Burnout in the tech sector is very common. Lots of workers in the tech field work long hours, crave connection, and have a culture that really rewards people who overwork. If you go to a tech company, you might see employees pushed to their limits. This is true even if burnout leads to mental health problems and less productive work.

Leaders play a critical role in shaping workplace culture as their habits dictate what becomes the norm for the rest of the team. So, when leaders prioritize work above all else—including well being—so do the employees. But the opposite is also true. When leaders have boundaries, their teams do too and everyone is happier and more productive around the office.

Let’s explore the leadership strategies that prevent burnout. We’ll also offer tips that support healthier work habits, improve team morale, and innovation and drive long-term success without sacrificing well-being.

What is burnout in tech?

Burnout in tech happens when workers feel physically, emotionally, and mentally tired. This feeling comes from long hours and constant pressure. It’s also a result of a culture that never slows down. Many tech jobs expect people to always be available, which, over time, wears them out. When burnout hits, work suffers, motivation fades, and mental health challenges and problems show up. It’s a big issue, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

What does research say?

A lot of research out there shows that when workers experience burnout, there are negative impacts. Here are some of the most important points you can consider to combat tech burnout:

• Prevalence and Impact: Burnout is more and more common in tech companies. If you’ve been paying attention to the TikTok world, you’ll know that TikTok employees have reported high stress levels. This is due to performance pressures at the company. There’s also a lot of uncertainty about the company’s future. This is causing stress, and some people are taking mental health leave.
• Technostress: Have you heard of “technostress?” It’s a term that describes the negative psychological relationship between people and new technologies. Symptoms of this include anxiety and irritability. You’ll also hear of decreased job performance.
• Gender Disparities: This is interesting. Women in tech leadership positions often experience higher burnout rates. They also sometimes have shorter tenures compared to their male counterparts. Between 2021 and 2024, women and non-binary individuals held only 15% of C-suite roles in NASDAQ-100 tech companies, with an average tenure of 1.5 years versus 4.3 years for men.
• Generational Differences: Gen Z and young Millennials also often report higher stress levels. They are more likely to take leave due to mental health concerns, including burnout. This shows how important it is for leaders to protect their workers and make changes.

Why is it important to manage burnout?

Burnout is a problem for everyone, including individuals and teams. It can even affect the full organization. Left unchecked, you may see burnout cause problems with team members’ mental and physical health. It can also cause reduced productivity and high turnover, which isn’t good for any industry. Managing burnout is especially important in industries where people get stressed out. Tech is a very stressful industry, so here are some ways you can manage tech worker burnout call-out:

Burnout makes people sick

It’s not just about being tired. Burnout can mess with mental and physical health. Stress piles up, leading to anxiety, depression, and even heart problems. People get sick more often, take more time off, and sometimes leave their jobs entirely just to get a break. If companies want employees to stick around, they need to give them space to rest and reset.

Work gets worse

Nobody does their best work when they’re running on fumes. Burnout makes it harder to think, focus, and solve problems. People forget things, make mistakes, and struggle to get stuff done. On the flip side, when employees are well-rested, they’re sharper, more creative, and way more productive.

Good people leave

Tech companies already have a hard time finding and keeping great employees. Burnout makes it even worse. When work is nonstop and overwhelming, people start looking for jobs that respect their time and energy. Losing experienced workers slows everything down and puts even more pressure on the ones who stay. If companies want to keep their best people, they need to stop pushing them to the brink.

Burnout is expensive

Sick days, missed deadlines, hiring new people—it all adds up. Burned-out employees are 2.6 times more likely to look for another job, which means more turnover, decreased productivity, more hiring, and more lost time. Businesses that take burnout seriously save money in the long run by keeping their teams strong and stable.

A burnt-out team won’t innovate

When everyone is exhausted, they stop caring. Creativity dies. Collaboration fades. The work gets stale. But in companies that respect work-life balance, employees feel good, work better together, and bring new ideas to the table. Happy, healthy teams make better products.

Fixing burnout isn’t about pizza parties or a mindfulness app. It takes real change. Leaders who respect boundaries, have open communication, set realistic expectations, and support their teams will have stronger businesses, better work, and employees who actually want to stick around.

