AI was supposed to help. Remote work was supposed to help. But anecdotally and statistically, employees are reporting burnout at work now more than ever. The good news is, you can take on the burnout beast and even defeat it! All it takes is intentional leadership, along with well-considered perks and benefits for employees.
The FruitGuys recently spoke with two experts—Shauna Moran, author of Managing Employee Burnout: How to Develop a Happy, Healthy and Engaged Workforce, and Chase Sterling, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Wellbeing Think Tank—to dig into the phenomenon, its repercussions, and how to fix it. (Plus, we had an idea or two of our own.)
Maybe you’ve seen it in coworkers: the stressed-out vibe, the furrowed brows, and the non-stop computer clacking. Or maybe you’ve felt it yourself: exhaustion, fatigue, and a chained-to-your-desk mentality (how many times have you replaced your lunch break with a quick power bar while squinting at your screen?). Either way, it’s easy to identify. It’s burnout.
Moran described burnout this way: “Workplace burnout is where we’ve been in a state of chronic stress for an extended period of time. When we’re in those states of chronic stress, it actually starts to impact lots of different areas of our lives—our performance at work, our sleep, our moods.”
In today’s fast-paced, always-on work culture, burnout has become a pervasive issue. The pressures of deadlines, long hours, and the constant juggling of personal and professional responsibilities have led to a growing number of employees reporting feelings of exhaustion and disengagement.
Citing research by Moodle, Forbes notes that 66% of American workers “are experiencing some sort of burnout” in 2025, with younger generations specifically feeling the burn (out). About 81% of people ages 18–24 report experiencing work burnout, with that number jumping to 83% for people ages 25–34. Even those at the end of their careers can feel it, with nearly 50% of workers 55 and older reporting they struggle with the issue.
TLDR: Burnout can happen to any of us. And it happens to a lot of us.
According to a 2016 study by Maslach and Leiter, the three primary components of burnout are emotional exhaustion, depersonalization (feeling detached from one’s job), and reduced personal accomplishment. In environments where employees feel undervalued, unsupported, or unable to meet the demands of their jobs, these feelings can pile up over time. Yikes! Unfortunately, Moran noted, many employers and managers don’t recognize burnout until it’s too late, “a.k.a. when they’re giving their notice.”
The increase in remote work may also be a significant cause of burnout. You’d think the freedom of working from home would reduce stress, but Gallup research has found that remote workers are more likely to experience burnout than their in-office counterparts, with 45% of remote employees reporting symptoms of burnout.
“The biggest issue for remote workers is isolation,” Moran said. ”Human connection is a primal need for a lot of us. And how are we getting that connection if we are a remote team? And [as leaders], how are we attuning to the needs of people?”
OK, problem identified. Now what do we do? Fortunately, we can do a lot. Intentional leadership is crucial to reversing workplace burnout, Moran told us, and wellness-oriented perks and benefits for employees can also help build morale.
As you choose those perks and benefits, remember to reflect on what your employees will truly enjoy and get value from. This list is a great place to start.
One of the most effective ways to turn the burnout tide is by fostering a supportive and trusting workplace culture. The Gallup study found that employees who have a supportive manager and feel valued at work are 70% less likely to experience burnout than their peers.
But how exactly do you create a supportive culture?
Moran suggested beginning with quality one-on-ones between managers and employees, with specific topics: “Making sure that workloads are generally manageable, and that we’re having conversations about that on an ongoing basis, making sure that timelines are reasonable.”
Sterling agreed. “Make sure leadership is aligned around wellbeing and provides training on psychological safety, belonging, and supportive supervision,” she said.
This seems pretty logical—how can you feel calm and confident if you don’t know what you’re doing? It’s important for leaders in HR or at the manager level to touch base with every employee and make sure they understand their role and what’s expected of them, both big picture and day-to-day.
“I see it time and time again,” Moran said. “If those pieces aren’t in place, it’s going to be a source of unhealthy stress.”
Take a proactive approach to wellness in the office by scheduling microbreaks for employees to stretch their legs, grab a snack, and decompress.
“I’ve worked with organizations that provide a dedicated 30-minute wellness break each week on top of standard mealtimes or legally required breaks,” Sterling noted. “Others encourage daily practices like short walks, mindfulness, or stretching. These simple steps show that wellbeing is part of the workday.”
To help your team make breaks a habit, try offering guided virtual wellness sessions through a service like Take a Breather on Demand.
Offering free healthy snacks is a simple perk for employees that can go a long way. They provide an incentive for employees to get up from their desks, interact with others, and move their bodies on the way to the break room. They’re also a great source of quick energy, and some healthy snacks—like fresh fruit—can even help reduce employees’ risk of anxiety and depression.
A fruit and snack delivery company like The FruitGuys can help make sure your team never runs out of healthy office snack options.
You can also step up your wellness perks and benefits for employees by providing exercise stipends, free meditation app subscriptions, in-house bodywork, or other wellbeing resources. You might even be able to provide them for free. Dig into your health insurance policies, ask vendors, and connect with local gyms about potential trade or group rates.
“You’re likely sitting on resources you haven’t tapped into yet,” Sterling told us.
Benefits only work if your employees use them, so show them how it’s done! Take your PTO—and don’t answer any emails while you’re on that beach in Mexico. Eat lunch away from your desk. Take the breaks allotted to you. You’ll help create an atmosphere where it feels safe for your team to do the same.
Finally, it can help to invest directly in your individual employees. According to a 2018 LinkedIn study, most employees prefer professional development and philanthropic opportunities over trendy perks. So, connect each employee with a mentor and coordinate volunteer days so that your team can make a difference in the community.
Extinguishing burnout might seem intimidating, but once you put these practices in place, they’ll quickly become habits. Ultimately, all it takes is intentionality, an open mind, and a specific strategy. And we did that last part for you!
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