Burnout in the Workplace
The Burnout Within
Top 5 Reasons Burnout Occurs in the Workplace—and What
You Can Do About It
Burnout has become a pressing issue in today’s workforce, impacting everyone from entry-level staff to senior leadership. Though frequently viewed as the byproduct of overwork, burnout is more than just feeling tired—burnout can lead to disengagement, decreased productivity, and even serious health concerns. The process almost always starts slowly, much like a frog sitting in a pot of to-be boiled water. At first things get uncomfortable, but remain tolerable. After some time, the drive to do more starts to diminish, enthusiasm is stifled, energy is difficult to find, and everything becomes a shade of grey. Burnout, then becomes a life of feeling tired, disengaged, apathetic, and stressed. Often this leads to depression, anxiety, and the feeling of helplessness. Sadly, these feelings are almost always internalized, hidden from the outside world until they reach the proverbial boiling point. When that happens, the frog is cooked.
The idea of burnout is not a new phenomenon. It is seen across most business platforms, has had its space in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Times, and is a frequent topic on LinkedIn. The what behind burnout is readily understood. This is the byproduct, the outcome of the burnout conditions. However, what has occurred, though beneficial to know, does not help us resolve the conditions that lead to burnout. Understanding why burnout happens is the first step toward creating healthier, more sustainable workplaces. As we move forward towards healthier organizational cultures, stronger businesses, and developing the best worker-workforce dynamic we can, we must first address the root cause of the pathway to burnout, rather than offering a head nod to the outcome and hope it just gets better on its own.
Here are five reasons burnout occurs in the workplace:
1. Unmanageable Workload
When employees consistently face unrealistic expectations, tight deadlines, or excessive responsibilities, it’s only a matter of time before burnout sets in. A constant overload not only erodes motivation but also leads to physical and emotional exhaustion. Even high performers will struggle when the workload becomes chronically unsustainable. Typically, these conditions follow a lack of boundaries within the workplace, or having moveable, fluid timelines, that require immediate response or the sacrifice of personal time to meet the newly acquired project conditions.
Solution: Leaders should evaluate task distribution and workload balance regularly, along with developing clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and expectations. Encouraging open dialogue and empowering employees to speak up when overwhelmed can help prevent chronic overextension.
2. Lack of Control or Autonomy
Micromanagement, inflexible schedules, and a lack of decision-making authority can leave employees feeling powerless. When people feel they have no say in how they perform their work—or no control over outcomes—they’re more likely to become disengaged and burnt out. Individuals who feel as though they have no control over their circumstances encounter something called learned helplessness. In these conditions, they feel no actions taken will result in a positive outcome, and simply stop caring - about both good and bad outcomes. Eventually, they stop caring all together and either stop performing or outright quit.
Solution: Offer employees greater autonomy by allowing flexible work arrangements and involving them in decision-making processes. A level of ownership and buy-in can quickly elevate an employee’s morale and enthusiasm towards their position. Trust fosters ownership, and ownership reduces burnout.
3. Inadequate Recognition or Reward
People want to feel that their work matters. When effort and accomplishments go unnoticed, morale drops and disengagement rises. Recognition doesn’t always need to be monetary; sometimes a simple “thank you” or public acknowledgment can make a big difference. Often managers feel that the work speaks for itself, and does not need to be recognized. In situations where employees feel that their work exists in the void, it can diminish their desire to seek top performance. Additionally, when work is celebrated through the promotion of managers and senior leadership, where the employee remains stagnant, it can breed animosity, disunity, and fallout - all leading to employee burnout.
Solution: Develop a culture of appreciation. Recognize achievements regularly, both big and small, and ensure that employees understand how their work contributes to the organization’s goals.
4. Poor Workplace Relationships
A toxic work culture, lack of support from colleagues, or an unsupportive manager can quickly deplete emotional energy. Workplace conflict, isolation, or lack of psychological safety erodes trust and creates a hostile environment that accelerates burnout. In several situations, workplace toxicity is seen and understood by leadership, but does not appear to be addressed and allowed to perpetuate. This can occur within a department or organization as a whole. This can also occur when a toxic employee is not addressed, allowing the individual to disrupt the safety of others within the organization. The adage of one bad apple is applicable, here, especially when the individual’s actions are tolerated or celebrated.
Solution: Invest in team-building, conflict resolution training, and mentorship programs. Foster an inclusive culture where collaboration, respect, and empathy are part of the everyday work experience. Even the best producers will lead to poor workplace relationships if they are disruptive, incompatible with the team, or toxic within the workplace.
5. Unclear Job Expectations
When roles are poorly defined or goals constantly shift, employees can feel confused and aimless. Without a clear understanding of what’s expected—or how success is measured—frustration and stress build up, leading to burnout over time. Although employees appreciate having autonomy, clear expectations for their role is a critical component for a successful day. When employees cannot plan their day, understand what is expected of them, or are always waiting for the other shoe to drop, it can lead to animosity and uncertainty in the position. A lack of clear expectations can quickly lead to confusion, irritability, and simply giving up - a recipe ripe for burnout.
Solution: Provide clear job descriptions, regular feedback, and structured performance goals. Consistent communication between managers and team members helps align expectations and keeps everyone on track.
Final Thoughts
Burnout isn't just an individual issue—it's a systemic challenge within any business culture. Organizations that ignore the early signs of employee burnout risk higher turnover, decreased performance, and a disengaged workforce. Like most fires, once burnout sets in with one employee, there is almost always a feathering effect that impacts the rest of the organization. When one employee lacks enthusiasm, care, or connection to projects and responsibilities, other employees typically have to step in to fill the needs. Left unaddressed, those employees too, begin to feel the stress of carrying more work than necessary, and can become burnt out as a result. In truth, burnout rarely just impacts a single employee. Where there is one case, there are probably several others.
Unfortunately, most employees will not disclose how they feel for fear that it will lead to getting fired. Despite not being happy within their position, they would rather fight through the unhappiness than risk being let go. Sadly, this cycle leads deeper into an unhappy and unhealthy life, impacting both the employee and the workplace. It is important to note that healthy employees start with healthy conversations, and those conversations need to come from a place of trust with their employer. I will be addressing the trust issues in future articles, but understand that trust is not a requisite of employment - it is a byproduct of actions taken by the employer.
By addressing these five common causes, leaders can help build environments where employees feel supported, valued, and empowered to thrive. For more information on how to build a healthy culture within your organization, equip your leadership to be wellbeing experts, or develop a plan on establishing a total organizational healthcare plan, please reach out, we would be glad to help!
Remember: A healthy workplace isn’t a luxury—it is a necessity for long-term success.
Call-to-Action: If your organization is ready to address the challenges of burnout, our team can help design, implement, and optimize programs aimed at building safe environments that encourage a healthy balance inside, and out of the organization. Contact us today or subscribe for insights on building onboarding programs that inspire and retain talent.