The World Health Organization (WHO) defines burnout as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”¹ Burnout is further described as an occupational phenomenon. It is not classified as a medical condition.² However, burnout can lead to medical conditions such as anxiety and depression. Burnout should not be confused with physical or mental exhaustion, although it includes exhaustion. According to the WHO and to a leading researcher, burnout has three main characteristics:³

• Exhaustion – depletion or absence of energy, extreme physical or mental tiredness
• Cynicism – in the form of negativism, sarcasm, doubt, bitterness, mental distancing, distrust
• Inefficacy – reduced ability to regulate cognitive and emotional processes, reduced efficacy

In other words, people experiencing burnout have no energy, no enthusiasm and no ability to maintain a high concentration level. Signs noticeable at work include tiredness, absence of mind, negative attitudes, social withdrawal, impatience and irritability. Other signs include absenteeism, diminished productivity, incomplete tasks, missed deadlines and poor quality of work.

How big is the problem?

Burnout is an enormous problem affecting employee health and productivity. Based on a Gallup survey completed in May 2023, almost 30% of U.S. employees report feeling burned out “very often” or “always.”⁴ The percentage is above 25% in all Gallup surveys conducted since 2019.⁵ A global survey completed by McKinsey in April 2022 corroborates these findings. It reports that 25% of employees across various demographics experience symptoms of burnout.⁶

Surprisingly, many other sources expose an even bigger problem. For instance, Microsoft’s Work Trend Index published in September 2022 indicates that “more than half of managers [53%] report feeling burned out at work (…) slightly higher that employees in general.”⁷ Another survey conducted by Deloitte in 2018 reveals that 77% of professionals across U.S. industries experience burnout in their current job, and that 42% have previously left a job due to feelings of burnout.⁸

The wide variations among survey results are most likely explained by differences in survey questions and methods, because sample sizes are large in every case. Evidently, more research is needed for developing reliable survey questions and methods to accurately measure the extent of the problem. Nonetheless, it is very clear that burnout is an enormous problem even at the lowest of estimates. Considering that U.S. salaries and wages exceeded $10 trillion in 2022,⁹ a 25% loss of productivity due to burnout may cost employers upwards of $2.5 trillion annually.

What are the causes of burnout?

Asking about the causes of burnout is equivalent to asking about the causes of “chronic workplace stress” based on the WHO definition of burnout. There are two main categories of workplace stress that lead to burnout, namely job demand (workload, deadlines, pressures) and job environment (relationships, support, fairness). The McKinsey research suggests that job demand factors account for less than 10% of the chronic workplace stresses leading to burnout (Figure 1). By contrast, job environment factors account for more than 90% of the causes of burnout. They include toxic workplace behaviors (by far the biggest factor), an inconsiderate workplace, an unsupportive work environment, an unfair or discriminatory workplace, and other factors such as limited accountability, lack of health and wellness initiatives, and limited access to health resources.

Toxic workplace behavior is described as “employees experiencing interpersonal behavior that leads them to feel unvalued, belittled, or unsafe, such as unfair or demeaning treatment, noninclusive behavior, sabotaging, cutthroat competition, abusive management, and unethical behavior from leaders or coworkers.”¹⁰ Sadly, the ugly truth of toxic workplace behaviors is even worse. Based on the McKinsey survey, toxic workplace behaviors are also the most significant factor leading to other negative employee outcomes such as intent to leave, distress (sorrow, sadness), depression (feeling down, hopeless) and anxiety (nervousness, worry). (Figure 2)

How can the risk of burnout be mitigated?

Most people think of burnout as a personal problem that can be treated with individual therapies such as those typically offered in employee health and wellness programs. Such therapies include counselling, meditation, fitness, leisure activities, home care support, etc. Although these types of therapies are well intended, research indicates that they have very little impact because they do not address the main causes of burnout associated with job environment factors. Put simply, individual therapies are not relevant for addressing toxic workplace behaviors, or any other job environment factor causing chronic workplace stress, such as inconsiderate workplaces, unsupportive work environments, and unfair or discriminatory treatment. Individual therapies may help employees cope (until they decide to leave or claim long term disability), but they are not burnout remedies.

