Employee Burnout: Signs, Causes, and How to Help

Amid all the constant changes in business today, signs of burnout are everywhere in the workforce. As the economy continues to rebound and employee mobility grows, burnout is a double-edged sword wreaking havoc for organizations, with many employees feeling checked out or looking to leave their jobs. Those who remain are left with picking up the pieces, and that aftermath can cause stress and strain on them as well.
In partnership with The Harris Poll, we recently conducted research designed to gauge the extent to which American workers are thriving, burned out, or ambivalent and what drives those emotional states. The results confirmed what many employers are seeing – burnout is prevalent – and revealed troubling cracks in the overall employee culture that haven’t gotten the attention they deserve in many organizations.
One of the biggest takeaways was this: 76% of employees and 63% of managers report feeling burned out or ambivalent in their current position. Yet managers aren’t recognizing just how overwhelmed their employees feel, with 89% saying their employees are thriving compared to the actual thriving figure of 24% – a more than 3-to-1 discrepancy.
In other words, managers aren’t picking up the signs of burnout among their teams, which means employees aren’t feeling heard and getting the support they need. As a result, many are considering dusting off their resumes or opting to just get by day-to-day.
Throughout this article, we’ll explore some causes of burnout and the nuances we see. We'll also highlight new ways employers can combat the problem and build a stronger, thriving employee culture.