News
25 July, 2025
Burnout on the rise
AUSTRALIAN workers are facing significant burnout, with new data from Beyond Blue highlighting young people and parents as the most affected.
A community poll commissioned by Beyond Blue found that half of people surveyed had experienced burnout in the last year, with those aged 18-29 years experiencing the highest rates.
The primary drivers of burnout among young people included inappropriate workload (38 percent), lack of management support (25 percent), and inflexible working conditions (24 percent).
Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman AO said despite their shorter tenure in the workforce, there’s a lot going on for our young people.
“High rates of burnout sit in the wider context of constant change, disruption and uncertainty,” she said.
“Young people face compounding pressures and concerns including housing affordability issues, cost of living pressures, climate change and rising loneliness.
“We need a re-think in how we support the mental health of our young people, including how workplaces can reduce the risk of burnout early in their working lives.”
While the sample for small business owners (SBOs) was small, the data suggested that SBOs were the employment type most likely to be experiencing burnout in the last 12 months, with 35 percent often or always feeling burnt out in the last 12 months, compared to 26 percent of full-time employees, 18 percent of part-time employees, 11 percent of those who are self-employed, and 11 percent of casual employees.
In addition, 89 percent of SBOs also reported feeling burnt out from work in the past at least (sometimes, often, always), compared to 67 percent of full-time workers.
Ms Harman said SBOs are the backbone of our economy, and they should be looked after.
“Small businesses employ almost half the private sector workforce, yet they operate in a unique and often challenging context, facing financial pressures, isolation, and long working hours,” she said.
“These factors, combined with limited access to resources and mental health support, create a perfect storm for mental ill-health.”
Across all age groups, the poll found inappropriate workload (49 percent), lack of management support (32 percent), and inflexible working conditions (21 percent) were the top burnout drivers.
Half of those always burnt out also reported loneliness at work.
One in three workers feared discussing burnout with managers, worried about career consequences.
Nearly half did not seek professional support.
While two in five were dissatisfied with workplace efforts to reduce burnout, only one in five were highly satisfied.
Respondents identified reduced workloads (41 percent), more staff and resources (28 percent), and increased managerial support (23 percent) as needed steps.
Burnout can leave people feeling exhausted, feeling negative about – or less connected to – the work they do, and reduces personal efficacy, so people feel like they’re achieving less than normal.
“Burnout is never a personal failing,” Ms Harman said.
“Burnout is the result of someone facing too many demands, for too long, without enough support.”
The latest data also showed that around 1 in 2 people were experiencing burnout for non-paid work activities, with the top reason attributable to family and parenting responsibilities.
Ms Harman said understanding burnout at home and at work helps people to act sooner and protect their health.
“It’s never too late to reach out for support, but it’s better to address stress before it reaches the point of burnout,” she said.
