Are Workers Any Better Off In 2025 After Quiet Quitting?

A year after “quiet quitting” and the Great Resignation dominated headlines, workplace burnout is still rampant, with 65% of employees reporting burnout in the past year, according to new data. 

A year after “quiet quitting,” “rage applying,” and the Great Resignation dominated headlines, workers are still running on empty. Despite hybrid schedules, meditation apps, and wellness stipends, Manhattan Mental Health Counseling says burnout remains at crisis levels: 65% of employees say they suffered burnout in the past year, according to HR Dive. For many, the stress hasn’t eased, but it has simply evolved into a quieter, more chronic form.

Where burnout once looked like overt exhaustion and boundaryless workdays, psychologists say today’s version is subtler but no less damaging. Hybrid and remote workers are logging longer hours than before the pandemic, often working through evenings to “prove” productivity. Economic pressures: inflation, stagnating wages, rising rent, add to the constant hum of anxiety. Meanwhile, high achievers in cities like London and New York continue to push themselves toward impossible standards of success.

A 2024 Gallup report found that over half of employees feel stressed “most of the day”, while the American Psychological Association notes a sharp rise in people reporting emotional numbness, sleep disruption, and loss of motivation: classic burnout markers.

Companies have tried to help through:

• Mental health days
•  Four-day workweek trials
•  Wellness stipends
•  Hybrid options

Yet the data shows these efforts haven’t fundamentally changed how people work. Experts point out that employees often feel guilty taking time off or fear being perceived as less committed, especially in competitive industries like finance, tech, and professional services.

As Manhattan Mental Health Counseling explains:

“More than a workplace problem, burnout is a cultural one. If the workplace still rewards overextension, wellness perks only scratch the surface.”

Instead of dramatic lifestyle changes, therapists say recovery hinges on smaller but consistent shifts:

• Establish non-negotiable shutdown rituals Example: no emails after 7 p.m.
• Create micro-breaks throughout the day Even 90 seconds of nervous-system reset reduces stress hormones.
• Communicate capacity clearly

Many employees burn out because they say “yes” without pausing to assess their bandwidth.

• Redefine productivity Progress ≠ nonstop availability.
• Seek therapeutic support to unlearn perfectionism Burnout often grows from internal pressure just as much as external demands.

Slowly, but not fast enough. Burnout is still high, but experts see hopeful signs. More workers are discussing mental health openly, union organizing is on the rise, and companies are being pushed toward more humane expectations. Still, for individuals, balance won’t come from waiting on the system to change. It starts with reclaiming small boundaries, rebuilding emotional bandwidth, and recognizing that rest is not a luxury, but a career necessity.

“A 2024 HR Dive survey found 65% of workers experienced burnout within the past year, driven by longer hours, blurred boundaries in hybrid roles, and economic pressure to overperform. Even with companies offering mental-health days, flexible schedules, and wellness stipends, many employees still feel they can’t truly disconnect. High achievers in cities like New York are especially vulnerable: hustle culture has shifted from visible overwork to a quieter expectation to be available at all times.

The path back to balance isn’t about grand lifestyle changes but setting micro-boundaries. Setting non-negotiable cut-off times, communicating capacity clearly, and taking genuine recovery breaks can significantly reduce chronic stress. Therapy often helps workers unlearn perfectionism and the fear of appearing ‘replaceable,’ which fuels burnout cycles. Ultimately, achieving balance requires both personal boundaries and organizational change, but individuals can start reclaiming control today with small, consistent shifts,” says Mental Health Expert, Steven Buchwald from Manhattan Mental Health Counseling.

This article originally appeared on Your Coffee Break.