Work. Burn-out: 11% of employees at severe risk, twice as many as before the pandemic

Thirty-two percent of employees say they are at risk of burn-out, a rate unchanged since the previous wave. More worrying: 11% report a risk of severe burn-out, twice as many as before the health crisis, according to the Ipsos-BVA barometer for Empreinte Humaine published on 2 June 2026.

What the WHO says

In 2019 the World Health Organization included burn-out in the International Classification of Diseases, not as a disease but as an « occupational phenomenon ». It results from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Three dimensions characterise it: feelings of exhaustion, mental distance or cynicism towards one's job, and reduced professional efficacy.

People do not burn out from loving their work too much, but from no longer being able to do it properly.

A silent mechanism

Burn-out rarely arrives all at once. For a long time the person compensates: working more, sleeping less, postponing their needs. It works, and is even rewarded. Then the reserves run dry. Many say « I didn't see it coming »: they held on out of a sense of duty. It often affects very committed people, no longer sustained by resources or recognition.

What the HAS recommends

For the Haute Autorité de santé, burn-out is not a fully defined illness but a physical, emotional and mental exhaustion linked to prolonged involvement in demanding work situations. It states that sick leave is most often necessary, its length adapted to how the condition evolves and to the work context. The family doctor coordinates care, which can include psychotherapeutic or body-based interventions. An antidepressant is recommended only within its indications, that is anxiety or depressive disorders. Treating the person without looking at the work situation risks relapse.

Burn-out and depression

Burn-out is tied to a work situation, but it can come with significant depression or anxiety that need their own care. Only a health professional can tell the difference.

This article gives general guideposts and does not replace medical advice or an individual assessment.

This article is for information only. It replaces neither a consultation nor a diagnosis, which is a doctor's role.