Burnout in United States

Health effects of high burnout stress

• Emotional fatigue, reduced motivation, and concentration difficulties
• Sleep problems and mood changes (irritability, anxiety, depressive symptoms)
• Physical symptoms (headaches, muscle tension, GI issues) and weakened immune function
• Increased risk of mental health concerns with prolonged exposure if unaddressed

Personal life effects

• Strained relationships and more conflict with partners, family, and friends
• Social withdrawal and reduced support networks
• Parenting or caregiving challenges; decreased patience and involvement
• Dewer satisfaction and reduced interest in hobbies and activities

Quick steps you can take now

• Set boundaries and protect sleep: fixed work hours, short breaks, and wind-down routines
• Talk with your supervisor/HR about workload; use Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) or a mental health professional
• Consider digital support resources (e.g., October) for group sessions, assessments, and coping content
• Build small daily routines: light activity, hydration, and moments of social connection

Economic effects of burnout stress on the US economy

• Productivity losses from presenteeism and absenteeism reduce overall output.
• Higher turnover and recruitment/training costs drain resources and slow growth.
• Increased healthcare, medical leave, and disability costs raise employer and public health expenses.
• Reduced innovation and long-term growth due to disengaged, less creative workers.
• Greater social and fiscal costs, including higher public health spending and potential strain on safety nets.
• Sector-specific risks in healthcare, public services, and knowledge-based industries.

Mitigation strategies for employers

• Normalize reasonable workloads, enforce predictable hours, and offer flexible scheduling.
• Provide accessible mental health support (e.g., group sessions, assessments); consider digital solutions like October for scalable support.
• Train managers to recognize burnout early and respond with supportive, evidence-based approaches.
• Track burnout indicators (surveys, turnover, sick days) and adjust policies accordingly.

• Enforce humane work hours and guaranteed leave

  • Cap average weekly hours, require a minimum vacation/leave, and set clear rules around after-hours work to protect boundaries.

• Guarantee access to mental health care

  • Public or affordable mental health coverage, integrated into primary care, plus scalable digital options (e.g., partnerships with platforms like October for group sessions and assessments).

• Train managers and reduce stigma

  • Mandatory mental health literacy and burnout management training for leaders; create confidential reporting channels and protect employee privacy.

• Strengthen safety nets and economic security

  • Robust employment protections, paid family/sick leave, and affordable supports to reduce financial stress and job insecurity.

• Data-driven prevention and healthy work design

  • National burnout surveillance and research funding; evidence-based scheduling guidelines, sleep health considerations, and program evaluation to curb burnout risk.

Five ways a company can lower burnout

• Align workload and expectations

  • conduct quarterly workload audits; set clear priorities; cap weekly hours; require project charters to prevent scope creep.

• Enforce boundaries and after-hours policies

  • formal policy on after-hours communication; protected deep-work blocks; realistic response-time expectations; encourage use of vacation.

• Strengthen manager support and leadership

  • train managers to monitor workload, have regular check-ins, model boundary-setting, and foster psychological safety; provide easy access to resources.

• Expand mental health resources

  • offer confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) access; provide digital group sessions, self-guided content, and stress management tools; consider October for team sessions and assessments.

• Monitor burnout and promote recovery

  • run anonymous pulse surveys to identify hotspots; create action plans with leadership; implement meeting-free blocks and guaranteed PTO to support recovery.