In recent years, burnout has moved from being a quiet workplace concern to a widely discussed occupational issue. As illustrated in the framework “12 Do’s & Don’ts of Talking About Burnout”, healthy organisational cultures require more than recognising exhaustion—they demand intentional conversations, supportive leadership and systemic change. Burnout is now recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2019) as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. However, how organisations talk about burnout can either reduce harm or unintentionally reinforce stigma.
This article explores the importance of acknowledging burnout, checking in effectively, reducing overload, promoting psychological safety and implementing systemic solutions, drawing upon textbooks, peer-reviewed research and reputable health organisations using the Harvard referencing system and British spelling.
Understanding Burnout
Burnout was first conceptualised by Freudenberger (1982) as a state of mental and physical exhaustion linked to professional life. Later, Maslach and Leiter (2016) defined burnout as comprising three key dimensions:
- Emotional exhaustion
- Depersonalisation (cynicism)
- Reduced personal accomplishment
These dimensions are particularly evident in helping professions such as healthcare and education, but they increasingly affect corporate employees, students and entrepreneurs.
Burnout is not simply about working long hours. It reflects a mismatch between job demands and available resources, including lack of control, insufficient reward, poor community support, perceived unfairness and values conflict (Maslach and Leiter, 2016).
1.0 Acknowledging Burnout: Recognition Without Dismissal
A critical first step is to recognise exhaustion and offer support, rather than dismissing concerns as weakness. Emotional exhaustion often precedes physical symptoms, making early recognition essential (Shirom, 2005).
For example, a manager who notices an employee’s declining energy and increased irritability can respond with empathy rather than criticism. Ignoring warning signs may exacerbate stress and increase turnover risk.
The WHO (2019) emphasises that burnout stems from workplace conditions, not personal failure. Therefore, conversations must shift from blame to understanding.
2.0 Checking In: Listening Beyond Surface Responses
Effective leaders ask how employees are truly coping and actively listen. Superficial check-ins may overlook distress masked by professionalism.
Research on psychological safety, defined as a shared belief that it is safe to speak up without fear of punishment, highlights its role in employee wellbeing and performance (Edmondson, 2018). When workers feel safe to disclose stress, early intervention becomes possible.
Assuming “no complaints means everything is fine” perpetuates silence and stigma.
3.0 Encouraging Rest Without Guilt
Encouraging breaks and time off signals that rest is a productivity strategy, not laziness. Chronic stress disrupts the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, impairing recovery and resilience (Shirom, 2005).
For instance, healthcare staff working prolonged shifts without adequate rest show increased emotional exhaustion and reduced empathy (Maslach and Leiter, 2016).
Organisations should normalise taking annual leave and discourage presenteeism.
4.0 Reducing Overload: Addressing Work Demands
Burnout frequently stems from excessive workload combined with insufficient resources. Maslach and Leiter (2016) identify workload as one of the primary mismatches leading to burnout.
Leaders should adjust workloads when signs of burnout appear, rather than glorifying overwork as dedication. Celebrating exhaustion as a “badge of honour” reinforces harmful norms.
For example, reducing administrative burden or redistributing tasks during peak periods may prevent long-term disengagement.
5.0 Leading by Example
Leadership behaviour sets cultural expectations. When managers demonstrate healthy boundaries—leaving work on time, limiting email after hours—they legitimise balance.
Goleman (1996) argues that emotional intelligence in leadership fosters supportive climates that reduce stress. Leaders who prioritise wellbeing improve morale and retention.
Conversely, modelling relentless work patterns pressures employees to emulate unsustainable habits.
6.0 Creating Psychological Safety
Creating environments where stress and burnout can be discussed openly reduces stigma. Edmondson (2018) emphasises that psychologically safe workplaces encourage candid dialogue about challenges.
Open discussions about mental health can reduce shame and promote early intervention. Treating burnout as taboo isolates individuals and delays help-seeking.
7.0 Respecting Personal Boundaries
Honouring non-work time and discouraging 24/7 availability supports recovery. Research demonstrates that psychological detachment from work during non-work hours predicts improved wellbeing (Sonnentag and Fritz, 2015).
For example, organisations implementing “no email after 7 pm” policies report improved employee satisfaction.
8.0 Fixing the System, Not Just the Individual
Burnout is often misinterpreted as an individual coping failure. However, Maslach and Leiter (2016) argue that organisational systems—rather than individual resilience deficits—are frequently responsible.
Interventions should address structural issues such as unrealistic performance metrics, inadequate staffing and poor leadership communication.
Workplace wellness programmes alone are insufficient if systemic stressors remain unchanged.
9.0 Recognising Effort Over Hustle Culture
Rewarding only long hours reinforces burnout. Appreciating effort, collaboration and sustainable performance fosters healthier cultures.
The rise of “hustle culture” has been criticised for equating self-worth with productivity. Sustainable success requires balance, not chronic exhaustion.
10.0 Thinking Long-Term
Short-term gains achieved through overwork often lead to long-term losses in productivity due to absenteeism and turnover.
Research indicates that burnout predicts increased job dissatisfaction and intention to leave (Maslach and Leiter, 2016). Prioritising sustainable success protects organisational continuity.
11.0 Talking Openly About Mental Health
Normalising discussions about mental health reduces stigma. Public health campaigns emphasise the importance of addressing occupational stress early (WHO, 2019).
Embedding mental health awareness into leadership priorities fosters proactive support systems.
12.0 Providing Meaningful Support
Generic advice such as “just manage your time better” oversimplifies complex stressors. Effective support may include:
- Flexible scheduling
- Access to counselling
- Adjusted performance expectations
- Team-based workload redistribution
Mindfulness-based stress reduction programmes show moderate benefits for stress reduction (Grossman et al., 2004), but these should complement—not replace—organisational reform.
Burnout and Depression: Overlapping but Distinct
Although burnout overlaps with depression, it is primarily work-related (Bianchi, Schonfeld and Laurent, 2015). However, untreated burnout may progress into clinical depression, underscoring the importance of early action.
Talking about burnout is not merely a human resources initiative—it is a strategic imperative. Healthy conversations require acknowledgement, empathy, boundary-setting, workload management and systemic reform. Burnout thrives in silence and stigma but diminishes in cultures that prioritise psychological safety and sustainable performance.
Organisations that invest in wellbeing not only reduce harm but also enhance engagement, innovation and retention. Addressing burnout is therefore both an ethical responsibility and a practical necessity for modern workplaces.
References
Bianchi, R., Schonfeld, I.S. and Laurent, E. (2015) ‘Burnout-depression overlap: A review’, Clinical Psychology Review, 36, pp. 28–41.
Edmondson, A. (2018) The Fearless Organization. Hoboken: Wiley.
Freudenberger, H.J. (1982) Burn-Out: The High Cost of High Achievement. New York: Doubleday.
Goleman, D. (1996) Emotional Intelligence. London: Bloomsbury.
Grossman, P., Niemann, L., Schmidt, S. and Walach, H. (2004) ‘Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health benefits’, Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 57(1), pp. 35–43.
Maslach, C. and Leiter, M.P. (2016) ‘Burnout’, in Cooper, C.L. and Quick, J.C. (eds.) The Handbook of Stress and Health. Wiley Blackwell, pp. 103–120.
Shirom, A. (2005) ‘Reflections on the study of burnout’, Work & Stress, 19(3), pp. 263–270.
Sonnentag, S. and Fritz, C. (2015) ‘Recovery from job stress’, Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36(S1), pp. S72–S103.
World Health Organization (2019) ‘Burn-out an occupational phenomenon’, Available at: https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019 (Accessed: 3 June 2025).
