Workplace Burnout Is a Global Problem

One of the reasons I like international news is that it can provide grounding and perspective. It can say, “I’m not the only one with this problem. In fact, people all over the world are experiencing the same thing right now.” This is the case with workplace burnout. Familiar patterns emerge throughout the world and here we look at recent examples in India and the United Kingdom extending all the way to Parliament.

Workplace Burnout in India

Results from a recent study show a major and sudden shift in mental wellness use in India. The digital health company ekincare released a report called “From Silence to Signal: India Inc.’s Mental Wellness Reckoning (2023–2026),” which states that mental wellness usage across corporate India has surged 44% since 2023. The report  analyzed over 6,000 counseling sessions across ekincare’s corporate client base between 2023 and 2026.

The Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd. (MCX) Image: Ministry of Finance of India via Wikimedia Commons.

The report’s other key findings include:

• Employees aged 20–25 reported a 203% growth in counseling usage
• The Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sector records the sharpest increase at 408%
• Healthcare and pharma saw 122% growth in counseling usage

Despite these increases, a reported 26.6% of employees who booked sessions never attended them. So among a significant portion of the workforce, there appears to be fear or hesitation to engage with mental wellness counselors.

Utilization rates also very significantly by age, with Gen Z seeking counseling at much higher rates.

Workers over 35 displayed the highest levels of clinical anxiety and depression. Among them, approximately 44% of sessions were linked to anxiety, depression or mood-related concerns.

The report also noted gender differences. Among women 25% of sessions involved relationships and intimacy issues, nearly double the rate found in men’s sessions.

Men’s issues were more commonly linked to “self-identity and growth”, with “personal issue” being the most frequently used description. Around 62 per cent of such cases were filed by men.

“The challenge is readiness,” said Dr. Noel Coutinho, co-founder of ekincare. “Are our systems equipped for the scale, complexity, and clinical depth of the demand that is emerging?”

Burnout in the UK: From Teachers and Nurses to MPs

A May 2026 Guardian opinion piece by columnist Gaby Hinsliff addresses workplace burnout and looks at the recent example of a British Member of Parliament taking a break. Green Party MP Carla Denyer has chosen to temporarily step away from her duties, citing medical advice and exhaustion. 

1. A Lawmaker’s Sabbatical

Denyer, the MP for Bristol Central and former co-leader of the Green Party, announced that she is taking a doctor-mandated break. She sited the reason as severe burnout from balancing personal health struggles with her demanding political responsibilities.

Many of her peers in politics offered well-wishes, but Denyer’s call for an “open conversation” about mental health has triggered some public backlash. Critics and radio phone-in callers questioned why a politician could not manage the job when frontline workers like nurses and teachers are expected to soldier on.

76% of people report experiencing burnout at work at least sometimes

Gallup

2. The Scope of Burnout in Modern Britain

The article highlights that frontline professionals are actually suffering deeply from the same issues, pointing out that:

• Mental health struggles are currently the leading cause of employee absences within the National Health Service (NHS) in England.
• Teachers across Britain report the highest levels of professional stress, depression, and anxiety.

So much of the public frustration with Denyer’s sabbatical is not out of malice, but out of shared exhaustion. For example, unpaid carers managing disabled children or elderly parents similarly face immense burnout. But carers generally lack the financial luxury or institutional support to step away from their roles, even for temporary sabbaticals. 

The British House of Commons. Imagee: UK Parliament via Wikimedia Commons.

3. Understanding Clinical Burnout

Hinsliff also contextualizes the term “burnout,” noting its original use in the 1970s to characterize the collision of high-pressure stress and deep moral dedication within caring professions. She distinguishes casual tiredness from clinical burnout, making key points on prevalence and severity:

• Prevalence: According to a Gallup survey, 76% of people report experiencing burnout at work at least some of the time.
• Severity: True burnout is not just a hard week. It manifests as chronic dread and panic attacks with emotional detachment as a coping mechanism. Burnout also involves anxious fears over failing major, sometimes even life-and-death responsibilities.
• Classification: The World Health Organization officially defines burnout as exhaustion “resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”

4. The Hidden Toll of Public Service

Hinsliff rightly pushes back against the idea that political work is easy. She explains that a dedicated MP fulfills the functions of a legislator, campaigner, and as a sort of social worker of last resort. MPs regularly handle constituent crises, including families facing deportation or homelessness and parents denied special education access for their kids.

Resulting in part from systemic failures, public servants operate on unmanageable levels of stress and adrenaline, deeply disrupting their sleep and mental health.

5. Moving Beyond Stigma to Systemic Change

The article concludes that destigmatizing mental health and praising Denyer’s honesty is only the first step. To truly address Britain’s burnout epidemic, the country requires systemic infrastructure.

Hinsliff argues that society must move past simple management training and actively invest in tangible support structures, such as universally well-paid sick leave and robustly funded respite care for unpaid family carers who cannot otherwise afford to rest. 🟦

Article opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of CivicHaven.

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