Recognising Early Signs of Burnout in Employees
Burnout is more than just feeling tired, it’s a prolonged response to chronic workplace stress that has not been effectively managed. According to the World Health Organisation, burnout is now included in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as an “occupational phenomenon,” characterized by:
- Energy depletion/exhaustion.
- Increased mental distance or cynicism.
- Reduced professional efficacy.
In workplace settings, burnout often begins subtly, affecting both employee wellbeing and productivity. Recognising early signals is essential for leaders to intervene effectively and prevent longer-term harm such as disengagement, health problems, or turnover. Despite it being recognised as a workplace phenomenon, it is important to understand that external factors such as home relationships, loss, difficult change, other personal circumstances and lifestyle can equally contribute to symptoms of burnout.
How Widespread Is Burnout?
- A global report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) found that 48 % of workers across eight countries reported they were currently grappling with burnout. BCG
- In a 2024 survey by Deloitte, 77 % of respondents said they had experienced burnout in their current job; more than half had experienced it more than once. Burnout Survey
- According to Isolved (as reported via HR Dive), 65 % of employees said they had suffered from burnout in the past year, and 72 % said burnout negatively impacted their performance. hrdive.com
- The NAMI 2024 Workplace Mental Health Poll found that 52 % of employees reported feeling burned out over the past year, with 37 % saying the burnout felt so overwhelming it impaired their ability to do their job. NAMI
These figures indicate that burnout is not a fringe issue, it’s pervasive. And its impacts are serious.
Early Warning Signs of Employee Burnout
Below are some common indicators you should watch for. No single sign is definitive, but patterns merit attention.
1. Persistent Exhaustion (emotional, mental, physical)
One of the hallmark signs is energy depletion. Employees may feel drained even after rest. In many burnout models (such as Maslach Burnout Inventory), exhaustion is considered the core dimension. PMC+1
2. Cynicism, Detachment, and Negativity
Employees may begin to distance mentally from their work, adopting a negative, cynical or detached attitude. They may express statements like “What’s the point?” or seem indifferent. This aligns with the “increased mental distance or cynicism” dimension of burnout per ICD-11. World Health Organization
3. Reduced Efficacy or Performance Decline
Burned-out employees often feel they are less effective or productive. Tasks that they previously handled well may now feel overwhelming. Over time, mistakes increase, deadlines slip, or quality drops.
4. Increased Absenteeism, Presenteeism, or More Sick Days
Burnout doesn’t just stay internal, it shows up in behaviour. A notable longitudinal study (the PUMA study) showed that an increase of one standard deviation in the work-related burnout scale predicted 21 % more sickness absence days per year (and 9 % more absence spells) even after adjusting for confounders. PMC
In that same study, participants in the lowest burnout quartile averaged 5.4 days of sickness absence annually, while those in higher quartiles reached 13.6 days. PMC
5. Emotional and Cognitive Difficulties
Burnout often co-occurs with problems like irritability, mood swings, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, or poor decision-making. McKinsey describes core symptoms including emotional impairment, cognitive impairment, exhaustion, and mental distancing. McKinsey & Company
6. Withdrawal from Social Interaction
Employees may reduce engagement socially,skipping optional meetings, avoiding conversations, or declining collaboration. They may feel overwhelmed by extra social “load.”
7. Changes in Behaviour, Health or Sleep
Look for signs such as increased irritability, insomnia or poor sleep, headaches, gastrointestinal issues, or psychosomatic complaints. Indeed, in broader stress surveys, nearly 3 in 5 employees report negative impacts of work stress, including lack of motivation, interest, or energy. APA
8. Cynical Comments About Workload, Culture, or Unfairness
When employees frequently complain about unrealistic demands, micromanagement, lack of support, or unfair treatment, it may be more than venting, it can reflect deeper burnout pressures.
Why Intervene Early?
If left unaddressed, burnout can spiral into serious consequences: chronic health issues (e.g. cardiovascular disease, depression), long-term disengagement, resignations, or increased disability claims. Also, burnout has organisational costs:
- In the PUMA cohort, higher burnout predicted significantly more sickness absence days, which means increased cost to employers. PMC
- Burnout is a known precursor to turnover: a Visier survey reported that 70 % of employees experiencing burnout said they would leave their job as a result. Visier
- Burned-out employees are more prone to presenteeism (present but unproductive), errors, low morale, and poorer teamwork.
By identifying burnout early, leaders can provide support, prevent escalation, retain talent, and maintain healthier, more sustainable workplaces.
Strategies for Leaders to Support Employees
Here are evidence-informed practices that leaders can embed:
1. Conduct Regular One-to-One Check-ins
Make it safe for employees to share how they’re really doing, their workload, stress levels, what’s overwhelming. Use open questions e.g. “What’s draining you right now?” rather than yes/no.
2. Encourage and Model Rest, Breaks, and Time Off
Normalise taking vacations, mental health days, and regular breaks during the day. Leaders should demonstrate that rest is not weakness.
3. Foster an Open Culture Around Stress and Workload
Encourage team conversations about workload capacity, role clarity, boundaries, and stress. Removing stigma helps employees come forward while still early.
4. Provide Access to Wellbeing Resources
Offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), counselling, coaching, stress management training, peer support, or resilience workshops. But be careful, resources are only helpful if employees believe they are safe to use.
5. Adjust Workloads and Priorities
Where possible, reallocate tasks, postpone non-urgent work, or provide additional support. Clarify role expectations and shield employees from constant overload.
6. Promote Psychological Safety
Ensure that employees feel safe admitting stress, asking for help, or saying “I can’t take on more.” Psychological safety is fundamental to early detection and support.
7. Monitor and Measure Burnout Indicators
Use pulse surveys with validated burnout questions (e.g. emotional exhaustion scales). Track metrics like absenteeism, sick days, turnover intent, or changes in performance.
8. Train Managers to Spot Burnout
Managers often don’t have formal training on mental health. Equip them to spot signs, have empathetic conversations, and know when to escalate or refer to HR/occupational health.
Sample Scenario:
Imagine a mid-size marketing team working hybrid: some staff in office, some remote. Over several weeks, one team member, let’s call her “Sara”, starts declining optional team chats, turns off her video in meetings, misses minor deadlines, and makes comments like “I’m overwhelmed” or “I don’t have the bandwidth.” She’s usually reliable, so the changes raise subtle flags.
Her manager schedules a one-on-one, asks open questions about how she’s coping, workload balance, and stressors. Sara reveals she’s juggling extra work, feeling she can’t say no, and experiencing sleep disruption. Together they agree to reassign some tasks, pause a new project, and schedule check-ins every two days for a while. The manager also encourages her to take a day off and connect with counselling support.
Over the following weeks, Sara becomes more engaged, deadlines improve, mood stabilises, and she expresses relief at feeling heard and supported.
Without that early intervention, Sara might have continued sliding into deeper burnout, increasing absenteeism, or ultimately resigning or going on medical leave for a mental health related illness.
Conclusion
Burnout is not just a buzzword, it’s a powerful, insidious force that undermines individuals and organisations. While the prevalence is alarming (many surveys show half or more of workers experience burnout symptoms) the good news is: early recognition and support can make a difference.
By watching for warning signs, exhaustion, cynicism, performance dips, withdrawal, health or cognitive declines, leaders can act proactively. Regular check-ins, a culture of openness, workload adjustments, well-being resources, psychological safety, and manager training are key tools in the prevention toolbox.
Recognising early signs of burnout is not just compassionate leadership, it’s smart leadership. Preventing burnout saves morale, retains talent, avoids costlier interventions later, and helps maintain sustainable, high-performing organisations.
