Burnout is expensive. A burned-out employee at 60% capacity has the same salary cost as one at 100%. When they leave — which research shows they are 2.6x more likely to do than their non-burned-out peers — the replacement cost is typically 50 to 200% of their annual salary. Despite these numbers, most organizations track burnout with a once-a-year engagement survey question. Wellbeing analytics provides a more continuous, actionable view of burnout risk across the organization.
The Signals That Indicate Burnout Risk
No single signal predicts burnout reliably, but a combination of signals creates a meaningful risk score. The leading indicators that consistently precede burnout include: consistently high overtime hours for more than four consecutive weeks, a drop in engagement survey scores on the "workload manageability" dimension, increased leave requests for stress-related illness, reduced participation in optional team activities, and manager feedback noting reduced energy or motivation. When three or more of these appear for the same employee within a 60-day window, burnout risk is high enough to warrant a check-in conversation.
Intervention Before Exit
- Manager conversation: Not about performance — about workload. "I've noticed you've been carrying a heavy load. What's taking most of your energy right now? What can I remove from your plate?"
- Temporary scope reduction: For high-risk individuals, actively reduce scope for 4-6 weeks. Project re-assignment is less expensive than replacement.
- EAP promotion: Ensure employees know about available counseling and support resources without stigma
- Workload redistribution: If one person is consistently overloaded, the problem is a team capacity issue, not just an individual wellbeing issue
Space HR's people analytics module surfaces burnout risk indicators across teams and departments, allowing proactive HR intervention before the exit interview.
Read the full guide: HR Data Analytics Guide.