Burnout isn’t just a people problem, it’s a safety risk
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Experts are calling for greater consideration of fatigue risks on the back of a recent airport employment analysis.
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau analysis revealed Sydney saw the highest post-COVID-19 pandemic rate of ground aircraft conflictions among the country’s five major airports, recording 6.7 incidents per 100,000 movements.
HR Leader spoke to Citation Legal partner Rod Marshall to examine the importance of treating burnout as a work health and safety risk.
According to Marshall, recurring or numerous cases of fatigue and burnout necessitate an examination of how work is organised, as it potentially signals that demand has outgrown capacity, which more often than not increases demand on workers.
“When that becomes the norm, look at whether support systems adequately address the pressures people are facing, or whether there are any checks of balances in place to identify where excessive work is likely to arise,” he said.
“An employee assistant program can be valuable, but it cannot fix a consistently unmanageable workload.”
Citation Legal’s 2026 Workforce Pulse Report revealed that, while 89 per cent of Australian business owners felt confident managing physical safety, 77 per cent felt the same about psychosocial risk.
Further, only 25 per cent were very confident they could identify and manage these risks.
The impact of poor management and wellbeing goes beyond individual harm, especially regarding high-risk workplaces such as airports.
According to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), Sydney Airport has experienced staffing-related restrictions, as well as deficiencies in controller staffing and training, and potential weaknesses in its fatigue risk management system.
With the airport currently under numerous investigations related to the recent incidents, and Safe Work Australia noting long hours, excessive overtime, irregular shifts, insufficient breaks, and inadequate staffing as potential contributors to fatigue, Marshall noted that it is imperative that employers assess whether people can safely manage workload.
“At airports, fatigue can affect everyone who relies on a worker’s judgement. Many roles demand sustained concentration, clear communication, and quick, accurate decision making, meaning even a brief lapse in attention can have serious consequences,” he said.
Further, roles that require specialist qualifications or training compound difficulties related to staffing shortages, meaning staff may be required to work longer hours or take on additional responsibilities, which in turn leaves less time for breaks, handovers, and supervision.
Where these risks cannot be addressed or controlled, Marshall said that reducing activity or delaying work may be necessary.
In this way, Marshall said employers need to consider the bigger picture for employee wellbeing and organisational viability.
He said: “For employees, that can mean practical changes to staffing, workloads, and recovery time. People should not have to reach breaking point before the business reconsiders its expectations.
“For employers, earlier action can interrupt a costly cycle: excessive workloads contribute to absences and departures, leaving fewer people carrying more work. Addressing the causes can help protect service quality, retain staff, and reduce disruption.”
In the same way, employers must also consider their legal obligation to take all reasonably practical steps for employees’ physical and psychosocial health. Not only does this mitigate the risk of employee action, but it also reduces an organisation’s risk of impacting client relationships and, in the case of airports, safety.
Marshal added: “That is harder to do consistently without a clear process – our 2026 Workforce Pulse Report also found that 33 per cent of small businesses managed safety without documentation. A structured approach helps employers follow up concerns, assign responsibility for changes, and check whether those changes are helping.”
As such, “having a policy and actively managing a risk are two different things”.
To begin, Marshall encouraged employers to look for repeated overtime by the same workers, missed breaks, work completed on days off, hours that exceed rosters, and any other relevant patterns. In the same way, managers may notice changes in mood or attendance, which requires prompt intervention to reduce the risk of deterioration.
As well as keeping an eye on hours and mood, Marshall said it is important to consult with workers about issues of concern and ensure they are aware of available support.
“Then act: adjust deadlines, remove unnecessary tasks, arrange relief cover, and set limits on overtime and consecutive shifts that reflect the risks. Structure arrangements so break time is genuinely possible and check whether the changes work,” he said.
“Managers need training and a clear route to escalate concerns. Recognising an overloaded team achieves little if nobody can authorise changes to workload or staffing.”
“An employee’s willingness to keep working does not remove the employer’s safety responsibilities … ‘they agreed to it’ does not establish that the arrangement is safe.”
RELATED TERMS
Employees experience burnout when their physical or emotional reserves are depleted. Usually, persistent tension or dissatisfaction causes this to happen. The workplace atmosphere might occasionally be the reason. Workplace stress, a lack of resources and support, and aggressive deadlines can all cause burnout.
An employee is a person who has signed a contract with a company to provide services in exchange for pay or benefits. Employees vary from other employees like contractors in that their employer has the legal authority to set their working conditions, hours, and working practises.
Training is the process of enhancing a worker's knowledge and abilities to do a certain profession. It aims to enhance trainees' work behaviour and performance on the job.
Want to see more stories from trusted news sources?Make HR Leader a preferred news source on Google.
