Leader Burnout: Global Statistics, Industry Trends, and Impact

Global Prevalence of Burnout Among Leaders

Burnout has become alarmingly common among high-level leaders worldwide. Recent surveys indicate that over half of executives at the director level and above are currently suffering from burnout symptomslhh.com. In fact, leadership burnout surged to 56% of executives in 2024 (from 52% in 2023) according to a global “View from the C-Suite” studylhh.com. This represents a worrying increase even compared to the early pandemic—nearly 10% more leaders now feel burned out than at the peak of COVID-19 in 2020 pageexecutive.com. The strain is evident across the board: in one Microsoft Work Trend Index study, 53% of managers reported being burned out, a higher rate than among their own employees (48%)jwmichaels.com. Perhaps most startling, many leaders are reaching a breaking point: almost 70% of C-level executives have seriously considered quitting for jobs that better support their wellbeingwww2.deloitte.com. This includes founders and entrepreneurs, who are not immune to burnout’s pressures – for example, over half of startup founders in one survey said they had experienced burnout during the past yearsifted.eu. These statistics underscore that burnout is a global crisis at the leadership level, cutting across regions and company sizes.

Burnout Trends by Industry

While burnout affects leaders in virtually every sector, its prevalence and drivers can vary by industry. Below is a breakdown of burnout trends among leaders and senior professionals in key industries:

Technology Sector

Leaders in the technology industry face intense pressure from rapid innovation cycles, layoffs, and “always-on” work culture, leading to high burnout rates. Surveys show tech professionals are among the most burned out. For instance, in the information technology and telecommunications field, around 77% of employees have considered quitting due to burnoutbenefitnews.com – one of the highest percentages across industries. Tech executives themselves report mounting stress: layoffs and fears of being disrupted by new tech contribute to worsening mental health. A 2023 report on tech leadership found a third of C-suite tech executives were actively looking for new jobs, citing stress and uncertainty about the future. Many tech founders also struggle – one European startup poll found 53% of founders had experienced burnout and 61% had considered leaving their company in the past yearsifted.eusifted.eu. The combination of long hours, constant change, and job insecurity (e.g. concerns about AI automation) has made burnout a serious issue in Silicon Valley and beyond.

Healthcare Sector

Healthcare has seen some of the highest leadership burnout levels, exacerbated by the pandemic and chronic system pressures. Nearly three-quarters of healthcare executives said they felt burned out in the last six months, according to a 2022 hospital leadership surveyaha.org. An overwhelming 93% of those leaders believed that burnout was negatively impacting their organizations’ performanceaha.org. The toll is causing many to exit: 75% of healthcare execs in the survey knew a peer who had left the field due to burnoutaha.org. Another 51% admitted burnout might cause them to leave their own leadership positionsaha.org. Hospital directors, chief physicians, and other health system leaders have been navigating crisis conditions (staff shortages, public health emergencies, financial strain), and it’s reflected in extreme burnout rates. Healthcare leader burnout not only endangers their personal health but also can undermine critical decision-making in care delivery.

Finance and Banking

Finance is another industry where leader burnout is surging. A 2023 analysis found the financial and insurance sector had the highest burnout-related attrition risk of any industry – about 81.7% of employees in finance had at least thought about leaving their jobs due to burnoutbenefitnews.com. Long hours, high stakes, and intense performance pressures (common in banking, investment, and accounting roles) contribute to this trend. In one survey, 60% of finance professionals said they were actively looking for a job outside the industry, with over half citing “high levels of burnout and poor work-life balance” (53%) as a major reasonhrdive.com. Even senior Wall Street executives have spoken out about mental health challenges. Leadership burnout in finance can be compounded by the demanding culture – many feel that the profession hasn’t kept up with workplace well-being expectations, prompting veteran leaders to reconsider their careers.

Education Sector

Leaders in education – such as school principals, superintendents, and university administrators – are under immense strain and are experiencing burnout at concerning rates. A national survey by the RAND Corporation in 2022 revealed that 85% of U.S. public school principals were experiencing significant job-related stress, and 48% of principals “are dealing with burnout”edsurge.comedsurge.com. (For comparison, burnout among teachers was lower but still high at around 30%, and among U.S. workers overall about 35%edsurge.com.) The challenges of the pandemic, staffing shortages, and political pressures have left educational leaders emotionally exhausted. In the broader education industry, roughly 64.6% of employees have contemplated leaving their roles due to burnoutbenefitnews.com – indicating that the burnout epidemic extends from the classroom to the front office. Many principals report that the constant stress has sapped their enthusiasm and even endangered their health, with some considering early retirement or career changes to escape the pressure.

Manufacturing Sector

In manufacturing and industrial companies, burnout has also become a prevalent issue for those in leadership. Plant managers and operations directors often juggle tight production deadlines, supply chain disruptions, and workforce safety concerns, all of which escalated in recent years. Surveys show that about 70% of employees in manufacturing have considered quitting because of burnout and fatiguebenefitnews.com. Manufacturing leaders may not always voice burnout as openly, but the combination of long shift schedules, physical demands, and pressure to optimize output can lead to chronic exhaustion. Many experienced manufacturing supervisors are reaching burnout after having to “do more with less” amid cost-cutting and labor shortages. This sector illustrates that burnout isn’t limited to white-collar office environments; even on the factory floor, overwork and stress are taking a toll on those in charge. Burnout in manufacturing leadership can result in higher accident risks, quality issues, and turnover of skilled managers – further challenging an industry already facing talent gaps.

Other industries also report notable burnout levels. For example, public sector leaders and professional services executives likewise see high stress – in one study over 75% of public sector workers had considered leaving due to burnoutbenefitnews.com. Even in fields like media, sales, and marketing, leadership burnout is on the rise, often reflected in high turnover rateslhh.com. No sector is truly exempt from the burnout phenomenon.

Personal Impacts of Burnout on Leaders

Burnout doesn’t just stay at the office – it exacts a heavy personal toll on leaders’ health and lives. High-level executives suffering burnout often experience a range of physical, mental, and emotional consequences that can spill over into their personal domains. Key personal impacts include:

Physical health problems: Prolonged burnout leads to chronic exhaustion and can seriously harm leaders’ bodies. Burned-out individuals often suffer from insomnia, headaches, and weakened immune systems. Research has even linked severe burnout to increased risk of cardiac conditions – for example, one study found burnout can trigger atrial fibrillation (a heart rhythm disorder), raising risks of stroke and heart failureshrm.org. Leaders under extreme stress also report gastrointestinal issues and other stress-related ailments as their bodies respond to constant pressure.
Mental and emotional strain: Burnout is officially characterized by emotional exhaustion and cynicism, and many leaders experience anxiety and depression alongside it. The constant stress of leadership can drain one’s mental health. In fact, burnout is associated with long-term psychological harm – studies note higher rates of clinical anxiety and depressive symptoms in burned-out workersshrm.org. Executives often feel a sense of detachment or “numbness” toward work as their passion erodes. This emotional blunting can also manifest as irritability or a shorter temper. It’s not uncommon for a burned-out leader to report feeling empty or hopeless, despite outward success.
Strained relationships: The personal relationships of leaders often suffer when burnout sets in. Long hours and constant preoccupation with work can lead to isolation from family and friends. In a survey of healthcare executives, 47% said burnout had negatively impacted their personal relationshipsaha.org. Leaders may become withdrawn at home, too tired or stressed to engage with loved ones. Marriages and friendships can be tested by the mood swings and absent-mindedness that come with chronic work fatigue. Sadly, some leaders report missing important family events or losing touch with their support networks because their burnout consumed all their time and energy.
Impaired decision-making and focus: Burnout can cloud a leader’s mind, undermining the very cognitive abilities that executives rely on. Many burned-out leaders experience “brain fog” – difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, and trouble making decisions. As one account noted, mental fatigue from burnout leads to impaired decision-making and attentionjwmichaels.com. An executive might find it hard to think strategically or may start making uncharacteristic mistakes. Small tasks that were once easy can feel overwhelming. This diminished cognitive function is both a personal frustration and a professional liability, as leaders struggle to perform at their usual caliber when burned out.
Decline in job performance: Ultimately, a leader’s performance at work suffers when they are burned out. Studies show burnout contributes to diminished productivity and effectiveness on the jobshrm.org. Executives may start missing deadlines, delivering lower-quality work, or failing to inspire their teams. They often lose the creativity and enthusiasm needed to drive new initiatives. Motivation plummets – a burned-out leader is more likely to do the bare minimum rather than go above and beyondshrm.org. In some cases, burnout can lead to increased absenteeism (e.g. taking more sick days or mental health leave) as individuals struggle to cope with work demands. All of this not only hurts the leader’s career progression and sense of accomplishment, but also sets a concerning example for those around them.

