Article Summary
- How hybrid work can alleviate burnout by balancing autonomy with support and structure.
- Why role design matters in preventing burnout through participation, clarity, and flexibility.
- How HR leaders can build sustainable workplaces by empowering employees and embedding wellbeing into work culture.
Burnout has become a defining challenge for modern workplaces. Across industries its impact is evident: reduced productivity, higher attrition and a decline in overall organisational health. Nearly 50% of workers around the world report experiencing symptoms of burnout1, a phenomenon writer and computer scientist Cal Newport has termed The Great Exhaustion.2 This pervasive fatigue threatens not only individual wellbeing but also organisational resilience and performance.
Recent research offers a glimmer of hope. According to the International Workplace Group (IWG), 75% of female employees who adopted hybrid working models report significant reductions in burnout. The flexibility to balance focus and recovery has led to improved work-life balance and better mental health.3 For organisations, hybrid work represents a powerful opportunity to tackle burnout head-on by rethinking how roles are structured, autonomy is fostered and workloads are managed.
The cost of burnout
Burnout is more than just feeling overworked. It is a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion, often accompanied by detachment and a reduced sense of accomplishment.
The organisational impact is immense – burnout results in a decline in individual, team and organisational performance4, inhibits innovation and creativity,5 increases workplace accidents and mistakes6 and is associated with workplace behaviours such as absenteeism.7 Gallup reports that low employee engagement – a key indicator of burnout – costs the global economy an estimated $8.8 trillion annually, equivalent to 9% of the world’s gross domestic product.8
Burnout thrives in environments where workloads are excessive, expectations unclear and autonomy stifled. Hybrid work offers a unique solution by allowing employees to manage their time and energy more effectively, balancing focused, independent work with collaborative team activities. However, the success of hybrid work in addressing burnout hinges on how well organisations structure roles and empower employees.
Hybrid work: A burnout buffer?
The potential of hybrid work to mitigate burnout is a topic of much discussion, with research offering diverse perspectives. On one hand the findings from IWG show that hybrid work models have been highly effective in reducing burnout. The ability to alternate between focused work at home and collaborative activities in the office provides employees with a much-needed reprieve from the “always-on” demands of modern work.
However, not everyone experiences hybrid work as a solution to burnout. McKinsey research highlights a contrasting perspective: people who feel anxious about hybrid work – often due to a lack of clarity, structure or support – tend to be the most burned out.9 This underscores the importance of thoughtful implementation. Without clear guidelines or adequate resources hybrid work can exacerbate feelings of isolation or overwhelm, especially for employees who struggle to balance remote and in-office responsibilities.
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Amid these varying viewpoints research by Nicholas Bloom, a Stanford economist and leading expert on work-from-home policies, provides compelling evidence of hybrid work’s advantages. His studies show that employees working from home two days a week are just as productive and as likely to be promoted as their fully office-based counterparts. On a critical metric like employee turnover the results are even more encouraging: resignations fell by 33% among workers who shifted from full-time office roles to hybrid schedules.10
Women, non-managers and employees with long commutes benefited the most, with reduced office days significantly decreasing attrition in these groups. Bloom summarises his findings succinctly: “The results are clear: Hybrid work is a win-win-win for employee productivity, performance and retention.”
Taken together these insights suggest that hybrid work has the potential to alleviate burnout and enhance workplace outcomes, but only when executed thoughtfully. The challenge is to design hybrid models that maximise flexibility and autonomy while ensuring that employees have the support and clarity needed to thrive. This balance is key to leveraging hybrid work as a sustainable solution to burnout.
Redesigning roles to prevent burnout
While individual-level initiatives like encouraging self-care or time management can offer some relief, they are not enough to tackle the institutional challenges that contribute to burnout. Research shows that organisational-level strategies, such as restructuring work or improving performance management, are not only more effective but also deliver longer-lasting benefits.11 Combining person-directed and organisation-directed interventions is the most effective way to prevent and combat burnout, fostering sustainable wellness within organisations.12
To implement this dual approach organisations must balance strategies that empower individuals with structural changes that address systemic challenges. Here are actionable recommendations to redesign roles for a healthier and more productive workforce:
#1
Empower employees to shape their work
- Encourage job crafting: Allow employees to actively shape and customise their roles to better align with their strengths and career goals.
- Promote autonomy and flexibility: Give employees the freedom to negotiate job content, such as adjusting their responsibilities to match their skills and interests.
- Focus on strengths: Enable employees to select tasks that play to their strengths while also providing opportunities for growth through challenging projects.
- Provide variety and development opportunities: Ensure that roles offer a mix of skills and tasks to maintain engagement and provide avenues for professional development.
#2
Foster meaningful participation in decision-making
- Engage employees in strategic decisions: Involve employees in shaping organisational strategies, ensuring that their insights and expertise contribute to the decision-making process.
- Understand resource needs: Collaborate with employees to identify the tools, training and support they require to perform at their best.
- Be transparent about decisions: Clearly communicate the rationale behind key decisions, fostering trust and understanding across the organisation.
- Provide channels for employee voice: Create structured opportunities for employees to share feedback, such as suggestion systems, open forums or advisory panels.
By integrating these person-directed and organisation-directed strategies HR leaders can design roles that empower employees while addressing systemic issues. This approach not only helps to prevent burnout but also creates an environment where employees can thrive, contributing to both individual satisfaction and organisational success.
Building autonomy in a hybrid world
When employees have control over their schedules, workloads and methods they are more likely to engage with their work and less likely to feel overwhelmed. Autonomy is a cornerstone of the . In hybrid work environments, autonomy extends beyond physical location to encompass decision-making, task management and collaboration. It must be balanced with accountability and support.
For HR leaders clarity in role design is crucial. Ambiguity in role expectations is a major contributor to burnout. Clearly defining tasks, responsibilities and goals ensures that employees understand what is expected of them, reducing unnecessary stress and confusion.
Use job descriptions to outline not just tasks but also the purpose and outcomes of each role. Regularly review and update these expectations in line with organisational changes.
Proving decision-making discretion boosts energy and motivation, helping employees feel more in control of their work.
In hybrid setups allow employees to choose where and how they work based on the nature of their tasks. Offer flexible deadlines where possible to accommodate individual working styles.
Building a culture of collaboration is also important to ensure that autonomy does not lead to isolation.
Use projects to encourage cross-team collaboration to share ideas, reduce silos and ensure alignment with organisational goals.
Conclusion
Hybrid work is not a panacea for burnout but it offers a unique opportunity to rethink how we work. By combining flexibility with clear structures HR leaders can tackle the root causes of burnout, building a resilient and engaged workforce. The key lies in thoughtful role design, fostering autonomy and creating an environment where employees can perform sustainably without sacrificing wellbeing.
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https://www.bcg.com/publications/2024/four-keys-to-boosting-inclusion-and-beating-burnout
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- State of the Global Workplace, Gallup https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx
- https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/five-fifty-the-great-exhaustion
- Bloom, N., Han, R. & Liang, J. Hybrid working from home improves retention without damaging performance. Nature 630, 920–925 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07500-2
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