How to Prevent Employee Burnout and Reduce Workplace Stress

Burnout at work is on the rise, and it poses a major problem for employers and employees alike. For employees, burnout can mean feeling physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted from one’s job. This work-related stress can impact an employee’s productivity, engagement, and well-being, and even creep into their home life. 

If you’re an employer, burnout can jeopardize your business’s success and reputation because employees are not performing as well as they should. Moreover, when associates feel stressed, unmotivated, and disengaged, your company culture can take a hit, leading to a toxic work environment.

Employee Burnout Statistics

Before we dive into what causes burnout and how to prevent employee burnout, let’s look at some recent employee burnout statistics. According to iHire’s 2025 Toxic Workplace Trends Report:

• 60.4% of employees have experienced stress-related health issues due to workplace conditions.
• 65.1% of people who have worked in a toxic environment reported high stress levels/burnout among employees.
• Of that 65.1%:
  • 71.9% said their employer did not provide enough support for a healthy work/life balance.
  • 67.5% faced unrealistic deadlines.
  • 49.0% struggled with unmanageable workloads.

Another study by SHRM showed that 44.0% of employees feel burned out at work, and over half (51.0%) feel “used up” at the end of each workday. In addition, workers who are burned out are three times more likely to actively search for another job, suggesting that burnout can lead to high turnover rates.

What Causes Burnout?

The cause of burnout varies depending on the individual employee, but common factors include: 

• Excessive workloads: Disproportionate or unmanageable workloads, long hours, and a lack of time off to recharge can quickly lead to high stress levels and burnout.
• Pressure to perform: Impractical deadlines and unrealistic expectations at work can leave employees exhausted and stressed.
• Uncertainty of responsibilities: When employees are unsure of their duties, they may end up performing tasks outside of their job description, resulting in wasted time and energy. 
• Lack of support: Mental burnout can occur when employees lack support, receive little recognition from their supervisors, and feel unappreciated for their efforts.

6 Ways to Address Employee Burnout & Reduce Workplace Stress

How can you help employees with burnout and minimize stress to enable a more productive and engaged workforce? Consider these six tips.

1. Nurture a Positive Work Culture 

A positive work culture helps raise job satisfaction and improves the well-being of your employees. To create a positive work culture:

• Listen to employees and act on their feedback.
• Build trust through transparent communication.
• Encourage social interaction and camaraderie.
• Create a psychologically safe environment.
• Draw inspiration from your company’s core values.

2. Train Managers Effectively

Managers, supervisors, and team leaders must receive proper training and resources to identify, prevent, and combat burnout. Leaders must know how to establish clear expectations, support employees, and remove any barriers or stressors. For example, if a manager notices someone on their team struggling to meet deadlines for time-sensitive assignments despite their best efforts, they may adjust due dates or redelegate tasks.

To help managers keep their teams’ stress levels to a minimum, consider trainings revolving around emotional intelligence, active listening, conflict resolution, workload management, and mental health awareness, among other topics.

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3. Encourage a Healthy Work/Life Balance 

A healthy work-life balance is essential to combating workplace burnout, as it can improve one’s mental and physical health. Employees should be given room to breathe and time to enjoy their personal life so they can come back to work refreshed.

Revisit your company’s paid time off (PTO) policies, and determine if you can provide more flexibility (e.g., hybrid or remote work options, flex time, etc.) Often, some employees hesitate to use PTO or vacation days because they feel guilty taking time for themselves, or because their workload is too hefty. Encourage your employees to take advantage of their PTO – and use it yourself to set a good example.

4. Provide Stress Management Resources

If your employees are experiencing burnout, now might be the time to incorporate some stress management resources into your benefits package, such as gym memberships, mental health counseling, on-site yoga classes, and meditation apps.

You can also offer employee assistance programs (EAPs), intervention programs created to help employees with stressful personal issues that can impact their work performance. These programs aim to assist employees with problems by offering counseling and advice from licensed professionals. EAPs can also provide employees with assistance in child and elder care, financial and legal problems, traumatic events, and more.

It’s critical to address employee burnout, as it can lead to disengaged employees, low productivity, poor retention, and an overall toxic workplace. But with the right preventative measures and stress management resources, you can keep your workforce satisfied and successful.

Check out iHire’s Employer Resource Center for additional tips on managing your workforce, engaging employees, and more.