Australian employees report rising mental distress driven by workload pressure, constant meetings and blurred boundaries1. Allianz created Unschedule the Burnout to drive awareness of the issue and offer tools to help organisations operate in a way that reduces psychological injuries.
Unschedule the burnout
Balancing stress and recovery to help prevent workplace burnout
(Upbeat drum music plays)
Caption: Allianz spoke to Australians about their work demands.
Caption: This film is based off their schedules.
(The screen slowly fills with more and more meetings as drum music gets faster e.g. 7.30am to 6.30pm ICU Day shifts, 8pm to 9pm Maths final marking, 11.30am to 12pm Monday all staff.)
Caption: 59% of employees have experienced mental distress from work overload.
Footnote: 59% of surveyed employees (1,642 middle managers and below) stated they have experienced mental distress (e.g. anxiety, burnout, emotional exhaustion) as a result of work overload (e.g. workload pressure, meeting overload, unrealistic deadlines). The research was commissioned by Allianz and conducted by YouGov Online survey of employees and managers conducted between 28 July 2025 and 7 August 2025.
Caption: It's time that changed.
Caption: For resources to help your workplace - allianz.com.au/UnscheduleTheBurnout
Caption: Care you can count on
Caption: Ahhhh Allianz
Understanding burnout
Burnout is defined by the World Health Organization as "a syndrome …resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed." It typically shows up as exhaustion, mental distancing from work and home, and a reduced sense of accomplishment.
In simple terms, it’s the predictable outcome when sustained, excessive stress isn’t counterbalanced with sufficient recovery – at work and outside of work.
Think of your energy like a wave across the week: stress draws down your resources; recovery tops them back up. Without recovery, the slope trends down towards exhaustion.
It's characterised by three dimensions:
Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job
Reduced professional efficacy
While burnout was originally defined in the context of the workplace, the nature of work has evolved significantly over the past decade. The lines between work and home have become increasingly blurred. This has made the experience of burnout more complex and influenced by factors beyond just our professional roles.
Our research has shown that employees are feeling mental distress as a result of workload and this is being exacerbated by external pressures.2
- Of surveyed employees, 19% said technology made it difficult to switch off from work.
- One in four surveyed employees also report that their cost of living worries and financial pressures affect their ability to focus at work.
- A staggering 73% of surveyed employees report being unable to schedule regular personal time for themselves.
- When it comes to household duties, 78% aren’t splitting responsibilities equally, and 81% don’t have a reliable network to help with routine tasks like school drop offs or caregiving.
We encourage workplaces to take a holistic view of what contributes to stress to better reflect today’s ways of working and the competing demands of everyday life.
“Allianz’s research revealed that surveyed Australian employees felt that external pressures are affecting their ability to focus at work. We aim to support Australians and their workplaces to address and mitigate burnout by considering the full spectrum of responsibilities and activities that contribute to this experience.”
– Brianna Cattanach, National Manager Mental Health Strategy, Allianz Personal Injury
Our research into burnout
Almost 80% of surveyed employees3 and almost two-thirds of surveyed managers4 don’t believe their organisation enforces good workplace habits and boundaries. This highlights the importance of effective workplace practices that promote recovery and prevent the downward trend toward exhaustion.
Allianz, in partnership with Dr Helen Lawson Williams, TANK Co‑founder, and other industry advocates, has undertaken extensive research into preventing burnout in Australian workplaces. We are all on a journey to learn more about how we can support mental health in the workplace, with the ultimate goal of creating and maintaining a positive work environment, where stress is reduced, burnout is addressed, and productivity and job satisfaction is enhanced.
Workers' compensation claims
Allianz Primary Psychological Workers’ Compensation claims had a relative increase of 28.4% between the financial years 2021 (FY21) and 2025 (FY25)5. Our claims data shows us that in FY25, mental stress and work pressure made up 34% of these claims.
The average time off work for a primary active psychological claim went up by 10% from FY21 to FY25 to an average of 81 days6. This increase shows how serious and long-lasting recovery from mental health issues can be.
Mental health claims are also more expensive, costing 2.8 times more than physical injury claims. In FY25, the average cost for a mental health claim was $46,143.7
Employees call for change
Nearly six in ten8 surveyed Australian employees cited excessive workloads, constant meetings, and unrealistic deadlines as key drivers of mental distress.
Additionally, our research showed that 2.73 million Australians5 are likely to consider quitting their jobs in the next year.
Surveyed Australian employees are increasingly vocal about the need for organisational changes to better support their wellbeing and reduce burnout. This includes:
Better manager training
Thirty six percent of surveyed employees9 believe that improved manager training is crucial for mitigating burnout. This includes training on recognising signs of burnout, providing empathetic responses to work-related stress, and fostering a supportive work environment.
Fewer unnecessary tasks
Thirty four percent of surveyed employees9 are calling for the elimination of unnecessary tasks and meetings that contribute to their workload without adding value. On average, Australian employees spend 3.31 hours per week on tasks or meetings deemed unnecessary.10
Recurring mental health days
Thirty percent of employees surveyed9 advocate for the introduction of regular mental health days. While these days are not a solution on their own, this would provide employees with the opportunity to recharge and focus on their mental wellbeing and active recovery.
Disconnection from technology
Nineteen percent of surveyed employees report that technology makes it difficult to switch off from work.11 This highlights the need for clear boundaries and policies that promote genuine disconnection after hours.
Work-life balance
Seventy three percent of surveyed employees report being unable to schedule regular time for themselves outside of the workplace. This emphasises the need for organisational support for healthy work-life balance.
Investment in mental health
In response to these challenges, Australian organisations plan to invest $33.83 billion12 on mental health support this year. This substantial investment shows that mental health is being recognised as a key area for improvement.
Research by industry
CAPTION: Allianz Unschedule the Burnout - Construction
Brianna: Hi there, I'm Brianna Cattanach from Allianz, and I am so pleased to be joined today by Kurt Everard from TIACS, who has a wealth of experience working in the construction industry to support health and well-being of their workforce. Kurt, we're going to dig into the topic of burnout today. What does burnout look like for that industry?
Kurt: Well, I think there's a level of stoicism or a she'll be right attitude, which can be great sometimes. But when it comes to burnout, it can be a really contributing factor. When people are raised in an environment where they're just told to toughen up, it can be really, really hard to encourage people to actually open up about what's going on for them. And certainly the flow on effect of this can be really, really significant.
Brianna: If there are leaders out there who are a bit worried about someone or wanting to start a conversation, what tips do you have for them?
Kurt: I think it's just about simplifying the conversation and framing it in the best possible manner so people aren't looking for answers or fixes, they just sort of want emotional support. ‘How you been? You've been really quiet lately.’ You know, 'How are you feeling?’ ‘Is everything okay at home?’ If you keep those questions nice and open, the conversation will flow. And there's something really profound in a supervisor or boss being approachable. I've had many people say that it was a essentially a life changing moment when they could talk about some of the stresses at work with their boss.
Brianna: I like the way you frame that as life changing because I think it's simple, but it can be so very impactful. And from what you're saying, you think burnout pretty is preventable. Is that fair?
Kurt: Yeah definitely. I think yeah, it's starting with the conversation, giving that personal relief, trying to cultivate awareness of some of the signs of burnout so people actually understand what it looks like and then providing them with some tools or approaches to actually address that burnout. We want to be able to cultivate longevity in our workplace, and if we aren’t addressing burnout, then certainly that longevity is not going to be there.
Brianna: Thank you so much Kurt, I've really enjoyed putting this burnout lens across an industry that we probably haven't spoken about in this way before, and I hope those of you listening have also found this conversation insightful.
If you would like to get some more information, you can absolutely do that at Allianz.com.au forward slash Unschedule The Burnout
Caption: For resources to help your workplace Allianz.com.au/UnscheduleTheBurnout
Caption: Care you can count on
Caption: Ahhhhh Allianz
Construction
A quarter of surveyed construction workers (25%) report often making mistakes at work due to feeling burnt out. Construction combines physical risk, long hours and project uncertainty.
Many workers describe this as a ‘cycle’ of fatigue: taking stress home, poor sleep, and returning more depleted the next day. In an environment where resilience and toughness are often valued, conversations about mental health can feel difficult to start.
CAPTION: Allianz Unschedule the Burnout - Healthcare
Brianna: Hi there, I'm Brianna Cattanach from Allianz, and I am thrilled to be joined today by Dr Mark Cross, Psychiatrist who has a wealth of experience supporting people with mental health challenges, like burnout. I am so looking forward to this Mark, welcome.
Mark: Thanks for having me.
Brianna: People assume in the healthcare space, we should be really good at looking after ourselves, but that's not always the case, is it?
Mark: That's not often the case unfortunately, people don't own up. Find it hard to own up when they're struggling because they first of all, don't feel that there's space for that at work. And if you can't ask for help, you get what I call compassion fatigue. And it really affects how you interact with the very people that come to you for help.
Brianna: Can you share a little bit with us around what those experiences can look like?
Mark: Well, Allianz research has shown that nearly 6 in 10 employees feel that they've had some mental distress or a form of burnout at work. And people vote with their feet right, so how do you stop that? So, managers have to look at these things making sure that there are spaces at work where they can have their breaks and make sure that they are having their breaks. So, quiet spaces for people to chill, but being supportive, that's key.
Brianna: What sort of changes do you think healthcare workplaces could make around job design?
Mark: Being first and foremost on the work health and safety meetings, start off with ‘How are you doing?’ Checking every morning, and having those mental health days and having the discussion about them every single day, and being able to talk about things and encouraging people to go and seek psychological help.
I think in any incident that happens, yes we have reviews but we don't often have debriefs. So, you sit down and discuss what's going on at work. ‘How are things? What are some issues going on? Do you need to talk about it?’ So, that already was a conversation that was really helpful.
Brianna: Thank you so much Mark. It's been an absolute pleasure speaking to you.
If you would like some more tips and advice in that space, visit our website Allianz.com.au forward slash Unschedule The Burnout
Caption: For resources to help your workplace Allianz.com.au/UnscheduleTheBurnout
Caption: Care you can count on
Caption: Ahhhhh Allianz
Health
Almost a fifth of all surveyed healthcare workers (19%) feel burnt out, and 43% report they can’t take proper breaks due to their back-to-back schedule.
Healthcare needs to lead by example on mentally healthy work because the sector is built on caring for others. If the workforce itself is struggling, the quality of care and patient safety can be compromised. However, stigma and workforce shortages keep many workers from seeking help early enough.
CAPTION: Allianz Unschedule the Burnout - Education
Brianna: Hi there, I'm Brianna Cattanach from Allianz and I am joined today by Doctor Ben Arnold from Deakin University.
Ben, you have a really unique perspective in that you academically are studying experiences like burnout and wellbeing for educators. What are some of those trends and importantly, challenges that you're seeing in the education industry?
Ben: What we're seeing at the moment is that teachers are facing a lot of pressures in schools. There's quite a lot of administration in education, there's a number of tasks to complete, and they're also required to support the emotional needs and the wellbeing of students. And that's being translated into some mental health challenges and also some challenges about the sustainability of the role.
Brianna: What do you think we need to do from a job design perspective to ensure that we are still supporting our teachers?
Ben: So, how do we create the conditions where we can support teachers to spend their time with students making a real difference. There's other things that get in the way of that core relationship. It's really about thinking how do we create supportive cultures? How do we create supportive systems that enable teachers to do that work?
Brianna: What advice do you have for workplaces and leaders around supporting their workforce?
Ben: I think the main thing for leaders in schools is to think about how do we create a psychologically safe workplace where people feel that leaders care about their mental health and are there to support their mental health, and where they feel that there's a culture where they can openly talk about mental health challenges of themselves or of their colleagues. So I think that's the big thing.
Brianna: Do you feel like burnout is preventable?
Ben: I think it is about thinking at the system level, at the school level and at the individual teacher level, providing guidance and support so that people are not overextending themselves, and they're able to sustain their work over the long haul.
Brianna: Thank you so much, I have thoroughly enjoyed this conversation.
I hope that those of you listening have also found this conversation really insightful. If you'd like some additional practical tips and tricks to help in this space, visit our website allianz.com.au forward slash Unschedule The Burnout.
CAPTION: For resources to help your workplace - Allianz.com.au/UnscheduleTheBurnout
CAPTION: Care you can count on
CAPTION: Ahhhhh Allianz
Education
Over a quarter of surveyed education and academia workers (26%) feel burnt out, and 38% say they can’t take proper breaks due to back-to-back schedules.
Teacher shortages, rising expectations and complex student needs mean heavy workloads and high emotional demands. Beyond teaching, the compliance, behaviour and wellbeing duties pull focus from core work. Many educators go ‘above and beyond’, blurring boundaries and limiting recovery.
CAPTION: Allianz Unschedule the Burnout - Professional Services
Brianna: Hi there, I'm Brianna Cattanach from Allianz and I am so pleased to be joined today by Helen Lawson Williams from Tank as we explore how burnout can manifest in the professional services industry.
First of all, I wanted to understand a little bit, what are some of the trends you're seeing in the professional services industry at the moment?
Helen: I think you could describe it as a perfect storm. You have the carryover from Covid where people all took it up a notch, and then you've got, financial insecurity, those two things are really coming together with that existing baseline around stress.
Brianna: Can you help us understand a little bit, what good stress and then potentially bad stress might look like?
Helen: Good stress you don't want to avoid right, the good stress is actually what lifts us into really good performance. We can all thrive in an environment which is high pressure. It doesn't need to produce distress, but when it is responding to that in a respectful way and recognising that there are all kinds of things that we can do to reduce load, to increase control, to be listening to people and really drawing them out on what they need to convert that distress into a positive stress, that's the kind of conversation that we really need to be happening in teams.
Brianna: Are there particular things workplaces should be looking out for that might indicate that workforce are more at risk?
Helen: I think where you're seeing your best performers, particularly starting to perhaps make errors that they wouldn't normally have made or perhaps be irritable or responding in a way that looks different from what they normally would, and where you're hearing them say things like, I just can't switch off I have to finish this before I can take a break. Those are all really good indicators that you've got someone who's headed in the wrong direction.
Brianna: Our research also found that for workplaces, supporting really good communication within the workplace is key to addressing burnout.
Helen: 100%. So firstly, I think listening, it is the foundation for leaders to understand what's going on with their people, so taking that time to check in with them one on one because if they don't feel safe, if they don't trust you to have the conversation about stress versus recovery, you're not going to know what's going on for them until it's too late and they’re off work.
Brianna: Thank you also for listening. If you'd like to learn more about burnout and get some tips and tricks for your industry, visit our website allianz.com.au forward slash Unschedule The Burnout.
Caption: For resources to help your workplace Allianz.com.au/UnscheduleTheBurnout
Caption: Care you can count on
Caption: Ahhhhh Allianz
Professional services
Over half of surveyed professional services employees (62%) say they have experienced some form of mental distress, such as anxiety, burnout or emotional exhaustion, because of work overload. This includes workload pressure, meeting overload or unrealistic deadlines.
High‑stakes client work, perfectionism and ‘always‑on’ cultures raise burnout risk – especially for top performers who struggle to switch off. Meeting overload and vague roles drive unnecessary stress.
Tips for employers
Burnout is preventable when there’s a focus on how we work, why we work, and how we recover.
While workplaces should support employees during work hours, they can also share practices, knowledge and tools to help them manage both their jobs and their stress outside of work.
“The causes of burnout are excessive stress and insufficient recovery… Your highest performers are often most at risk, because they care deeply and struggle to switch off.”
– Dr Helen Lawson Williams, Co‑founder, TANK
What to implement in your workplace
Our Beyond Burnout (PDF, 3MB) research with Monash University indicated that there are elements of job design and workplace support that employers should focus on to mitigate the potential impacts of stress and burnout to employees;
1. Creating a just workplace
A fair and equitable workplace fosters a sense of value and respect among employees and reduces feelings of injustice.
- Every workplace is different. Use a psychosocial risk assessment tool to help identify the causes of burnout for your employees.
- Regularly review workplace policies and practices that focus on things like flexible work, the right to disconnect and manageable workloads.
- Make sure people leaders are provided with training on how to recognise and respond to the early signs of burnout.
- Encourage managers to lead by example, promoting flexible work and disconnecting after hours.
