Burnout is not a Badge of Honor: How to Build a Productive High-Performance Culture Without Breaking Your People
A few years ago, I wore burnout like a badge of honor. Back-to-back meetings, high-pressure deadlines, and constant demands—I thought this was just what high performance looked like. I convinced myself that exhaustion was proof of my commitment and just keep pushing through.
Then, the cracks started to show. My productivity dipped. My patience wore thin. The passion I had for my work felt more like a distant memory than a driving force. This is a story for another blog but I ended up in a place I do not want to be in again anytime soon. This was my road to damascus or turning point where I realised to be successful in today's complex working environment we need to be high performing and happy.
That experience made me realize something crucial: burnout doesn’t mean you’re working hard—it means you’re working unsustainably. And in high-stakes industries like Resources and Energy, Utilities, and Government, where performance is everything, we need to rethink how we define success.
The Cost of Burnout in High-Performance Industries
If you’ve ever worked in resources, energy, utilities, or government, you know the drill: long hours, high accountability, and expectations that never let up. But here’s the problem—when burnout becomes the norm, productivity, safety, and innovation suffer.
Consider these stats:
• In the Australian mining sector, 44% of workers report moderate to very high levels of psychological distress—significantly above the national average.
• Psychological distress in industries like mining and Oil and Gas costs $153 million annually in lost productivity.
• FIFO workers, in particular, are 30% more likely to experience burnout due to isolation and intense work conditions.
The harsh truth? Burnout isn’t a performance problem—it’s a leadership problem. When companies push their people past the limit, they don’t just risk losing top talent. They also compromise safety, engagement, and long-term business success. Also, in leading ourselves successfully understanding our boundaries and our current energy levels and being comfortable with prioritisation and ultimately saying not this time I have commitments.
Balancing Productivity and Well-Being
We need to get honest about something: the “hustle until you drop” mentality doesn’t work.
Many leaders fear that if they prioritize well-being, productivity will decline. But in reality, sustainable high performance comes from balance, not burnout.
• Studies show that companies with strong well-being initiatives outperform those without them in revenue growth, retention, and customer satisfaction.
• High-performing teams don’t just work harder—they work smarter, leveraging psychological safety, clear priorities, and effective recovery time to sustain long-term success.
• Even global market shifts—like the economic uncertainty following the recent U.S. election—have made resilience and agility a top leadership priority in industries that demand continuous output.
So, how do we shift from burnout-driven performance to sustainable high performance?
At Twenty2Collective, we are still on our personal journey in this area but we believe that work should fuel people, not drain them. So, we actively strive to create a culture that prioritizes high performance without burnout. Here’s how we do it:
1. Work Flexibility That Empowers, Not Overwhelms
We trust our people to manage their time and deliver results without micromanagement or rigid structures. