The world of remote work spawned by the pandemic posed several new and unprecedented challenges as employers and employees alike reconfigured relationships and adopted new expectations for each other.

For most people who were able to do so, skipping the commute and working from home was preferable by far. But with remote work came new worries. Not everyone enjoyed the silent solitude of a home office. Some missed the social interaction with co-workers. Others struggled with self-discipline and motivation. For those who missed the daily diversions of an office full of people, a certain sameness in the daily routine at home slipped into a numbing monotony.

David Satterwhite, CEO of Chronus, a leading employee-driven development and mentoring platform, reached out to Quality Digest with his thoughts on this phenomenon.

“An alarming segment of young workers are experiencing burnout,” he wrote. “Many might think it’s due to poor work-life balance or the summer slump. But did you ever think it’s from being in a state of misalignment? Engaging in a workplace that goes against our values can cause a major disconnect between ourselves and our professional identity.

“For example, imagine an employee who thrives in teamwork, collaboration, and environments where ideas are shared and decisions are made collectively. Still, they may work at a company focused on individual performance metrics where work is heavily siloed with little communication or cooperation between teams. In this scenario, there is a misalignment between the employee’s collaborative working style and the company’s individualized approach that may lead to feelings of isolation and frustration. This can result in burnout, disengagement, decreased enthusiasm, and a sense of alienation.”

Naturally, we had more questions.

Quality Digest: Please define misalignment burnout in today’s workforce.

David Satterwhite: Misalignment burnout in the workplace happens when we engage in environments and pursuits that aren’t fulfilling our core needs and values. In return, it causes a disconnect between who we really are (e.g., goals, motivations, lifestyle) and our professional identity.

QD: What are its common causes?

DS: Some key factors include making decisions or taking actions that don’t align with your true beliefs, engaging in daily activities that don’t move you toward the future you desire, and lacking a work-life balance, which can take a toll on your well-being. The overarching cause is often a questioning of your purpose and the fulfillment you’re deriving from your work and the life you’re leading.

QD: How does misalignment burnout manifest?

DS: Like general burnout, misalignment can manifest in various ways—mentally, physically, and emotionally. People may feel drained and overwhelmed, leading to a persistent state of exhaustion, a negative outlook on life, and a decline in performance due to difficulty concentrating and meeting expectations from co-workers and managers. Physical symptoms such as headaches, malaise, and fatigue are also common.

This continued state can make it hard to be refreshed by a few days off or even a vacation. It can increase the likelihood an employee leaves a company or looks for work elsewhere. The reality is that a lasting improvement often requires a reassessment of priorities and changes in their outlook or responsibilities to restore alignment.

QD: How does misalignment burnout affect employee well-being and workplace performance?

DS: Misalignment burnout is a major symptom of the disengagement crisis, which undermines both well-being and motivation. This isn’t surprising. In Q1 2024, 4.8 million fewer employees were engaged in their work, marking the lowest reported level of engagement since 2013. This type of burnout makes people feel like they’re constantly battling between their goals and what they truly want in their careers, leaving them anxious, unmotivated, and exhausted. In return, productivity levels diminish, people aren’t using their creative and problem-solving skills as they once did, and there’s a major decline in job satisfaction and collaboration in the workplace.

QD: Is there a particular group or demographic that’s more at risk?

DS: While anyone can experience this type of burnout, I believe there are a few specific groups that might be more vulnerable.

Gen Z and millennials may be especially vulnerable. Over the last few years, they’ve borne the impact of the evolving work landscape, grappling with the challenges of remote work and school, colossal workloads and stress, and also navigating and reevaluating their future paths. They’re also generations that put more emphasis and expectations on what the workplace could and should offer employees.

Then there are untapped and marginalized groups. Employees from underrepresented backgrounds, such as women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and those with disabilities, can experience misalignment burnout due to the lack of support, recognition, and available opportunities for growth. These groups may struggle to find mentors who share their experiences, which can lead to a sense of isolation and a lack of career progression.

QD: Certainly, older people have misalignment burnout as well. Do they just deal with it better? Is it this generation of young people, or has this always been the case? Did young employees in 1980 experience the same thing?

DS: I certainly don’t think this is a new thing in the workplace. Employees have always been searching for ways to make their work and day-to-day lives better. I think each generation has just gotten better about verbalizing this want and need while putting the right, evolving vocabulary behind it. Our world today has enabled employees to ask for more, whereas previous generations might never have realized it was even an option.

Combine this with the change in the employer-employee contract that’s been happening over the last five years and we’ve come to this inflection point where employees of any generation today are looking for ways to realign themselves with their roles and responsibilities to create a more sustainable work life.

Employers want this, too. Human sustainability, or the ability of organizations to prolong the health, employability, and productivity of their employees, is the way to a more resilient organization today.

QD: Many people say remote work provides a better work-life balance. How does that balance factor in with misalignment burnout?

DS: I think there’s no doubt that remote work has created flexibility and balance for employees in some areas. But I think we also have to realize it has brought some challenges as well. Keeping employees connected to each other and the organization long-term in the world of hybrid work is tough. It just is! Interacting through screens a large portion of the time can leave employees feeling disconnected and disengaged outside of the meetings they are attending and the projects they are completing.

This is all the more reason why true employee engagement isn’t just about getting people to connect more, or even making them content. It’s about engaging them in actions, conversations, and opportunities for real growth, and a better understanding of their purpose and alignment in their day-to-day with these findings and activities. While true 50/50 balance in the workplace may be a bit of a stretch, alignment with one’s purpose and fulfillment doesn’t have to be.

QD: Please explain why development and mentorship programs are crucial for addressing misalignment burnout.

DS: Today, 63% of employees want their employers to provide more opportunities for purpose in their day-to-day work. Yet, a stark “purpose gap” exists between upper management and those on the front lines. As an employer, it’s crucial to understand where your employees are mentally, especially in today’s evolving workplace. Providing them with the resources they need to reorient and revitalize their professional journey is more important than ever. A strong mentorship relationship can guide an employee in identifying which aspects of their current role, company, or profession align with their personal values and sense of purpose.

According to a McKinsey report, employees are three times more likely to feel fulfilled at work when given a chance to reflect on their own sense of purpose and how it connects to their company’s purpose.

That’s why Chronus recently acquired Imperative, an employee engagement platform that leverages the power of a proprietary purpose assessment and meaningful 1:1 purpose conversations that help employees own their careers through the lens of purpose.

Now, we can offer this connection to purpose through the mentoring relationships we’re fueling for leading Fortune 500 companies. In this way, companies can offer connection and development among colleagues. But it also helps people grow and realign themselves with what’s important from a personal and professional perspective.

QD: What are the ways employees can realign their work with their purpose?

DS: Burnout and disengagement are rampant in today’s workforce. To foster a more productive, engaged, and successful organization, employers must prioritize employee well-being and development. By offering personalized growth opportunities that align with employees’ core values, companies can ignite passion and purpose. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Managerial Psychology found that when employees feel like they fit well with their organization and their specific role, they’re less likely to experience burnout.

A holistic approach is essential, including a shared language around values and purpose, one-on-one managerial support, formal mentoring programs and employee resource groups to unlock purpose and motivation, accessible training and guidance resources, and increased transparency at the organization around a company’s purpose and mission.

The key component to this is enabling employee-driven development where workers can take the initiative in identifying the root causes of misalignment burnout. This means providing the resources, investment, and time to allow each person to reflect on their current circumstances and create a list that outlines where they are—personally, mentally, and professionally—where they want to be, and the steps needed to achieve those goals.