Jessica Rector

The #1 reason people leave organizations isn’t lack of engagement, career stagnation, or even compensation—it’s burnout.
I recently spoke with a client who was blindsided when one of his top employees abruptly quit. After his employee left, he was stunned to hear the real reason behind the resignation: burnout. He had no idea his employee was struggling, and unfortunately, he’s not alone. Many leaders don’t recognize burnout until it manifests as turnover, absenteeism, or declining performance. The reality is that burnout isn’t just an individual issue—it’s an organizational one.

The #1 reason people leave organizations isn’t lack of engagement, career stagnation, or even compensation—it’s burnout.
I recently spoke with a client who was blindsided when one of his top employees abruptly quit. After his employee left, he was stunned to hear the real reason behind the resignation: burnout. He had no idea his employee was struggling, and unfortunately, he’s not alone. Many leaders don’t recognize burnout until it manifests as turnover, absenteeism, or declining performance. The reality is that burnout isn’t just an individual issue—it’s an organizational one.

Burnout is rampant in today’s workforce, yet the very people who have the power to prevent it—the top leaders and decision-makers—often refuse to invest in solutions. Meanwhile, middle managers recognize burnout as a significant issue for frontline employees but find themselves stuck between advocating for their teams and dealing with leaders who don’t see burnout as a priority. This disconnect creates a cycle that perpetuates burnout, leading to …