Did you know that the World Health Organization (WHO) classified burnout as an occupational phenomenon? In other words, while leaders and HR tend to classify burnout as a personal failing, as evidenced in the way they tackle it with offerings of gym memberships and extended PTO, WHO says it’s a result of chronic workplace stress that hasn’t been successfully managed.
WHO begs the question, who is supposed to manage chronic workplace stress? The person working in an organization that overworks, underpays, provides ambiguous expectations, doesn’t train managers to delegate or coach, allows toxic behaviors, and doesn’t reward people? Or the organization guilty of these transgressions?
Really, why are organizations placing the responsibility for tackling burnout on their employees when the work environment is the cause?
And, burnout is costing businesses billions. A 2023 Gallup report reveals that 76% of employees experience burnout at least occasionally, with 28% feeling burned out “very often” or “always.”
The Role of the Employer
Well-being programs must be more than a box-ticking exercise. Gym memberships and stress management workshops alone won’t solve the problem. True change requires addressing systemic issues such as overwhelming workloads, lack of control, poor leadership, and insufficient resources—not just asking employees to manage their stress better.
How to Start Creating Systemic Changes
Redefine Workloads
McKinsey Health Institute’s fantastic article on this subject points out that employees cite the feeling of always being on call, unfair treatment, unreasonable workloads, low autonomy and lack of social support as the main underminers of their mental health and well-being.
Employees are putting in extra hours, but still feeling like they’re falling behind, and no amount of wellness programming will fix that. So start by evaluating your job descriptions. Do they reflect the full scope of your employee’s current responsibilities? If not, think about redistributing workloads or bringing on new employees to help.
Yes, new employees cost money, but so does burnout in the form of absenteeism, presenteeism, workers compensation due to stress, increased health insurance, and more.
It’s okay for employees to sometimes get in a position of overwork – sometimes it can’t be helped. But if employees are in that position for extended periods of time, they burn out. They need to feel okay when they turn work off to disconnect and recharge.
Re-Evaluate Who’s Defined as An Organizational Champion
Who gets rewarded and acknowledged in your workplace? Are they the leaders who berate their teams? The people who work 70 hours a week? Or is it the people who handle their workload in a reasonable amount of hours and remain respectful?
If it’s the former, you’re signaling to your workforce that overwork and poor behavior is the key to success. Try rewarding people who remain calm, and who don’t work 70 hours per week. For some generations and for some overachievers, that much work is a feather in their cap. Great for them if that’s their choice, but don’t celebrate them, promote them, or reward them just for doing it.
Empower Managers
Managers are on the front lines of preventing burnout, but they need proper training and support. It’s not enough to just tell employees to speak up—leaders must create an environment where employees feel safe discussing their mental health and be able to identify the warning signs of burnout.
Some training programs you can provide them are building a psychologically safe workplace, giving and receiving feedback, setting clear expectations, and holding effective 1:1 conversations. We specialize in equipping leaders with these essential skills to help them navigate workplace issues effectively and foster a supportive environment.
Foster a Culture of Feedback
Lack of communication is a major driver of burnout. When employees feel unheard and unsupported, small issues can turn into major stressors. To prevent this, create a culture of continuous feedback where employees can share their concerns openly and management actively listens and acts on that feedback.
Implementing regular workforce surveys can provide valuable insights into employee experiences and help identify areas for improvement. Our specialized surveys are designed to gather actionable data, enabling you to address issues proactively.
How We Help Organizations Tackle Burnout at the Core
Our approach focuses on partnering with HR to shift the responsibility back where it belongs—on the organization. We work together to develop systems that address the structural causes of burnout. This includes creating clear expectations, promoting work-life balance, improving leadership skills, and building a supportive environment where employees feel valued and heard. Check out some of our case studies to see how we’ve made a difference.
Let’s work together to build a culture that doesn’t just apply a band-aid but tackles burnout at its source.
