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Businesses should address burnout as an organisational problem, expert says

SINGAPORE: Work-life balance has overtaken salary as jobseekers' top motivator for job satisfaction, according to Randstad's 2025 international survey — and for good reason. In October, Singapore was ranked third among the most burnt-out cities in the world , but what's striking is burnout is not an individual problem and has more to do with organisational culture, standards and expectations, said Dr Athenais Sivaloganathan, Health Advisor for Health & Wellbeing at International SOS. She noted that to prevent burnout in the workplace, businesses must go beyond ad-hoc wellness initiatives and recognise the warning signs of burnout, reverse the damage brought by burnout through managing distress and offering support, and build resilience by helping employees take care of their wellbeing. The Wellness at Work report by Employment Hero last year reported that 61% of Singaporean workers are experiencing burnout , a mere 1% improvement from the 62% recorded in 2022, citing a cutthroat work environment and stigma surrounding mental health issues. In a separate survey, 56% of Singaporean employees said their mental health and wellbeing are not well supported by their employers , with Singapore ranking lowest in Southeast Asia in employee mental health care. What occupational burnout looks like Dr Sivaloganathan said, 'In many cases, burnout is related to one's occupation.' She noted that it is different from the day-to-day short-term stress employees might occasionally feel, but instead it is chronic and a form of exhaustion caused by constantly feeling overwhelmed. 'It results from excessive and prolonged emotional, physical and mental stress,' she added. Dr Sivaloganathan noted that while burnout is more common among employees who feel unsupported or unfairly treated, managers report similar levels of burnout due to blurred boundaries between professional and personal life, especially in hybrid work environments, affecting home, work and social life. Burnout is also not limited to junior staff but felt by leadership teams and middle management, which often face stressors such as decision fatigue, responsibility overload, and pressure to model resilience. 'It is crucial for a workplace to recognise occupational burnout,' she said. How burnout affects employees and teams Signs of burnout in the workplace can include poor working relationships, high levels of absenteeism, staff turnover, work accidents including minor accidents, low productivity levels, poor quality production and high numbers of requests for early retirement. Meanwhile, for individuals, common indicators include feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, decreased engagement, reduced productivity, increased mental distance from one's occupation and can include physical symptoms such as headaches, increased blood pressure, musculoskeletal problems, poor sleep or gastrointestinal issues. Irritability, detachment, cynicism, negativism and feelings of helplessness are also prevalent. Notably, severe stages of burnout may even lead to depression or misuse of alcohol and drugs. Ways businesses can better support burnt-out employees Dr Sivaloganathan advised companies to start with assessing work environment and work design, including reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, clarifying job roles, and ensuring realistic workloads. It can be through: Regular check-ins between managers and team members to identify stressors early and adjust workloads where needed. Recognising employees' contributions to boost their engagement and motivation at work. Normalising flexible work arrangements to promote work-life balance. Leaders leading by example — practising self-care, implementing stress management strategies, and showing that mental health is a priority. Providing training for leaders and managers to identify burnout and equip them with the tools to initiate supportive conversations. According to Dr Sivaloganathan, 'International best practice suggests that mental health should be integrated into the organisation's overall risk and business continuity frameworks and therefore will be embedded into the company culture.' /TISG Read also: 'People need to know we're not underperformers' – Meta employees with 'at or above expectations' ratings surprised by termination