Burnout in the Digital Age: Rethinking Workplace Culture for Well-Being and Retention, by Jonathan H. Westover PhD

Abstract: This article explores how digital workplace cultures can enable or diminish employee burnout and retention. The article argues that the rise of constant digital connectivity has blurred boundaries between work and personal life, enabling overwork as the norm. Two key stressors exacerbated by digital workstyles - the inability to disconnect from work and information overload - are shown to directly contribute to burnout risks like emotional exhaustion. The impacts of burnout on individual well-being as well as organizational costs relating to disengagement, turnover and lost intellectual property are examined. The article then discusses how systemic culture change interventions focusing on boundary setting, workload management, supportive leadership and collective well-being can help companies address burnout by shifting priorities towards sustainable employee engagement.