Organizational Impacts of Leader Burnout

https://www.lhh.com/us/en/insights/the-leadership-lifeline-why-every-executive-needs-a-mentor/

Figure: High leadership turnover is one sign of burnout’s organizational toll. In one global survey, 43% of leaders reported that over half of their leadership team had turned over in the past year, illustrating how stress and burnout are depleting executive teams. Burnout at the top doesn’t just affect the individual leader – it reverberates across the entire organization. When a director, founder, or C-suite executive is burned out, the consequences can be far-reaching for their company’s people and performance. Some major organizational impacts of leader burnout include:

High turnover and talent loss: Burnout in leadership often translates into higher leadership attrition. Stressed executives are more likely to resign or retire early, and they may also drive away other talent. Surveys show that burned-out individuals are almost 3 times more likely to be actively job-hunting compared to those not burned outshrm.org. This means companies risk losing not only the burned-out leader but also other key employees who see leadership instability. For example, in the healthcare field 75% of executives said they personally know colleagues who left due to burnout, and over half feared they themselves might eventually leave because of itaha.orgaha.org. Such turnover at the top can create a vacuum of experience, disrupt succession plans, and incur significant costs to replace leaders. Frequent leadership changes also shake investor and employee confidence. In short, burnout contributes to a broken leadership pipeline, as exhausted executives bow out and fewer emerging leaders are eager to step up into stressful roles.
Decreased innovation and performance: Organizations led by burned-out executives tend to see drops in overall performance and innovation. When leaders are exhausted and disengaged, they struggle to drive creativity or strategic change. Research confirms that burnout saps creativity and problem-solving – employees who are burned out are far less likely to generate new ideas or adapt to challengesshrm.org. This effect at the leadership level can stall a company’s innovation engine. A burned-out CEO or department head may stick to safe, routine decisions rather than pursue bold initiatives, simply because they don’t have the mental energy. Productivity suffers as well: projects may slow down or quality may slip when a leader isn’t able to effectively guide and motivate their team. In essence, burnout can put an organization into a holding pattern, where growth and innovation are hampered by a lack of visionary, energized leadership.
Reduced team morale and engagement: Leader burnout doesn’t happen in isolation – it often trickles down to affect employee morale company-wideseramount.com. Employees notice when their leaders are checked out or constantly stressed, and it can create a culture of disengagement. A burned-out leader might become irritable or indecisive, which can confuse or demoralize their team. Studies have described a “domino effect,” where executive burnout leads to rising frustration and burnout among subordinatesseramount.com. Team members may feel less supported or recognize that their own growth is limited under an overwhelmed manager. According to data from SHRM, employees who perceive their managers negatively impacting mental health are far less likely to be engaged or believe in the company’s missionshrm.orgshrm.org. In companies where multiple leaders are burning out, the overall organizational climate can deteriorate – fewer people go the extra mile, and a sense of apathy or mistrust can set in. Thus, leader burnout can significantly erode team morale, loyalty, and performance across the organization.
Poor decision-making and increased risk: When top executives are burned out, the quality of high-level decision-making can decline. Critical business choices might be delayed or handled poorly. LHH research notes that when leadership teams are under heavy strain, “decision-making slows” and strategic focus weakenslhh.com. Burned-out leaders may become risk-averse or, conversely, make impulsive calls out of irritability or desperation. Either scenario can lead to strategic mistakes – for example, missing market opportunities or failing to respond adequately to threats. Additionally, oversight can suffer; an exhausted leader might not catch errors or emerging problems early, potentially leading to crises. In high-risk industries (like aviation, healthcare, finance), leader burnout can have especially serious consequences if it results in lapses of judgment or ethical blind spots. Overall, organizations with burnt-out leaders face greater operational and reputational risks due to inconsistent guidance from the top.
Financial costs and lost productivity: Finally, leader burnout carries significant economic costs for organizations. Turnover of executives is extremely expensive – recruiting and onboarding a new senior leader can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Moreover, while a leader is burned out (or a role sits vacant after a burnout-driven exit), company performance can lag, hurting revenue. There are also healthcare and disability costs associated with burnout. A study in the Harvard Business Review estimated that workplace burnout may account for USD $120–190 billion in healthcare spending each year in the U.S.seramount.com. This figure reflects not only medical expenses but also the productivity lost to sick days and burnout-related inefficiencies. For the organization, burnout can lead to missed business targets and lower shareholder value. In short, burnout has a measurable financial impact – from direct costs like medical claims to indirect hits like lower sales – making it not just a human resources issue but a bottom-line concern.

