It’s Not You, It’s Us: A Systemic Approach to Understanding Burnout

As much as corporations may indicate otherwise, burnout is a systems issue–not a personal problem.

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with a corporate group about burnout in the workplace—a topic that continues to surface again and again in my practice. The talk focused on identifying what burnout really looks like, why it’s so pervasive, and how both employers and employees can take steps toward a healthier, more sustainable work culture. I want to share some of the key points I covered in that talk, in case it resonates with you personally, or feels relevant to your workplace.

First, What Is Burnout?

According to the World Health Organization, burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:

• Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
• Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism
• Reduced professional efficacy

In other words, burnout isn’t just being tired or needing a vacation. It’s a chronic mismatch between the demands of your work and the resources you have to meet those demands. And left unaddressed, it can take a serious toll on mental health, workplace engagement, and overall wellbeing.

Not All Burnout Looks the Same

One thing I emphasized during the talk is that burnout can hide in plain sight. Sometimes what looks like deep engagement is actually slow-burning exhaustion. People might:

• Work late, skip breaks, or feel guilty for saying no
• Feel they can never catch up, no matter how hard they try
• Struggle with blurred boundaries between work and home life
• Stay constantly busy to avoid feelings of stress or inadequacy
• Tie their worth entirely to productivity

It’s important to recognize these patterns not just in others, but in ourselves.

The Six Mismatches that Lead to Burnout

To better understand how workplaces contribute to burnout, I turned to the work of experts Christina Maslach and Michael Leiter. In their book The Burnout Challenge, they identify six key areas where a mismatch between the individual and the workplace can fuel burnout. These six “burnout drivers” offer a systems-level perspective that helps us pinpoint the root causes of burnout in the workplace. Let’s explore each one.

1. Workload

When there’s too much to do and not enough time, energy, or support to do it, people burn out. But it’s not just about volume—it’s also about emotional labor, cognitive demands, and unrealistic expectations.

How to address it:

• Staff adequately to prevent chronic overload
• Normalize breaks and boundaries
• Respect time off as truly “off”

2. Lack of Control

People thrive when they have agency. Yet in many workplaces, employees have little say in how they do their jobs or how decisions are made. When control is lacking, it can feel belittling—like your voice and expertise aren’t trusted.

How to address it:

• Involve employees in decisions that affect them
• Offer flexibility in scheduling and workflow
• Build a culture of trust over micromanagement

3. Insufficient Reward

This includes more than just pay (though that matters!). It’s about appreciation, recognition, and the sense that your work is meaningful. Sustainable work must meet core psychological needs.

How to address it:

• Ensure fair compensation, including bonuses and benefits
• Build a culture of gratitude where appreciation flows in all directions
• Design jobs that offer intrinsic rewards, such as purpose, connection, and growth

4. Breakdown of Community

Toxic workplaces are isolating. When conflict is unaddressed or relationships are transactional, people feel disconnected. Community is about more than camaraderie—it’s about mutual care and respect.

How to address it:

• Create psychological safety for honest communication
• Foster teamwork and mutual support
• Model vulnerability and empathy from the top down

5. Lack of Fairness

When policies are applied unevenly or when some people carry more than their share of “workplace caretaking” (like party planning or emotional labor), resentment builds quickly.

How to address it:

• Audit for equity in roles and responsibilities
• Be transparent about promotions and recognition
• Call out biased practices and intervene

6. Values Mismatch

If the company’s stated values don’t align with how people are treated, it creates disillusionment. Values should guide how decisions are made and how people are cared for—not just hang on a wall.

How to address it:

• Align decisions and policies with your core values
• Invite employees into values clarification conversations
• Celebrate when values are lived out in real ways

Connecting It Back to You

At the start of my talk, I asked the group to write down this question: “What’s one thing about your job that used to bring you energy, but now just feels exhausting?” I encouraged them to revisit that question after exploring each of the six burnout drivers. Could a shift in workload, control, or community help bring that spark back? Could re-aligning values or better appreciation make that part of the job feel fulfilling again?

I’d encourage you to ask yourself the same question. What’s one part of your work that drains you now, but didn’t used to? And which of these six mismatches might be playing a role?

A Canary in the Coal Mine

Burnout isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a signal—a canary in the coal mine—telling us that something in the system needs attention. When we respond to that signal with curiosity and care (instead of shame or dismissal), we have the opportunity to create environments where people can truly thrive.

If you’re interested in bringing a burnout-focused talk to your own organization, I’d love to connect. Whether to support your leadership team or to help individuals reflect on their own burnout risk, I bring both clinical insight and real-world strategies to the table. Let’s create work cultures that are not just productive, but also supportive and human-centered.

To learn more about The Burnout Challenge, I highly recommend checking out the book by Christina Maslach and Michael Leiter. Their framework is foundational to this work and has been instrumental in helping me support both individuals and organizations.

Citations:

1. Maslach, Christina, and Michael P Leiter. The Burnout Challenge : Managing Mismatches in the Workplace. Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press, 2022.
2. https://www.who.int/standards/classifications/frequently-asked-questions/burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon