Aflac Voices — Jamie Lee: Preventing Burnout and a Call to Action for Employers

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

As a senior leader in HR, I’ve spent my career focused on one central truth: Our people are our greatest asset. But today, that asset is under strain. According to the 2025-2026 Aflac WorkForces Report, burnout among American workers has reached a seven-year high, with nearly 3 in 4 employees (72%) reporting moderate to very high stress levels. That’s not just a statistic — it’s a wake-up call.

Burnout isn’t just about long hours or tight deadlines. It’s a complex issue driven by heavy workloads, financial stress, caregiving responsibilities and a growing sense of uncertainty. Gen Z, in particular, is feeling the pressure, with 74% reporting burnout, surpassing millennials (66%).

So, what can we do? Here are five actionable strategies I believe every organization should consider to help create environments where people can thrive, not just survive:

1. Make mental health support visible and intentional.

According to the 2025-2026 Aflac WorkForces Report, only 48% of employees believe their employer genuinely cares about their mental health — a drop from 54% in 2024. That perception gap matters. Employees who feel unsupported are more likely to disengage, burn out or leave. We must build mental health into the fabric of our culture by offering flexible schedules, adequate PTO and access to self-care resources. But it doesn’t stop there — as HR professionals, we should actively remind and encourage employees to take advantage of these programs. And we should empower the people leaders in our organizations with the information they need to point their team members in the right direction.

2. Communicate benefits clearly and often.

We are in the middle of open enrollment season, so it’s a good time to remind ourselves that benefits are only valuable if employees understand and use them. Yet, according to the report, only 42% of employees feel confident in understanding their health insurance policies, and 69% wish their organizations provided more information about their benefits. Let’s rethink how we communicate — using plain language, regular touchpoints and personalized guidance to ensure our teams feel informed and empowered. For example, at my company, we spend the weeks leading up to open enrollment hosting webinars, publishing content and sending internal reminders about the benefits available to employees so that on the first day of open enrollment, they can log in prepared to make any adjustments needed.

3. Address financial fragility head on.

Burnout isn’t just emotional — it’s also financial. More than 44% of employees say they couldn’t afford a $1,000 out-of-pocket medical expense, and 52% report anxiety about health care costs not covered by insurance. This “medanxiety” is especially high among Gen Z and underserved communities. Supplemental insurance can help fill these gaps — only 34% of employers offer it, yet 90% of employees say it’s needed. Employers can also provide financial wellness programs that include budgeting tools, debt management resources and access to financial advisors to help employees feel more in control of their finances, save for medical expenses and, in turn, significantly reduce stress.

4. Foster a culture of belonging.

Here’s one of the most powerful insights from the report: Employees who feel they belong experience significantly less stress (30% vs. 56%) and lower burnout (55% vs. 78%) than those who don’t. Belonging helps boost satisfaction, engagement and retention. It’s not about perks — it’s about purpose, and it starts at the top. When leaders prioritize celebrating and recognizing their workforce, they send the message that they value their employees, not just the work they do for the organization. Hearing from senior leaders about the importance of creating a culture of belonging — and seeing them live that value day to day — is essential in encouraging the broader employee population to do the same. Of course, no organization is perfect, even those that have strong cultures. Instead of striving for perfection, it’s more realistic — and effective — to aim for continuous improvement.

5. Listen, learn and lead with empathy.

Burnout won’t be solved by a single policy or program. It requires ongoing dialogue, data-driven decisions and a willingness to adapt. We must listen to our employees, learn from their experiences and lead with empathy. But that responsibility doesn’t sit solely on HR’s shoulders; we must also equip people leaders with the tools to spot early warning signs — like withdrawal, irritability, decreased productivity — respond with compassion and model vulnerability day to day.

Burnout also more than a personal concern — it’s a business issue. It affects productivity, retention and, ultimately, the bottom line. If we want to build resilient organizations, we must start by caring for the people who make them run.

Let’s commit to creating workplaces where well-being isn’t a buzzword — it’s a priority.

The 15^th annual Aflac WorkForces Report provides insight on the state of the American workplace for both employers and employees. The study captures year-over-year trends, attitudes, needs and experiences in health care and benefits administration in workplaces across our country. It also provides interesting data on health and wellness benefits from the perspectives of both employees and employers. The Aflac WorkForces Report, conducted by Kantar on behalf of Aflac, is the result of a survey of thousands of employers and employees across various industries and business sizes in the U.S. Learn more at Aflac.com/AWR.

Aflac's family of insurers includes Aflac and/or Aflac New York, and/or Continental American Insurance Company and/or Continental American Life Insurance Company.

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