Burnout Statistics for Executives, Leaders & Veterans | 2025 Data Insights | The ROOTED Way

High Prevalence Across Groups:
- 82% of employees experience burnout at least sometimes, with 25% feeling it often or always (American Heart Association).
- Burnout among VHA healthcare workers peaked at 39.8% in 2022, with primary care physicians reaching 57.6% (Burnout Trends).
- 66% of employees reported job burnout in 2025 (Forbes).
Common Symptoms:
- 49% of high-earning professionals report sleep issues and mental overload, 46% experience emotional volatility, and 34% face chronic fatigue (Survey Analysis - As of 14 May).
- Veterans in VHA PTSD clinics report 55% high emotional exhaustion and 55% high cynicism (VHA PTSD Clinics).
Significant Financial Impacts:
- Burnout costs $125–190 billion annually in US healthcare expenses (Harvard Business Review).
- Employee replacement costs range from $4,700 to two times annual salary (McKinsey Report).
- Productivity losses amount to $4,000–21,000 per employee annually, with $1 trillion globally due to stress-related issues (Forbes).
Key Risk Factors:
- Toxic workplace behaviors increase burnout risk eightfold for executives and leaders (McKinsey Report).
- Veterans face heightened risks from post-traumatic stress, workload, and work-family conflict (Military Burnout).
Effective Prevention Outcomes:
- Organizations with all nine AHA policies achieve 91% positive workplace well-being, compared to 51% with none (Executive Burnout).
- Systemic changes reduced burnout by 7% in one organization while the industry average rose 11% (McKinsey Report).
- Lateral career opportunities are 2.5 times more predictive of retention than compensation (McKinsey Report).
Challenges in Support:
- 70% of employees struggle to access mental health services (McKinsey Report).
- 45% of employees who left jobs cited family care needs, underscoring the need for family-focused benefits (McKinsey Report).

This page compiles detailed statistics on burnout, segmented by prevalence, symptoms, financial impacts, and prevention outcomes for executives, leaders, and veterans. All data is sourced from reputable studies and surveys, with references and links provided for each statistic to support credibility and enhance SEO. The information is tailored for a website page targeting high-performance professionals and organizations addressing workplace well-being.

Prevalence of Burnout

General Workforce

Statistic	Source
82% of employees experience burnout at least sometimes, with 25% feeling it often or always.	American Heart Association
59% of employees and business leaders report organizations take some steps to guard against burnout, but 29% wish for more empathy (2025).	Apollo Technical
66% of employees report job burnout in 2025.	Forbes

Executives and Leaders

Statistic	Source
Burnout among VA medical center leaders increased from 25.3% in 1989 to 38.1% in 1997.	VA Leaders Study
Among high-earning professionals (consultants/founders, $300–800k household income), self-rated lifestyle satisfaction is 6.3/10, with a commitment to change at 5.3/10.	Survey Analysis - As of 14 May
Employees in environments with toxic workplace behavior are 8 times more likely to experience burnout.	McKinsey Report

Veterans and VHA Healthcare Workers

Statistic	Source
Burnout among VHA healthcare workers: 30.4% in 2018, peaked at 39.8% in 2022, decreased to 35.4% in 2023.	Burnout Trends
VHA primary care physicians experienced burnout rates from 46.2% in 2018 to 57.6% in 2022.	Burnout Trends
Among VHA PTSD clinic providers, 55% reported high emotional exhaustion, 55% high cynicism, and 53% high professional efficacy.	VHA PTSD Clinics
General burnout among military personnel ranges from 0.9% to 40% (median across studies).	Military Burnout
- High emotional exhaustion: 0% to 49.7% (median 19%).	Military Burnout
- High depersonalization: 0% to 59.6% (median 14%).	Military Burnout
- Low personal accomplishment: 0% to 60% (median 6.4%).	Military Burnout

Burnout Symptoms

General Symptoms:
- 49% of high-earning professionals report sleep and mental overload (“racing mind & restless sleep”). (Survey Analysis - As of 14 May)
- 46% experience emotional volatility and tight muscles. (Survey Analysis - As of 14 May)
- 34% face chronic fatigue or afternoon energy crashes. (Survey Analysis - As of 14 May)
- Only 6% report hypertension, indicating most issues are functional rather than diagnosed pathologies. (Survey Analysis - As of 14 May)
Veterans-Specific Symptoms:
- 50% of VHA mental health providers in PTSD clinics report high exhaustion. (VA PTSD Clinics)
- 47% report high cynicism. (VA PTSD Clinics)
- 12% report low professional efficacy. (VA PTSD Clinics)

Financial Impacts of Burnout

Category	Statistic	Source
Healthcare Costs	$125–190 billion annually in the US due to stress-related illnesses.	Harvard Business Review
Turnover Costs	Replacing an employee costs $4,700 per new hire or half to two times their annual salary.	McKinsey Report
Productivity Losses	$4,000–21,000 per employee annually due to disengagement.	Forbes
Global Productivity Losses	$1 trillion annually due to depression and anxiety.	Forbes
Turnover Rates	Burned-out employees are 2.6 times more likely to seek new jobs.	Healium
VHA-Specific Turnover	Turnover among VHA primary care providers ranged from 6.3% to 8.4% from 2017–2021, higher in systems with high burnout.	Burnout and Turnover

Prevention and Support Outcomes

Organizational Interventions

Intervention	Outcome	Source
AHA Policies	Companies with all nine AHA policies report 91% positive workplace well-being, compared to 51% with none; seven policies directly reduce burnout.	Executive Burnout
Systemic Changes	A large organization reduced burnout by 7% while the industry average increased by 11% by prioritizing mental health and reducing toxic behavior.	McKinsey Report
Career Opportunities	Offering lateral career opportunities is 2.5 times more predictive of retention than compensation and 12 times more than promotions.	McKinsey Report

Individual Behaviors

Employees who proactively manage stress (e.g., through exercise, relaxation techniques) are less likely to experience burnout when supported by organizational policies. (Executive Burnout)
Only 6% of high-earning professionals rely on deep nervous-system regulation; most use exercise but need micro-practices to replace numbing behaviors like alcohol use. (Survey Analysis - As of 14 May)

Access to Resources

70% of employees report difficulty accessing mental health services despite expanded offerings. (McKinsey Report)
45% of employees who left jobs cited family care needs as a factor, highlighting the need for family-focused benefits. (McKinsey Report)

Key Risk Factors

Executives and Leaders:
- Toxic workplace behavior (8x more likely to cause burnout). (McKinsey Report)
- Lack of role clarity and job satisfaction. (VA Leaders Study)
- High workloads and long hours. (Survey Analysis - As of 14 May)
Veterans:
- Post-traumatic stress and work-family conflict. (Military Burnout)
- Workload, shift work, and organizational politics. (VHA PTSD Clinics)
- Sleep issues and psychological factors like anxiety. (Burnout Trends)