What burnout is
The World Health Organization classifies burnout as an occupational phenomenon, not a medical condition. It describes three dimensions: feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, increased mental distance from one's job or negative feelings about it, and reduced professional efficacy.
This guide is general information for organisations. It is not medical advice. Anyone who is struggling should speak to a qualified professional.
Wellbeing is wider than burnout
Wellbeing at work covers physical health and safety, mental health, financial security and social connection. Burnout is one sign of poor wellbeing; others include rising absence, falling engagement and people leaving.
What causes it: demands and resources
A well-established way to understand it is the balance between job demands and job resources. Demands are workload, time pressure, emotional strain and unclear roles. Resources are autonomy, support, feedback, a manager who helps, and enough time and tools. When demands stay high and resources are low for long enough, strain builds.
- Sustained overload without recovery.
- Unclear or conflicting expectations.
- Little control over how the work is done.
- Lack of recognition or fairness.
- Poor support from a manager.
See the Academy principles Demands and Resources and Sustainable Pace.
Signs to watch for at team level
- Sustained overtime that has become normal.
- Rising absence or a pattern of last-minute leave.
- Cynicism or withdrawal in people who were once engaged.
- More errors, or slower decisions.
- Resignations that cluster in one team.
What organisations can do
- Change the work. Review workload, staffing and deadlines in the teams where signs appear.
- Make time to recover. Protect breaks, leave and the time after a peak.
- Give people control over how and when they work wherever it is possible.
- Train managers to notice strain and to act, not only to refer people to a programme.
- Offer support such as counselling and flexibility, as a complement and not a substitute for the above.
- Measure and report back on workload and recovery, by team.
Programmes that ask individuals to cope better, without changing the demands, treat a work-design problem as a personal one. They help, but they do not fix the cause.
Frequently asked questions
What is burnout?
Burnout is an occupational phenomenon caused by chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It involves exhaustion, mental distance from the job and reduced effectiveness.
What are the signs of burnout in a team?
Sustained overtime, rising absence, cynicism in previously engaged people, more errors and resignations clustering in one team.
What causes burnout at work?
Mainly sustained high demands without enough resources: overload, unclear roles, low control, lack of recognition and a poor manager relationship.
How can employers reduce burnout?
By changing the work itself: workload, staffing, deadlines and control. Support programmes help, but they are most effective alongside changes to the cause.
Research roots. The World Health Organization's ICD-11 description of burnout; Maslach and Leiter on burnout; Bakker and Demerouti on the job demands and resources model.
Written by the WCRC Culture Crest Research Desk, part of WCRC Intelligence. General information, not professional advice.
