The Cost of Burnout

This Forbes article, "Employee Burnout: The Hidden Threat Costing Companies Millions", popped up in my inbox last week and highlights a growing crisis in the workplace: burnout.

A 2024 survey of 12,000+ workers found that 82% of the workforce is at risk of burnout. That’s not a blip—it’s a warning sign. Burnout isn’t just about being tired. It affects decision-making, emotional resilience, engagement (something that workplaces are regularly evaluating), and morale. And it comes at a cost:

Estimated annual cost per employee:

💰 $3,999 per hourly worker

💰 $4,257 per salaried non-manager

💰 $10,824 per manager

💰 $20,683 per executive

The takeaway? Burnout isn’t just a personal issue, it’s a systemic one that organizations should care about for all the obvious and not-so-obvious reasons. The article makes a compelling point: we don't need to eliminate high-effort work, we need to balance it with intentional recovery. That's a nuance often missed in the burnout conversation. It's not about dialing back ambition, it's about breaking the cycle of constant depletion.

So, here's a question for you: What would it look like to build a rhythm of effort + recovery into your week?