Burnout: what it is and how to deal with it

Many people use the word “burnout” when they’re feeling overwhelmed, but burnout is more than everyday stress. While stress is often tied to temporary pressure, burnout can develop when workplace stress builds over time and is left unmanaged.

Burnout can affect anyone in the workplace, including employees, managers, and business owners. For employers, it can affect decision-making, resilience, retention, and the overall health of the workplace. Recognizing the signs early can help you support your employees and take steps to create a healthier work environment.

What is burnout?

Recognized by the World Health Organization as an occupational phenomenon, burnout is described as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions: exhaustion, increased mental distance or cynicism toward work, and reduced professional effectiveness.

Burnout is more than a stressful week. It can leave people feeling emotionally and physically drained, less engaged in their work, and less able to perform at their usual level.

Although burnout is rooted in the workplace, its effects can extend beyond work. For business owners, ongoing operational pressure, constant decision-making, and responsibility for others can make burnout harder to spot. 

What are the signs of burnout?

Burnout can show up in physical, emotional, and behavioural ways. Common signs include the following.

Physically, burnout can:

• Leave you feeling tired and drained
• Cause headaches and muscle pain
• Affect sleep and appetite
• Lower immunity to illnesses like colds and flu

Emotionally, burnout can:

• Demotivate and cause a sense of self-doubt
• Leave you feeling detached and alone in the world
• Make you feel more cynical and negative
• Leave you feeling helpless and defeated

Behaviourally, someone experiencing burnout may also:

• Use food, drugs, or alcohol to cope
• Take frustrations out on others
• Isolate themselves
• Withdraw from responsibilities, including missing work or avoiding tasks

What causes burnout?

Burnout can develop for many reasons, especially when workplace stress is ongoing and there is not enough time, support, or flexibility to recover. Common contributors include:

• Lack of control. When people have little influence over decisions that affect their work, such as schedules, assignments, workload, or access to resources, stress can build over time.
• Unclear expectations. Uncertainty about responsibilities, priorities, or authority can make it harder to feel confident and in control at work.
• Unhealthy workplace dynamics. Conflict, bullying, harassment, toxic behaviour, or constant micromanagement can increase stress and emotional strain.
• Too much or too little stimulation. Work that is either chaotic and relentless or highly repetitive and monotonous can contribute to burnout.
• Lack of social support. Feeling isolated at work or unsupported in your personal life can make it harder to cope with ongoing stress.
• Work-life imbalance. When work consistently leaves little time or energy for rest, relationships, or personal responsibilities, burnout becomes more likely.

How to respond to burnout

If you think you or someone on your team may be experiencing burnout, start by acknowledging the signs and looking at what may be driving them.

• Encourage support. If an employee is struggling, encourage them to seek support, whether through a health professional, trusted co-workers, or loved ones. If you are experiencing burnout yourself, reaching out is also an important first step.
• Review what can change. Look at workload, priorities, deadlines, and responsibilities. For employers, that may mean rebalancing work, clarifying expectations, or delegating more effectively. For employees, it may mean raising concerns early by having a truthful conversation with their supervisor.
• Make recovery part of the routine. Time to recharge matters. Short breaks, time outdoors, quiet time, and other restorative activities can help reduce stress and support recovery.
• Support healthy habits. Physical activity, sleep, and regular downtime all play an important role in helping people manage stress and recover from it.
• Be mindful. Small changes can help people reset during the workday. We recommend our downloadable posters on releasing tension and taking a moment to post at your workplace as simple reminders to pause and recharge.

In some cases, recovering from burnout may require time away from work or more meaningful changes to the situation causing it.

How employers can help prevent burnout

Because some workplace conditions can contribute to burnout, employers play an important role in preventing it. The right practices can help protect employee well-being, support retention, and contribute to a healthier, more productive work environment.

• Give employees reasonable autonomy. Where possible, give employees some control over how they do their work. Flexibility, input, and access to the right tools can help reduce stress and build trust.
• Set clear expectations. Make sure employees understand their responsibilities, priorities, and what success looks like. Clear direction and realistic workloads can help prevent pressure from building up.
• Maintain a respectful workplace. A workplace where people feel safe and respected is less likely to contribute to burnout. Policies addressing bullying, harassment, and violence are required across Canada and help establish a clear standard.
• Build in breaks and variety. Repetitive or consistently high-pressure work can take a toll. When possible, vary tasks and make sure employees have opportunities to pause and reset during the day.
• Encourage camaraderie. Build your team by encouraging communication, shared experiences and occasional fun activities. People who feel a strong sense of teamwork feel more engaged and productive at work.
• Respect time away from work. Avoid creating expectations that employees should always be available. Giving people time to disconnect supports healthier boundaries and a more sustainable work-life balance. Consider implementing a disconnecting from work policy*.

*CFIB members have access to exclusive policy templates on topics such as bullying, harassment, violence, and disconnecting from work, available for download on the Member Portal.

Need further assistance?

Do you have questions or need support with your internal policies? Our Business Advisors are here to help:

1-833-568-2342 | hrnow@cfib.ca 

Not a CFIB member? Join today to unlock a wide range of valuable resources, including our template library, designed specifically for small business owners.