Workers Aren't Burnt Out From the Pandemic. They're Burnt Out From Overwork

In a recent study of 31,000 people across 31 countries, Microsoft found that more than 40 percent of the global workforce is considering leaving their current position. This study––and one glance at social media or a group chat––reveals a burned-out workforce at the end of its rope, which was already frayed before the COVID-19 pandemic set it on fire.

"Burnout has been a rapidly evolving issue for years, but the pandemic just exacerbated an already massive problem," said Jennifer Moss, award-winning journalist and author of the new book The Burnout Epidemic: The Rise of Chronic Stress and How We Can Fix It. "Essentially, since we hadn't addressed burnout in a real way before the pandemic hit, we missed an opportunity to prevent the extremely challenging experience of work today."

Jennifer highlights that burnout is a combination of mental and physical symptoms that has real implications for individual health and corporations.​ She emphasizes that the root cause of burnout is overwork, with 54% of those surveyed by Microsoft reporting feeling overworked. ​ The article includes personal accounts from individuals who have experienced burnout and left their jobs due to unrealistic workloads and lack of support from management. Jennifer suggests that the solution to burnout is not self-care, but rather addressing the issue of overwork and creating policies that protect employees from excessive work demands. ​ The author concludes by stating that companies that prioritize work-life balance and limit overwork will remain competitive in the future.