What Are the Symptoms of Burnout?

If you’re going to treat a problem, you have to diagnose it. You also have to have eyes on the problem, because it doesn’t just start automatically. It usually starts with mild stress and then increases to more severe symptoms. Here are some things to be on the lookout for:

These symptoms often build up over time, and ignoring them can lead to serious health consequences. Recognizing the warning signs of burnout allows individuals and organizations to take proactive steps to prevent burnout.

How do tech leaders influence workplace culture and contribute to burnout or its prevention?

Your leadership teams set the example for how others will work and feel at work. If your leaders feel too much pressure, your employees will too. If they are less stressed, it will trickle down to the leaders. Here are some of the ways leaders influence workers and some examples of how we see this play out in real life.

Rewarding Overwork Instead of Results

It’s no secret that tech companies celebrate long hours and see them as a sign of dedication. You’ll see leaders publicly praise employees for pulling all-nighters. They’ll be happy if a worker insists on skipping vacations. And you can rest assured that answering emails after hours reinforce the idea many tech employees that success requires constant availability.

Tesla’s Long-Hours Culture

Elon Musk has famously encouraged employees to work long hours. He’s even said that “nobody ever changed the world in 40 hours a week.” Some Tesla workers have reported working 60- to 100-hour workweeks. This is why so many Tesla employees are exhausted and quit.

Setting Unrealistic Deadlines and Expectations

Tech teams often have time constraints. It may be that they are launching a product or meeting client demands. When leaders push for results without considering bandwidth or complexity, tech employees can face decision fatigue and cognitive overload.

The Video Game Industry’s “Crunch” Culture

Major gaming companies like Rockstar Games and CD Projekt Red have come under fire past few years for excessive overtime during “crunch” periods before game releases. Employees at Rockstar reported 100-hour workweeks. Can you imagine? This was the story leading up to Red Dead Redemption 2’s launch. CD Projekt Red’s rushed timeline for Cyberpunk 2077 caused major delays, widespread bugs, and ultimately, a damaged reputation.

Failing to Respect Boundaries

An “always-on” culture is reinforced when leaders send late-night emails or expect instant responses. It’s also a problem when they schedule meetings outside regular working hours. Employees who see their managers working at all hours often feel obligated to do the same.

Goldman Sachs Junior Analysts’ Burnout Report

While not a tech company, Goldman Sachs’ 2021 internal report highlights the dangers of working at a place where there are no boundaries. Junior analysts said they were working 95-hour workweeks. These workers talked about extreme stress and deteriorating mental health. This prompted discussions about whether the tech industry was headed in the same direction. The report pushed some firms to rethink workload expectations.

Ignoring Psychological Safety

We can’t equate burnout with long hours. It’s also about exhaustion. When leaders create high-pressure environments without space for honest discussions about workload, mental health resources or stress, employees suffer in silence.

Amazon’s High-Pressure Work Environment

Amazon’s workplace culture has been described as highly competitive, with employees reporting that they fear speaking up about burnout or mental health concerns. A 2015 report described employees crying at their desks due to excessive workloads and unrealistic expectations.

Overloading High Performers

If you’re a high achiever, you may bear one of the heaviest workloads. This is because you’re seen as being reliable. While it may seem logical to take on extra work, it can actually cause a downfall in your career growth.

Google’s “Quiet Promotions”

You may have heard of “quiet promotions,” where high performers take on additional responsibilities without formal recognition or pay increases. Guess the result? Burnout. Employees who once felt valued eventually seek roles elsewhere where their contributions are acknowledged and rewarded accordingly.

Get help with tech projects by nearshoring

Burnout is a serious issue. It’s serious in all industries, but especially for tech workers. It impacts employee well-being and productivity. It also affects whether or not they’ll want to keep working for your company. It would be a shame to lose an employee to a competitor because of burnout.

One way to reduce burnout is to optimize workloads and ensure teams aren’t stretched too thin. If your company needs extra support with software development, nearshoring to BairesDev can help your team stay productive without overloading internal resources. Explore how their expert engineering teams can deliver high-quality solutions while allowing your employees to focus on sustainable, long-term success.