Job burnout rates keep escalating, with roughly half of the workers around the globe struggling with the problem, according to 2024 data. Young employees aged 18-24 are more likely to experience burnout syndrome, with women at far greater risk than men. The industry also plays a part since competitive and demanding landscapes, i.e., healthcare, tech, and management, increase the likelihood of employee burnout.
The World Health Organization reports that depression and anxiety result in a loss of 12 billion working days a year, costing the global economy $1 trillion in annual losses. On a more personal level, employee burnout results in a loss of productivity, underperforming, and lack of motivation, which immediately affects company performance, team morale, and profits.
At the same time, understanding the causes, first signs, and eventual consequences of employee burnout can help companies develop functional prevention techniques, thus strengthening corporate culture and employee engagement. In this post, we will discuss effective ways to combat work burnout – starting with the main reasons behind it and the first troubling signs to watch out for.
Table of Contents:
Main Factors Causing Employee Burnout
Unfortunately, the causes of work burnout are not always limited to work alone. The spread of hybrid work models in the post-COVID professional landscape increases the likelihood of job burnout by further blurring the lines between personal and professional life. While hybrid work is designed to improve work-life balance (which it often does), mismanaging flexible work hours can result in unnecessary pressure and lead to faster burnout than traditional office work.
The causes of employee burnout are numerous and often paradoxical – for instance, lack of support and teamwork opportunities are as likely to cause burnout as over-collaboration. Still, the primary cause is ineffective management. At the same time, managers alone cannot prevent employee burnout – in fact, research proves that managers are at higher risk of burning out than the people they manage. This makes perfect sense because managers experience most of the work pressure as they balance between meeting corporate goals and representing the best interest of the people, which is essentially what quality management is about.
Additional causes of high employee burnout include:
- Excessive workload or unrealistic deadlines;
- Lack of control or support from colleagues and management;
- Routine work with no room for growth;
- High criticism, lack of appreciation, and generally unfair treatment;
- Pressure environments with high potential for conflict.
Straightforward and Hidden Signs of Employee Burnout
Similarly to causes, signs of burnout are varied and not always obvious. The most straightforward symptoms include the following:
- Reduced productivity;
- Taking constant days off and increasing work absenteeism;
- Detachment or increased emotional sensitivity;
- Constant exhaustion and underperformance.
However, some other signs are less obvious and are often discarded as isolated cases of ‘moody’ and starting the day ‘on the wrong foot.’ Ironically, those are the signs managers should watch out for more closely because that’s where the real danger lies. Hidden signs of an employee already struggling with burnout often include:
- A decline in creativity and new ideas;
- Increased cynicism or criticism towards company/management;
- Forgetfulness, irritability, chronic illness;
- Overcommitment and obsessive perfectionism;
- Social detachment;
- Uncharacteristic emotional reactions.
Notably, none of these signs or a combination of these signs necessarily means burnout – we all have bad days sometimes. But if these ‘bad days’ persist, this is a valid reason to get alarmed.
Employee Burnout Consequences: Why Employers Should Care?
Besides the loss of productivity that directly translates into financial losses, employee burnout poses the risk of reputational damage for a company – through failing to meet project requirements or voicing regular criticism about the brand. Even when this criticism is not published online to wider audiences, it is still shared among trusted friends (who often happen to revolve in similar professional circles). Besides, disengaged, demotivated employees negatively affect team morale, which could lead to a snowball effect of job dissatisfaction and a new series of financial or reputational losses.
Next, recent research suggests that burned-out employees are three times more likely to actively search for a new job. Obviously, this increases the risk of high employee turnover, constant rounds of recruiting and onboarding expenses, project downtime due to lack of qualified experts, increased workload on the employees who stayed, and – again – increased risk of further employee burnout, financial and reputational losses… You already know the drill.
So, how do you break this vicious circle?
