The Dhobi's Numb Arm
Burnout isn't a badge. It's a system failure wearing a productivity mask.
In India, the dhobi irons clothes on the street until his arm goes numb. Nobody asks about the arm. The shirts are crisp. That is the only metric.
Gallup’s 2024 Global Workplace report: 76% of employees experience burnout at least sometimes. WHO now classifies it as an occupational phenomenon, not personal weakness.
Your team works late. They answer messages at midnight. The dashboards are green. Underneath, arms are going numb.
Burnout is not commitment. It is a diagnostic: the system extracts more than it replenishes.
Stop celebrating crisp shirts. Start asking about arms.
SOURCE Energy