Australian Workers At Risk Of Burnout

New national research from SuperFriend has found that forty five per cent of Australian workers are at risk of or already experiencing burnout, prompting calls for employers to prioritise wellbeing, psychological safety, culture and purpose to support performance.

The findings were drawn from SuperFriend’s national workplace wellbeing data set and discussed at the Wellbeing at Work Summit across Sydney and Melbourne in mid November. Speakers at the event said the data highlights the strong connection between psychological safety, engagement and sustainable productivity.

Key Findings

SuperFriend reported that burnout risk climbs sharply among people already facing personal or mental health challenges. The organisation found higher risk among those experiencing mental ill health at sixty seven per cent, neurodivergence at sixty four per cent, personal crisis at fifty nine per cent and financial distress at fifty seven per cent.

Only fifty three per cent of employees said they feel comfortable speaking about mental health at work. For workers planning to leave their employer within twelve months, that figure drops to twenty four per cent.

The research also showed that workplaces with stronger psychological safety and better managed workloads report higher engagement, stronger retention and improved productivity outcomes.

Dr Natalie Flatt, Ph.D., Chief Mental Health Advisor at SuperFriend, said the results reinforce the business case for wellbeing investment.

“The link between psychological safety, purpose and performance has never been clearer,” Dr Flatt said. “Investing in wellbeing isn’t just a moral imperative, it’s a strategic advantage.”

From Data To Action

The findings were a central focus of this year’s Summit theme, ‘Wellbeing as the Power Behind Performance’, which examined how purpose, trust and connection shape high performing cultures.

Senior leaders from EY, Gallup, Salesforce, Medibank and SuperFriend joined global wellbeing specialists to discuss practical approaches businesses can take to embed wellbeing in everyday operations.

Lawrence Mitchell, Founder of the Wellbeing at Work Global Group, said the research gives organisations clear direction.

“SuperFriend’s research provides the data driven backbone to a conversation that’s happening in every organisation right now,” Mitchell said. “It’s about how to move from burnout to belonging and from reactive wellbeing to proactive culture. Through their well established research, data and practical tools, they help workplaces and industries turn evidence into measurable and sustainable impact.”

The Push For Cultural Change

Speakers at the event said the path to reducing burnout requires more than isolated wellbeing programs. Many noted that organisations need long term cultural investment, stronger leadership capability and workplace settings that support open discussion, manageable workloads and purpose driven work.

SuperFriend said it expects demand for evidence based wellbeing interventions to grow as employers respond to workforce pressures.

More details about the Wellbeing at Work Summit are available here.

Last Updated on November 15, 2025 by Nick Ross