Stepping off the Hamster Wheel
Why the Advice Workforce Needs Change Now
On 25 June 2025, at the Helping Hands: Valuing the Advice Workforce Conference, I launched my new report, Stepping off the Hamster Wheel. Commissioned by London Citizens Advice and the London Legal Support Trust, the report explores the realities of working in London’s social welfare advice sector—and why urgent action is needed.
The research draws on interviews, coaching work, and wider sector evidence. Again and again, people described feeling trapped in relentless busyness, using the same phrase: “I’m on a hamster wheel.” Despite initiatives such as resilience training and Employee Assistance Programmes, many workers remain overwhelmed, stressed, and at real risk of burnout, particularly in the context of the housing crisis and long-standing pay pressures.
A key finding is that wellbeing cannot be “fixed” at an individual level alone. Mindfulness sessions and self-care resources have their place, but they do not address the structural causes of poor wellbeing. Real improvement requires change at organisational and sector level.
The report calls for a shift in focus—from simply retaining staff to creating good jobs: roles with sustainable workloads, opportunities for learning and progression, and psychologically safe workplaces. Practical recommendations include standardising how wellbeing is measured, setting shared sector goals on job quality, reducing excessive workloads, and investing in leadership development. Just as importantly, I argue for a cultural shift towards more open conversations and shared responsibility for wellbeing.
There is persuasive evidence that a strategic commitment to wellbeing would benefit staff, organisations, and the communities they serve. If we want a sustainable advice sector, now is the time to step off the hamster wheel and do things differently.