The toll of burnout has become a pressing concern for the modern workplace. Much more than a hot-button topic; burnout is a pervasive problem severely impacting wellbeing and job performance.
While not considered an actual medical condition, burnout is included in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as an occupational phenomenon, with the World Health Organisation noting that burnout results from “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”, characterised by exhaustion, mental distancing from work (or cynicism about it), and reduced efficacy1.
The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified workplace burnout, primarily due to factors such as prolonged uncertainty, limited movement, and isolation, leading to increased mental strain and associated markers of poor mental health. Trans-Tasman employees are heavily affected, as reported in Microsoft’s 2022 Work Trend Index , which found 62% of Australian workers report feeling burned out, compared to a global average of 48%2. In another recent global survey, 70% of New Zealand workers reported experiencing burnout, compared to the average of 59%3.
Left unrecognised and unaddressed, burnout can be a costly concern. A Virgin Pulse report notes companies are “burning through cash trying to deal with the issue”, which is estimated to cost up to $1 trillion a year in lost productivity globally4. In Australia, burnout-related absenteeism and presenteeism have been estimated to cost our economy over $14 billion per year5.
95% of HR leaders admit burnout adversely impacts retention, contributing to up to 50% of yearly workforce turnover4. With replacing a worker costing up to tens of thousands of dollars6, employers have much to gain by taking burnout seriously.
We often attribute burnout to excessive workloads, but a recent report in the Harvard Business Review7 unveils a deeper and more subtle culprit – microstress – which poses a greater threat to teams and productivity.
Microstresses are small problems, which, on their own, seem manageable. According to Rob Cross and Karen Dillon, co-authors of The Microstress Effect: How Little Things Add Up–and What to Do About It, stress is obvious and visible. By contrast, microstresses appear minor, and fleeting – merely a bump in the road as we go about our day. However, it is the cumulative effects of these microstresses that can become overwhelming, and lead to burnout.