Actionable Strategies to Prevent Job Burnout
Preventing employee burnout starts with a deeper understanding of its main causes – and while we have briefly discussed the top reasons in the paragraphs above, it’s important to treat each case of corporate burnout separately. Besides specific industry variations, the work environment differs from one company to another, and the actual burnout reasons can also be different for employees working on the same team.
Still, there are a few strategies that have already proven successful in combating workplace burnout.
Foster a safe & supportive work environment
In essence, preventing burnout is about fostering teamwork and collaboration in the workplace – but, of course, there is no universal way to create a safe and supportive environment. Many steps, from encouraging open communication and exchange of ideas to genuinely committing to DEI practices, can help achieve that. Offering enough days off and, if necessary, encouraging employees to take extra leave days can also go a long way in building trust and inspiring company loyalty – but, for that, managers should communicate with their staff to spot the alarming signs in their early stages.
Ensure control without micromanaging
Both lack and excess of control can accelerate burnout rates at work. In the first case, employees flounder without clear guidelines; in the second, constant check-ins and excessive monitoring simply do not leave them enough time to do the actual work. Finding that golden middle that works for specific jobs and departments can greatly alleviate the risks of burnout.
Provide and listen to feedback
Regular feedback through official means like performance evaluation letters or face-to-face conversations is a way to acknowledge employees’ efforts and guide them in the right direction when performance is not up to par. Here, it is important to stay on the positive side – offering feedback only when something goes wrong is a sure way to accelerate corporate burnout rates. That’s why regular assessments, written or verbal, and giving employees credit for their work is so important – to avoid overcriticizing.
Similarly, asking employees for feedback can help build trust and show employees that their opinions matter. It can also be a very effective strategy for identifying alarming signs across divisions – which leads us to the next point.
Regularly evaluate business practices
Evaluating employee performance can help spot alarming signs on an individual level, whereas regular evaluation of business models and practices can help address a problem at its root. While there are no hard metrics for measuring corporate ‘toxicity,’ sudden performance drops in specific divisions often result from recent changes – in adopted technologies, management approaches, or even hiring new employees.
In most cases, a full-scale redesign of a business model is not necessary. Still, monitoring performance metrics and watching out for signs of growing dissatisfaction is a path company leaders should follow if they do not want to introduce more critical measures in the future.
Make room for growth and variety
Sadly, this tip may not apply to all jobs and companies, but in most cases, it’s still possible to diversify tasks and offer opportunities for career development. Exhausting routine is not only the biggest productivity killer; it is also a sure path to quick employee burnout.
Here, it is important to see the difference between useful routines (specific steps and actions that lead to a tangible goal) and endless cycles of boring job duties that seem to lead nowhere. Diversifying those whenever possible or dividing the endless routine tasks evenly between different employees can greatly alleviate stress and prevent employee burnout.
Provide access to health resources
Finally, if the prevention did not help and some of the employees are already exhibiting signs of burnout, it is time for action. A face-to-face conversation, encouraging employees to voice their ideas, is a good start that can help introduce necessary changes or find mutually beneficial solutions. However, prolonged burnout can lead to depression, and at this stage, one should not expect any constructive suggestions from an affected person. In such a case, offering access to mental health resources or even counseling might be necessary.
Conclusion
Motivated employees are the key to every company’s success, but the rates of 21st-century workplace burnout are truly alarming, and it’s up to business leadership to address this problem. Financial losses, high employee turnover, and reputational damage are only some of the most alarming consequences of ignoring this issue. And while the risk of burnout never goes away (not entirely, at least), nurturing a safe and welcoming work culture can go a long way to minimize the risks.
At the very least, guided leadership and a positive work culture help prevent quiet quitting – a workplace syndrome that’s similar to burnout in signs but originates from somewhat different causes. Make sure to read this post to understand the difference between quiet quitting and full-scale burnout. And, of course, check in for more updates on our site to stay updated on the best workplace strategies for boosting productivity and stimulating business growth.
