Everyone knows this cliché of the stressed senior executive, always on the verge of breakdown. However, it is in reality mid-career that constitutes one of the periods most vulnerable to burnout and stress in professional life. At this stage, many take on additional responsibilities outside of work, just as their employer increases its demands on performance, availability and availability. leadership.
Mid-career is often the time when this double burden increases the risk of burnout. Research has shown that these professionals have particularly high levels of burnout, work more hours and report lower job satisfaction than other age groups. One of the main explanatory factors lies in the persistent tension between professional demands and maintaining a work-life balance.
It is important to emphasize that burnout is now widely recognized not as an individual failure, but as a work-related problem. It is characterized by emotional exhaustion, cynicism and reduced productivity, with research showing that it is primarily shaped by organizational structures, company cultures and management practices. leadershiprather than personal weakness or lack of coping skills.
Burnout does not affect all groups in the same way. Women, for example, report higher levels of burnout, whether personal or work-related, particularly in the middle of their careers. This may reflect a greater assumption of family responsibilities, as well as increased expectations regarding their availability and the emotional investment they are expected to make.
The Covid-19 pandemic has intensified these dynamics. Many mid-career professionals then had to juggle work and family responsibilities, even as their social interactions were reduced and their workloads and schedules lengthened. Since the peak of the pandemic, all sectors and functions have seen rising burnout rates, with healthcare and social sector organizations particularly affected.
Absorb pressure
Stress and burn-out have a cost for employers: lost working days, absenteeism and “leavism” (working during vacation). Mid-career professionals are particularly at risk, as they are often expected to absorb pressure without showing signs of fragility. This may involve, for example, managing a team undergoing reorganization while achieving its own performance objectives and supporting more junior employees.
In many organizations, chronic overload and permanent hyperactivity are normalized, even valued. Constant availability becomes a marker of competence rather than a red flag.
Despite this, the idea persists that mid-career professionals are, by nature, more resilient. However, prolonged exposure to high levels of stress can erode this resilience. Experience does not necessarily protect against burnout. In many cases, it only masks it.
When pressure becomes chronic and recovery time is reduced or non-existent, stress becomes a direct path to burnout.
Symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia or anxiety are often minimized or even ignored until stress reaches a breaking point. Those who are renowned for their ability to “hold it together” tend to suppress red flags in order to preserve their professional image. These workers frequently delay seeking help, in part because factors commonly associated with burnout – long days, constant availability, chronic overload – are largely trivialized.
While short-term stress can sometimes improve performance, what we then call “good stress” actually remains close to the breaking point. When pressure becomes chronic and recovery time is reduced or non-existent, stress becomes a direct path to burnout.
Management and leadership to review
My work on local managers highlights these risks. Middle managers and mid-career professionals are regularly described as overworked and insufficiently trained in their managerial responsibilities. Many rose to management positions with little or no formal preparation, and had to learn to manage teams “on the job”.
Promotions are often accompanied by a sharp increase in responsibilities, without an equivalent investment in training. And when there are support possibilities, they are in principle ad hoc and not very structured. This combination fuels anxiety and feelings of illegitimacy, well-known factors that precede burnout.
As part of our project, we interviewed more than 150 local managers from the public and private sectors. Our results clearly show that burnout is shaped by the systems, norms and expectations specific to the world of work. Organizational practices and processes, as well as corporate culture and communication styles, leadershipplay a determining role. Unrealistic goals, excessive control and a culture of long work days exacerbate stress. As for managerial practices that favor permanent pressure on performance, they directly increase the risk of burnout.
The working climate matters more than just the number of hours: risk factors include harassment, sexual harassment and work styles. leadership toxic. Burn-out is particularly closely linked to the involvement of managers – or its absence. For example, a 2023 study showed that mid-career professionals, particularly women, are more at risk of burnout when their efforts are not recognized by their superiors.
Conversely, managers who listen, recognize the work accomplished and value commitment can significantly reduce the risk of burnout. In short, feeling like your work matters and is appreciated makes a measurable difference.
Listen to the first warning signs
Leaders can design work with sustainability in mind rather than endurance. This means ensuring that workloads and objectives are realistic, but also putting an end to cultures where permanent availability is valued.
Mid-career management functions must be genuinely supported. And employees should have dedicated time for training and skills development, instead of being forced to learn through successive trial and error. Their superiors should strive to create a safe environment: really listen, react at the first warning signs and intervene before stress degenerates into burnout.
Finally, solid teamwork and a real sense of belonging within the organization give meaning and constitute a shield against burn-out. In mid-career, when pressures converge from all sides, connection to others is not a luxury, but a necessity.
The importance of fulfillment at work is often underestimated. The opportunities to create meaning, nourish relationships and take pleasure in your activity are not superfluous bonuses: they constitute real protection against chronic stress and burn-out.
