Burnout is no longer a buzzword—it’s a business reality. In 2024, more than half of employers reported an increase in leave requests, and over half of those saw increases exceeding 20%. While the reasons for this uptick vary—including illness, mental health, caregiving responsibilities and parental leave—the common denominator is that today’s workforce is stretched thin. In frontline service industries like hospitality, senior care and restaurants, where labor shortages are already impacting operations, the strain is even more visible.

This rising tide of time-off requests is a signal of a deeper shift in how individuals experience work. SHRM found that almost half of United States employees feel burned out and emotionally drained, and more than half feel “used up” by the end of the workday. All of these point to a workforce that’s reaching its limits.

What’s fueling the employee burnout trend?

For many in the service sector, long shifts, understaffing and high emotional labor are par for the course. In senior care, workers are juggling physical exhaustion with the emotional toll of caring for vulnerable populations. In restaurants and hotels, increased guest volumes, erratic scheduling and heightened customer expectations are pushing teams to their breaking points.

Burnout and absenteeism aren’t isolated HR challenges—they’re operational threats. When key staff are out on leave or simply disengaged, service quality suffers, morale dips further and turnover accelerates.

Employers must shift from reactive crisis management to proactive workforce care. Here’s what they can do next:

1. Rethink your PTO strategy around burnout

Many companies offer generous leave benefits on paper, but if employees feel discouraged from using them, or if taking time off means overburdening co-workers, those benefits don’t serve their purpose.

Employers should reevaluate PTO policies to ensure flexibility and accessibility. To do this, they should consider implementing combined leave banks, such as blending sick and vacation time, floating holidays to accommodate cultural or personal needs or mental health days specifically designated for a personal wellness recharge.

Just as important as offering time off is cultivating a culture where time off is encouraged, not penalized. That starts with leadership setting the tone—when managers model healthy boundaries, workers are more likely to follow suit.

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