Employee burnout is on the rise, even though many companies are working hard to hire more workers to meet increasing business demands. In a Robert Half survey of 1,500 professionals across Canada, nearly half – 47 per cent – of respondents reported feeling employee burnout, with nearly one third – 31 per cent – saying they felt more burned out than the year before.What can Canadian workers do to counter employee burnout? Here are four tips to help you out:
1. Discuss how your role can evolve to grow your skills – and match your goals
If workers aren’t enjoying their jobs, or feel stuck in their career paths, it can make them feel frustrated and discouraged, setting them on a faster path to employee burnout. In fact, a lack of professional growth opportunities was cited as a contributing factor to burnout in more than a quarter of surveyed professionals.If you’re feeling stuck in your role, take advantage of your next performance review to discuss your interests, opportunities for skills development and long-term career goals, emphasizing that more enjoyable tasks will lead to higher quality work. Canadian professionals value learning and growth opportunities – the same Robert Half survey that found nearly half suffering from employee burnout also found that 39 per cent were looking for more responsibility and a promotion at their company.
2. Don’t be afraid to address work-life balance with your manager
Nearly 4 in 10 Canadian professionals cite emotional or mental fatigue from high-stress tasks as one of the top factors contributing to employee burnout, and lack of work-life balance is also often a factor.We might be more than five years removed from the onset of the pandemic, which reshaped the narrative around remote and hybrid work, but the lines between our personal and professional lives are often still blurred, with messages frequently sent – and responses expected – at all hours of the day. This can leave them scrambling to balance the demands that work can place on their time.Don’t be afraid to raise the topics of work-life balance and employee burnout during one-on-one meetings with your manager. Provide regular updates on your progress with assignments, letting them know if you feel overworked or anticipate any challenges meeting deadlines.
3. Take advantage of employee wellness programs
The 2025 Canada Salary Guide From Robert Half found that employee wellness programs such as subsidized gym memberships and mental health support are among the top three perks desired by Gen X and millennial employees, and that more than 82 per cent of small, 87 per cent of medium, and 91 per cent of large companies offer them.Employee wellness programs aren’t just about attracting and retaining employees – by providing workers with the resources they need to manage stress, improve their physical health or simply let off steam after a stressful day, a good employee wellness program helps reduce the risk of employee burnout too.Need suggestions for how to improve your company’s employee wellness program to share with your manager? Check out our list of 14 effective employee retention strategies.
4. Look for a new position with more flexibility
If you’re feeling at risk of employee burnout and think a new, more flexible position might be the answer, you’re not alone – according to the 2025 Canada Salary Guide by Robert Half, flexibility is a top priority for professionals across Canada, with 44 per cent preferring 2 – 3 days per week at the office versus the four days per week the average employer would prefer.You may find you have a greater chance of finding flexible employers than you think. The 2025 Salary Guide, for example, found that 37 per cent of employers are offering flexible work arrangements to attract and hire skilled candidates this year. Robert Half's latest research into remote and hybrid work trends, meanwhile, has found that 29 per cent and 12 per cent of new jobs posted online in Canada are hybrid and remote, respectively, with stable rates for both throughout 2024 and into 2025.
One final tip – don’t be afraid to ask for help!
If you’re unhappy with your role, feel that work-life balance is nonexistent, and see no opportunities for change on the horizon, it’s worth visiting job search websites to learn which employers are seeking new talent with skills similar to your own. You can also enlist talent solutions experts like the ones at Robert Half to assist in your search.Need help finding a new position to reduce your own risk of employee burnout? Reach out to our talented staffing solutions experts today!
