Employee Burnout Is on the Rise: What’s Causing It?
Feeling Worn Out at Work? You’re Not the Only One
Ever hit a point where work drains you so much that you can’t think clearly?
You’re definitely not alone.
A Deloitte study revealed that 77% of employees have felt burned out in their current job—and over half have experienced it more than once.
Burnout is more common than people realize, and often, the real causes stay hidden.
In this article, we’ll uncover the less obvious reasons behind burnout and how they impact both people and workplaces. We’ll also explore simple ways to manage and prevent it.
What is Burnout?
Burnout happens when long-term stress at work leads to physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. You may feel tired all the time, lose motivation, and struggle to do your job effectively.
It can show up as fatigue, low mood, trouble sleeping, or even body pain. Burnout isn’t just regular stress—it builds up over time and can seriously affect both your work and personal life.
Why Burnout Is Becoming a Bigger Issue
In 2023, 42% of employees worldwide said they felt burned out—the highest figure since 2021.
Burnout doesn’t just impact people—it’s bad news for businesses too. It leads to lower productivity, more absences, and high turnover, which can be expensive for any organization.
That’s why it’s important to recognize and address burnout early.
What’s Really Causing Burnout? These Might Surprise You
You might feel tired, but burnout is deeper than just being overworked. Here are some hidden causes you might not have noticed:
- Too Much Work, Not Enough Time
Overloaded schedules and tight deadlines leave no room to breathe. That pressure builds up fast. - No Control Over Work
If employees have no say in how they work or make decisions, they can feel stuck and helpless. - Unclear Job Responsibilities
Not knowing what’s expected can cause constant confusion and anxiety, making work feel overwhelming. - Lack of Recognition
When people’s efforts go unnoticed, they lose motivation and start to feel unappreciated. - Poor Work-Life Balance
When work spills into personal time, there’s no chance to reset—leading to emotional fatigue. - Toxic Work Culture
Gossip, favoritism, or constant conflict create unhealthy stress that wears people down. - Not Enough Support
Feeling isolated or ignored by leaders or coworkers adds to the emotional strain. - Value Mismatch
If employees don’t believe in the company’s direction, it’s hard to stay committed. - Constant Pressure to Perform
Always having to meet high expectations with no rest eventually takes a toll. - Stress Outside of Work
Personal issues like family challenges or money problems make workplace stress even harder to manage.
Burnout builds slowly. If we notice and fix these underlying problems early, we can create a more supportive work culture.
How Burnout Hurts Businesses
Burnout doesn’t only affect individual employees—it can affect a whole company’s performance. Here’s how:
- Lower Productivity
Burned-out employees take longer to finish tasks and often make more mistakes. - Frequent Absences
More sick days and time off disrupt team progress and delay important work. - Poor-Quality Work
Tired minds lead to careless errors and missed deadlines, which damage the company’s reputation. - Higher Turnover
Employees under stress often quit, leading to more hiring and training costs. - Bad Workplace Atmosphere
Frustrated, tired workers bring down morale and teamwork. - Loss of Skills and Experience
When key team members leave, they take knowledge and experience with them. - Increased Operational Costs
From missed deadlines to higher healthcare costs, burnout drains money too.
By focusing on employee well-being, businesses can avoid these issues and build stronger, happier teams.
Real-World Examples: How Companies Fight Burnout
1. Slack’s “Recharge Fridays”
Slack listened to employees during the pandemic and introduced monthly Fridays off for everyone to relax. They also supported flexible schedules for those with personal challenges.
2. Talkdesk’s Wellness Week
After hearing that remote workers were struggling with isolation, Talkdesk introduced a full week focused on wellness and mental health activities to reconnect their teams.
3. Equinix’s Manager Cafes
Equinix trained managers to recognize stress signs and cut down unnecessary tasks. These sessions helped managers support their teams with more empathy and flexibility.
These companies prove that listening and acting on employee feedback makes a big difference in preventing burnout.
How to Prevent Burnout in Your Workplace
You can’t eliminate all stress, but you can build systems to manage it. Here’s how organizations can help:
- Foster a supportive and respectful work culture.
- Encourage regular breaks and time off.
- Clearly define roles and expectations.
- Allow flexible work hours or remote options.
- Recognize and reward good work.
- Train leaders to manage teams with empathy.
- Offer access to mental health support.
- Keep communication open for feedback and improvement.
- Promote healthy habits—like movement, sleep, and balanced eating.
Final Thoughts
Burnout is a serious problem that affects people and companies alike. But by spotting the root causes—like unrealistic expectations or poor communication—we can take meaningful steps to stop it.
Whether you’re a team leader or employee, your mental well-being should never be ignored. Let’s work toward a healthier workplace—together.
Take care, and remember: productivity starts with people.