The first step for addressing employee burnout is for employers to understand the real causes of burnout, and to embrace the paradigm shift needed for addressing them. Ignorance and denial compound the problem as employees either leave or become unable to function. The second step is to measure the extent of the problem. The bigger the problem, the tougher remedies need to be. Although a result of 1 in 10 employees reporting burnout symptoms may seem low compared to the average of 1 in 4, ten percent of an entire workforce is still a very significant number. Measuring also helps determine if more attention needs to be allocated to specific organizational areas.

Given the overwhelming evidence that toxic workplace behaviors are by far the number one contributor to negative employee outcomes, employers must focus their attention on improving behaviors in the workplace. Not an easy task, but it can be done. Experts in organizational behavior (OB) and organizational development (OD) can provide assistance for developing a change program adapted to organizational needs. Such a program should include the following elements:

• Workplace behaviors  –  Survey and consult employees to identify and eliminate toxic workplace behaviors, including all forms of bullying, harassment and other incivilities. Implement mandatory training for all employees, and develop or update codes of conduct.

• Employee aspirations  –  Redesign the work environment to be inclusive and supportive of employee learning and growth. For example, ask each employee to outline their aspirations for learning and growth, and support employees in their personal plans for achieving them.

• Workload challenges  –  Monitor employee workloads and productivity, and proactively solicit feed-back from employees to identify challenges. Determine how workloads can be reallocated to other team members, or whether additional temporary or permanent resources are needed.

• Workplace flexibility  –  Attenuate workload challenges by giving employees control over their schedule to match their lifestyle needs and preferences. Examples include flexible hours, compressed hours, remote work arrangements, part-time work arrangements and job sharing.

• Leadership accountability  –  Implement a hotline for employeese to report toxic workplace behaviors. Investigate and warn offenders that a formal apology and change in behavior are needed for continued employment. Terminate bad actors and repeat offenders for cause.

Conclusion

Most health and wellness programs are irrelevant and ineffective at addressing the causes of burnout and other negative employee outcomes such as intent to leave, distress, depression and anxiety. Health and wellness programs are irrelevant and ineffective, because they completely ignore the most significant factors of chronic workplace stress, namely toxic workplace behaviors, inconsiderate workplaces, unsupportive work environments, and discriminatory workplaces.

According to the McKinsey, “never in history have organizations devoted so much attention and capital to improving employee mental health and well-being. It is lamentable that these investments are not always providing a good return regarding improved outcomes.” The pervasive cases of burnout and other negative employee outcomes attest to this statement. A more intelligent and targeted approach is desperately needed to address the main causes of burnout.

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¹ World Health Organization, Burnout an “occupationalphenomenon” (May 28, 2019, Accessible through www.who.int).
² World Health Organization, Burnout an “occupationalphenomenon” (May 28, 2019, Accessible through www.who.int).
³ Ibid., and Chris Bailey, “A Two-Minute Burnout Checkup” (Harvard Business Review, April 10,2023).
⁴ Gallup, Employee Wellbeing (Undated, Accessible through www.gallup.com).
⁵ Gallup, Employee Wellbeing (Undated, Accessible through www.gallup.com).
⁶ McKinsey & Company, What is burnout? (August 2023, Accessible through www.mckinsey.com).
⁷ Klinghoffer and Kirkpatrick-Husk, “More Than 50% of Managers Feel Burned Out” (Harvard Business Review May 18, 2023).
⁸ Deloitte, Burnout Survey (Infographic, 2018).
⁹ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment and Wages, Annual Averages 2022 (Accessible through https://www.bls.gov).
¹⁰ Jacqueline Brassey, et.al., Addressing employee burnout: Are you solving the right problem? (McKinsey Health Institute, May 2022, Accessible through www.mckinsey.com/mhi/).