We’ve Been Getting It All Wrong About Burnout

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Yoga doesn’t cure burnout. Neither does a vacation or a team bonding day. I know—because I’ve tried them all. And yet, just one day back in the office was enough to bring back the same sense of dread and frustration.

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I was a counsellor with the Singapore Prison Service. The work was deeply meaningful, and my colleagues were supportive and fun-loving. We’d often have lunch together and hang out on Friday nights. On the surface, things were going well. But the job wore me down. After a year, I felt angry, disappointed, and exhausted. I would go home and lie on the cold, hard floor. I couldn’t bring myself to meet friends on weekday nights.

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People had warned me about burnout. They said my clients—especially the population I was working with—would expose me to so much stress and negativity that I’d eventually burn out. But that didn’t make sense to me. My clients were actually the most meaningful and fulfilling part of my work.

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That contradiction sparked my interest in studying burnout more deeply. One of the most powerful frameworks I encountered was by Vikki Reynolds—an adjunct professor, clinical supervisor, and social justice activist. She argues that burnout in helping professionals stems not from the work itself, but from bearing witness to the social injustices their clients endure and feeling powerless to change these systemic issues. Her perspective captured exactly how I felt: I was inspired by my clients’ determination to change, yet deeply disheartened by how little society could do to support them.

 

Later, during my PhD, I focused my dissertation on the pathways to burnout and engagement. One theme emerged clearly: burnout is rooted in discrepancies. Discrepancies between job demands and the resources available. Discrepancies between the work environment people hope for and the one they actually experience. And perhaps most profoundly, discrepancies between who they aspire to be and how they feel in their current roles. The greater these misalignments, the greater the risk of burnout. When we reduce them, people become more engaged, more energized, and more fulfilled in their work.

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So what does this mean for organisations?

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The most effective way to combat burnout and enhance engagement isn’t through quick fixes—it’s through alignment.

To start, organisations should:

1. Assess and balance job demands with sufficient support and resources.

2. Create work environments that reflect employees’ values and aspirations.

3. Help employees reconnect with their ideal selves through meaningful work, growth opportunities, and a strong sense of purpose.

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At Psyched4Work, we bring a scientific lens to these challenges. Using people analytics, we uncover hidden misalignments across your organisation. Through culture workshops, we engage employees in shaping a work environment that truly energizes and supports them. Our goal is to build workplaces where people don’t just survive—they thrive.

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If this resonated with you, please get in touch with me at bekwuay@psyched4work.sg. We are happy to support your organisation in your journey towards a high-performing engaged workforce.

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Yours truly,

Tang Bek Wuay, PhD
 

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