Breaking the Stigma: Why We Need to Talk About Burnout

Burnout is a serious issue, yet for many professionals, it remains a taboo subject. While the conversation around mental health has improved in recent years, admitting to burnout in the workplace can still be met with skepticism or worse, career consequences. 

I recently brought up burnout with a colleague, emphasizing the need to address it openly. Their response? "You shouldn’t talk about that. It’s a stigma, and it can affect your options for working relationships." This reaction reflects a larger problem: the idea that discussing burnout is a sign of weakness rather than a necessary step toward change.

So, how do we break the stigma and create environments where people can address burnout without fear?

1. Normalize the Conversation

Burnout isn’t a personal failure, it’s a response to chronic stress, overwork, and unrealistic expectations. When leaders and colleagues openly acknowledge burnout, it creates a culture where people feel safe seeking help. Companies should encourage conversations about mental health just as they do about professional development.

2. Recognize That Addressing Burnout Benefits Everyone

Organizations often view burnout as an individual problem, but its impact is far-reaching. Burnout leads to lower productivity, increased turnover, and even long-term health issues. By addressing it head-on, businesses can improve employee retention, morale, and overall performance.

3. Shift Away from a “Tough It Out” Mentality

Many industries, especially high-pressure ones like veterinary medicine promote a culture of endurance. Employees feel pressure to work through exhaustion rather than take a break. How many times have you said out loud to your coworkers "I have to pee!" and still ignore your own body for another hour to treat that patient or finish that report? Pushing past burnout doesn’t make someone more dedicated; it makes them more vulnerable to mistakes, inefficiency, and eventual disengagement.

4. Encourage Proactive Support, Not Reactive Consequences

Instead of penalizing employees for burnout, workplaces should offer preventive measures:

Flexible work schedules

Mental health resources and Employee Assistance Programs

Encouragement of PTO use without guilt

Manager training on recognizing and addressing burnout

5. Reframe Burnout as a Professional Development Issue

Burnout isn’t just about well-being it’s about sustainability in a career. Just as businesses emphasize skill-building, they should teach employees how to manage stress, set boundaries, and recognize when they need rest. Viewing burnout as a professional challenge to navigate rather than a weakness to hide shifts the conversation in a positive direction.

The stigma around burnout won’t change overnight, but the more we talk about it, the closer we get to a culture where addressing mental health is seen as responsible rather than risky. It starts with individuals speaking up, leaders setting the tone, and organizations recognizing that sustainable careers require sustainable workloads.

Burnout is real, but so is recovery. The first step? Talking about it. We all deserve to life a full happy life.