Key Studies and Reports on Leader Burnout

To further explore the research on leader burnout, the following are notable studies and surveys (with links) that provide data and insights on this topic:

Deloitte (2022) – “The C-suite and Workplace Wellness”: A cross-industry survey of 2,100 employees and C-level executives in four countries. This study revealed eye-opening trends, including that nearly 70% of global executives were seriously considering quitting for a job that better supports their well-beingwww2.deloitte.com. It highlights the disconnect between executives’ own well-being struggles and their perceptions of employees’ experiences.
DDI Global Leadership Forecast (2023): A large-scale global study by Development Dimensions International. The 2023 report noted that burnout among leaders remains at high levels, with “nearly 10% more leaders feeling burned out now compared to the previous peak in May 2020.” It also found only 15% of leaders feel prepared to prevent employee burnoutpageexecutive.compageexecutive.com, pointing to a critical capability gap in organizations.
LHH “View from the C-Suite” Survey (2024): An international survey of 2,675 C-suite executives across 10 countries (by LHH, an Adecco Group company). Key finding: 56% of global executives reported feeling burned out (up from 52% the year prior)lhh.com. The study also documented generational differences (Gen X and millennial leaders reporting the highest burnout) and the ripple effects such as 43% of leaders experiencing significant team turnover. (Press coverage: HR Dive, March 2025)
WittKieffer Healthcare Executive Survey (2022): A focused survey of 343 hospital and health system C-level leaders (CEO, CFO, CMO, CNO, etc.). This report found that about 74% of healthcare executives had felt burned out in the prior six months, and 79% said their organizations were “not doing enough” to address executive burnoutaha.orgaha.org. Moreover, 75% of these health leaders knew a colleague who left the field due to burnoutaha.org, illustrating the acute impact on the healthcare industry.
RAND Corporation Principal Survey (2022): A nationally representative survey of U.S. public school principals (Education sector). It revealed that 48% of school principals were experiencing “burnout” and 85% reported high job-related stressedsurge.comedsurge.com. This study brought attention to the silent crisis among educational leaders and has been cited in discussions on how to retain school leadership talent during trying times.

Each of these studies contributes to a growing body of evidence that leader burnout is a critical issue across domains. The convergence of findings – from consulting firms to academic and industry-specific research – makes it clear that supporting leader well-being is not just about kindness, but about sustaining organizational health. Burnout at the top has far-reaching consequences, and as the data shows, it has become a global leadership crisis that businesses and institutions must address to ensure long-term successseramount.comseramount.com.

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