2. Manageable workloads and time pressures
Make sure workloads are manageable and time pressure are reasonable. This prevents employees from becoming overwhelmed and exhausted.
- Make sure people leaders are having honest and regular conversations with employees about workload.
- Ensure workloads are manageable, with a natural ebb and flow to work demands
- Encourage active recovery breaks to improve focus and productivity.
- Promote flexible working arrangements to help employees balance work and personal life.
- Provide employees with effective time management strategies and goal setting tools to help them manage their work.
3. Effective workplace communications
Clear and open communication builds trust and collaboration. This can help prevent misunderstandings and conflicts that can increase stress levels.
A supportive workplace culture and environment provide resources and emotional support. This can reduce feelings of isolation and promote resilience.
- Provide people leaders with training in effective communication practices and make sure they are conducting regular check-ins with their employees to address any minor concerns before they escalate.
- Set clear expectations through policies on things like behaviour, conduct, and leave entitlements.
- Increase support during peak work periods and make sure people leaders are equipped to fairly redistribute work when employees are on leave.
- Implement formal support pathways such as free counselling through an employee assistance program.
4. Promoting autonomy
Empowering employees with autonomy promotes a sense of control and ownership. This helps reduce frustration and disengagement, which can lead to burnout.
- Where possible, provide employees with input on how they complete their tasks, how problems are tackled, and the pace of their work.
- Encourage job rotation to enable job variation and skill development.
- Implement systems and processes that encourage feedback from employees.
- Support managers with training to implement good job design that empowers productivity, whilst considering personal preferences and workplace needs.
Tips for employees
What burnout feels like
Burnout can look and feel different for everyone, but common signs include:
- Constant fatigue or lack of energy, physically, emotionally and mentally
- Feeling negative or detached from your work
- Struggling to concentrate or make decisions
- Drop in performance or motivation
- Physical symptoms like headaches or trouble sleeping
What to do and who to go to
Burnout can creep in quietly, but it’s important to recognise the signs early and take action. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or just not yourself, these five practical steps can help you navigate the experience and find the right support:
1. Pause and check in with yourself
Notice how you’re feeling physically and emotionally. Acknowledge that burnout is common and not a sign of weakness.
2. Speak up early
Talk to your manager or team leader about what’s going on. Be specific about what’s making things hard – whether it’s workload, meeting overload, or lack of breaks or personal demands competing for your attention.
3. Use the support available
Most workplaces offer Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) or similar services for confidential counselling. If you’re unsure, ask HR or check your intranet. There are also a range of industry specific services facilitated by not-for-profits which are designed to understand and target the industry specific needs and challenges of workers.
4. Set boundaries where you can
Take proper breaks, disconnect after hours, and let your team know when you’re unavailable. Put an out of office message on your email when you need focused work time. Small changes can make a big difference.
5. Look after your recovery
Prioritise activities that genuinely help you recharge – exercise, sleep, time with friends or family, or hobbies that bring you joy.
Allianz's commitment to preventing burnout
We’re committed to creating mentally healthy workplaces where people can thrive. This means recognising and addressing the potential contributors to burnout in the workplaces we support, as well as for our own employees.
At Allianz, we’ve introduced internal changes such as monthly meeting-free days, designed to help employees focus on deep work. We’ve also started automatically shortening meetings by five minutes to give a bit of space between them.
We’ve introduced new systems capability to assist in identifying risks, and delivered training for our leaders to support them to be equipped, to respond to concerns about workload, recognise risks of burnout, and embed appropriate solutions into everyday work. We’re also investing in technology and AI tools to help our employees to work smarter. We partner with expert organisations, including the Corporate Mental Health Alliance Australia (CMHAA), SuperFriend and Tank, to deliver evidence-based solutions that support employee wellbeing and industry change. They cover injury prevention and tools for identifying and managing psychosocial risk. We offer recovery programmes and specialised resources to help Australians impacted by burnout.
All Allianz employees also have access to the ‘Care Hub’ – a digital platform designed specifically to support our staff and their families across five key areas of wellbeing: physical, social, emotional, financial and career.
“With seven years of research and industry leadership, Allianz’s mission is to help Australian organisations build future-ready workplaces that prevent harm and promote mental wellbeing.”
