WORKPLACE BURNOUT LEADS TO AN INCREASE IN MENTAL HEALTH SICK LEAVE

More than half of Australian workers have taken time off because they were mentally exhausted

Burnout is becoming a workplace norm rather than an exception, with new research revealing more than half of Australian workers have taken sick leave because of mental exhaustion.

The survey, commissioned by people2people Recruitment, found almost one-third of those workers have taken leave for burnout within the past 12 months, suggesting mental exhaustion remains an ongoing challenge across Australian workplaces.

The findings also reveal many employees are struggling to disconnect from work, regularly logging on after hours and working significant amounts of overtime.

Workplace burnout is fuelled by long hours and poor culture

Nearly half of respondents identified poor workplace culture as the biggest threat to employee wellbeing, ahead of unrealistic performance targets, staff shortages and a lack of workplace flexibility.

The research found one in two employees log on outside normal working hours at least once a week to catch up on work, while one in five said they do so every evening.

Almost three in 10 workers also reported completing between five and 10 hours of overtime each week.

People2people Recruitment Head of HR Solutions Suhini Wijayasinghe said burnout had become a workplace issue rather than an individual one.

"When more than half of workers have needed time off because they were mentally exhausted, it tells us this is no longer an individual resilience issue. It's a workplace issue," she said.

Burnout requires action from employers and employees

The report recommends employers reduce excessive workloads, encourage staff to take leave, monitor overtime and foster healthier workplace cultures.

Employees are also encouraged to set clearer boundaries around work hours, take regular breaks, use their annual leave and disconnect from work emails and notifications where possible.

The findings add to growing concern about the long-term impact of workplace stress, suggesting that preventing burnout will require cultural change as much as individual coping strategies.