
- Lack of autonomy and control over work
- Poor communication and unclear expectations
- Toxic work environments with little support or recognition
- Blurring of work-life boundaries, leading to chronic stress
How do you personally balance the need to drive results with the need to ensure employee well-being?
First, I think we have to schedule our well-being and time for connections with people and for joy just as we would a medical appointment. Well-being and performance go hand in hand. By focusing on strategic goals, empowering employees, and fostering an environment of trust and flexibility, leaders can achieve exceptional results without pushing their teams to exhaustion.
What role does communication play in creating a burnout-free workplace, and how can leaders foster open dialogue about mental health and work-life balance?
Transparent, empathetic communication is critical. Leaders should actively listen to their teams, encourage open discussions about stress and workload, and model healthy behaviors themselves, such as setting boundaries and taking breaks.
What is your take on traditional corporate norms, like long working hours and “always-on” availability? Are these practices outdated, or do they still have a place in certain industries?
While some industries require extended hours at times, the idea that long hours equate to productivity is outdated. Sustainable success comes from efficiency, smart prioritization, and allowing employees the space to recharge.
Ok, let’s dig into actionable strategies. Based on your experience and research, can you share “5 Ways to Build a Burnout-Free Workplace Culture”? If you can, please include examples or stories for each.
- Implement Mental Health & Stress Management Programs — Chronic stress drowns leaders and employees in fight-or-flight survival mode. This can wreck decision-making and performance. Activating the vagus nerve through breathwork, mindfulness, or a vagus nerve stimulator helps restore clarity and energy. Research, including studies by the U.S. Air Force, suggests that stimulating the vagus nerve enhances cognitive function and decision-making under pressure. Companies that integrate science-backed stress management into their wellness programs are not only curbing burnout, but they also create sharper, more innovative teams that thrive under pressure.
- Encourage Boundaries & Mandate Rest: Leaders must respect employees’ time off and model healthy work-life integration. That means implementing mandatory time off and normalizing mental health days instead of treating them as luxuries. Research shows that chronic stress disrupts immune function and overall well-being. By promoting true downtime, organizations can prevent burnout and boost long-term productivity
- Foster Psychological Safety: Create an environment where employees feel safe discussing stress and challenges. Leaders must actively listen and acknowledge employees as human beings. When leaders cultivate trust and encourage open conversations about mental health, it reduces chronic stress and improves resilience.
- Recognize and Reward Efforts: Acknowledging employees’ hard work boosts engagement and morale. Neuroscience reveals that feeling valued enhances motivation and overall workplace satisfaction, leading to better retention and performance. If leaders don’t take time to celebrate people and their accomplishments, they risk disengagement and turnover.
- Promote Flexibility: Allow employees control over their schedules when possible. Autonomy reduces stress and enhances productivity by allowing individuals to work during their most effective hours, aligning with their natural rhythms. Leaders who prioritize visibility at the office over results will continue to lose talent to companies that trust their people.
What do you say to skeptics who believe that creating a burnout-free culture may come at the cost of productivity or profits?
Research consistently shows that employee well-being drives higher engagement, lower turnover, and greater profitability. A thriving workforce is a productive workforce.
Can you share a real-world example of a team or organization where prioritizing employee well-being led to unexpected or exceptional results?
One of my clients, a fast-paced tech company, implemented a structured well-being initiative, including no-meeting Fridays and mandatory time off. Within six months, employee engagement scores improved, and productivity actually increased due to reduced burnout.
How can leaders in high-pressure industries (like tech, finance, or healthcare) realistically apply these principles without falling behind on deadlines or performance goals?
By implementing science-backed stress reduction techniques, prioritizing efficiency, leveraging technology, and allowing employees to take ownership of their time, leaders can balance high performance with well-being. It’s about working smarter, not just harder.
What trends or innovations are you seeing in workplace well-being and culture that excite you the most?
The rise of hybrid work models and increased focus on mental health initiatives in corporate settings are promising developments.
In your opinion, how does a burnout-free culture impact a company’s long-term success, its relationships with employees, and even its customers?
A burnout-free culture fosters loyalty, creativity, and innovation. Employees who feel valued and energized deliver better customer experiences and drive long-term business success.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement to help more companies embrace burnout-free workplace cultures, what would it be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I would expand my From Surviving to Thriving program into a global initiative that provides leaders with the tools, science-backed strategies, and support they need to transform their organizations into cultures that prioritize well-being. While many leadership programs emphasize strategy and performance metrics, they often overlook a key contributor to burnout: chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation, which can keep both leaders and employees in fight-or-flight survival mode. This program helps companies implement sustainable workplace wellness strategies, leadership training, and stress management techniques developed from neuroscience to build resilience and prevent burnout. By making these resources widely accessible, we can create a shift where burnout-free workplaces become the norm rather than the exception.
How can our readers further follow you online?
Readers can connect with me through my company’s website and blog, LAeRRICO & Partners https://www.laerricopartners.com/, follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leigh-ann-errico, where I share insights on leadership, resilience, and well-being. To learn more about my Surviving to Thriving program go here: https://www.laerricopartners.com/from-surviving-to-thriving
This was great. Thank you so much for the time you spent sharing with us.
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur with 25+ years of experience as a Founder and CEO. While attending Ohio State University, he launched his first company, Choice Recovery, Inc., a nationally recognized healthcare collection agency — twice ranked the #1 workplace in Ohio. In 2013, he founded [re]start, helping thousands of people find meaningful career opportunities. After selling both companies, Chad shifted his focus to his true passion — leadership. Today, he coaches founders and CEOs at Built to Lead, advises Authority Magazine’s Thought Leader Incubator.
Leigh Ann Errico of LAeRRICO & Partners On How the World’s Best Leaders Build Burnout-Free… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.