Chronic stress has been normalized in today’s work culture while burnout has reached epidemic levels (Chan and Clarke, 2024). Workplace stress is responsible for up to 8% of national spending on health care and billions in lost productivity (Blanding, 2015). There is an urgent need to rethink work to be sustainable for individuals, organisations and society.

Burnout is defined as “a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, that can occur among individuals who work with people in some capacity” (Maslach and Jackson, 1984. p. 134). While burnout has major consequences for individuals, the negative consequences of burnout have prompted calls for intervention programs not only to improve employee’s quality of life but also to prevent organisational losses (Awa et al., 2010). To prevent the further growth of this complex issue,
there is a need to focus on the root causes within organisational cultures and structures that are the systemic culprits driving burnout. There is also a need to reimagine a new work model in how we work and our relationship with work.

This session will share the latest research from a global longitudinal study and discuss the current state of workplace burnout. The session will provide insights into popular work trends such as hybrid work and reduced work time models (e.g., 4-day work week) and their impact on burnout. With the introduction of psychosocial risks and hazard legislation, the session will share current insights on which psychosocial hazards have the biggest impact on burnout.

Through discussing the root causes of burnout (e.g., workload), this session will also seek to address some pervasive misconceptions about burnout and how to focus on the root causes rather than just symptoms. While common and popular, wellness programs have no impact on the health of individuals (Fleming, 2024, Song & Baicker, 2019). This session will provide data-based evidence that burnout is not the fault of the individual, but a failing of organisational structures and cultures that need to change.

To move beyond burnout, it will take systemic shifts to evolve work, the workplace, and our relationship with work. There is a need to address the outdated structures and toxic cultural norms that perpetuate burnout. Drawing on the latest research, this session will explore a new model for creating a sustainable workplace. This model covers five key elements that are essential in sustaining the workforce for long-term performance and well-being.

At the conclusion of this event, attendees will be able to:
1. Clearly understand and apply the definition and dimensions of burnout and how to properly measure this concept.
2. Better evaluate ideas/processes/suggestions to alleviate burnout through a better understanding of the systemic causes of burnout and common myths that surround burnout.
3. Create new conversations and reimagining about how work is done, our relationship with work and the different ways we can drive change to create sustainable workplaces.