burnoutprone

Burnout-prone is an informal descriptor used in psychology and human resources to refer to individuals who are particularly susceptible to burnout, a condition resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. The term emphasizes vulnerability rather than a formal diagnosis and can apply across occupations, including healthcare, education, and corporate roles. Burnout-prone individuals may experience fatigue, emotional exhaustion, and reduced motivation even when organizational demands are moderate.

Causes and risk factors include high workload, prolonged stress, low control over tasks, poor social support, and conflicting values. Personal traits such as perfectionism, high levels of neuroticism, and difficulty with setting boundaries can also increase vulnerability. Demands without adequate recovery, insufficient sleep, and caregiving responsibilities further raise risk.

Signs of burnout-prone individuals overlap with burnout symptoms and can include persistent fatigue, cynicism, detachment from work, and reduced performance. Consequences may involve higher absenteeism, turnover, poorer work quality, and increased risk of mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.

Measurement and management: Researchers use burnout scales to assess symptoms, and burnout-proneness is studied as a trait-like vulnerability. Organizational strategies—such as workload management, clear roles, supportive leadership, and opportunities for recovery—are paired with individual approaches like sleep, exercise, boundary setting, stress management, therapy, and social support to reduce risk.

In practice, the term is used to identify employees who may benefit from preventive measures. It is not a medical diagnosis, though burnout is recognized as an occupational phenomenon in some classifications.