– Mark Pittman, Executive General Manager Allianz Personal Injury
We focus on the health and wellbeing of workers
We’re committed to building thriving workplaces and actively work with businesses and expert mental health partners to drive positive action on workplace mental health.
Access more of our research and guides, which include practical tips, insights and checklists to help you and your workers build mentally healthy workplaces.
About the research
The research was commissioned by Allianz and conducted by YouGov in accordance with the Australian Polling Council standard. The 2025 survey comprises a nationally representative sample of 1,642 employees (middle managers and below) and 506 managers (senior managers and above) aged 18+ across Australia.
Fieldwork was conducted online between 28 July and 7 August 2025. Following interviewing, data were weighted by age, gender and region to reflect the latest ABS population estimates. Professional services, construction, education and healthcare cohorts were upweighted for analysis.
Allianz customer Workers' Compensation claims data comparing primary psychological active claims for Financial Years 2021 to 2025, across all Allianz portfolios including; Allianz Australia's Underwritten Workers' Compensation, NSW Managed Fund (for both private and public sector employees) and Victorian Managed Fund Portfolios.
Footnotes
- 32% of surveyed employees have experienced mental distress in the past 12 months compared to 16% in the past 1–3 years.
- 59% of surveyed employees stated they have experienced mental distress (e.g. anxiety, burnout, emotional exhaustion) as a result of work overload (e.g. workload pressure, meeting overload, unrealistic deadlines). 24% of surveyed employees stated financial pressures or cost of living worries impact their ability to concentrate at work, when asked how non-work factors impacting your performance at work.
- Only 22% of surveyed employees said that their organisation enforces good workplace habits and boundaries to reduce burnout.
- 38% of surveyed managers said that their organisation enforces good workplace habits and boundaries to reduce burnout.
- According to Allianz Workers Compensation data, primary psychological workers compensation active claims have seen relative growth of 28.4% in the five year period from FY21 (10.9% of total claims) to FY25 (14.0% of total claims). 25% of employees surveyed said they are very or somewhat likely to consider leaving their current organisation in the next 6–12 months. This is the equivalent of 2.73 million people, when extrapolated to the general population of those employed in middle management and below
- According to Allianz Workers Compensation data, the average days off work for a primary psychological workers compensation active claim in FY25 is 81 days.
- Primary Psych claims are costing 2.8 times that of physical claims. The average primary active psych claims costs $46,143 in FY25.
- 59% of surveyed employees stated they have experienced mental distress (e.g. anxiety, burnout, emotional exhaustion) as a result of work overload (e.g. workload pressure, meeting overload, unrealistic deadlines).
- When asked which measures they think their organisation should commit to in order to improve work overload and burnout risk, employees selected better training for managers to support employee wellbeing (36%), systematically eliminating unnecessary tasks and meetings (34%) and monthly or quarterly recurring mental health days (30%).
- Surveyed employees estimated they spent an average of 3.31 hours per week doing unnecessary tasks or attending unnecessary meetings instead of doing productive work.
- 19% of surveyed employees stated that technology makes it hard to switch off from work, even outside of work hours, when asked how non-work factors impact their performance at work.
- The methodology is the average amount of surveyed managers claimed their organisation is planning to invest in mental health support service over the next 12 months ($33,854) multiplied by the number of employing businesses (999,161) in Australia (per ABS stats).
We're here to help
Explore our Help page for questions about your policy, claims, payments, and more. If you need to reach us, we're ready to connect.
Follow us on
Allianz acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live and work across Australia. We pay our respect to First Nations Elders past and present.
Any advice here does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. Terms, conditions, limits, and exclusions apply. Before making a decision about this insurance, consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)/Policy Wording and Supplementary PDS (if applicable). Where applicable, the PDS/Policy Wording, Supplementary PDS and Target Market Determination (TMD) for this insurance are available on this website. We do not provide any form of advice if you call us to enquire about or purchase a product.
Allianz Australia Insurance Limited ABN 15 000 122 850 AFS Licence No. 234708 is the insurer of any general insurance products offered, and Allianz Australia Life Insurance Limited ABN 27 076 033 782 AFS Licence No. 296559 is the insurer of any life insurance products offered. Each entity is responsible for any statements and representations made about its products, on this website.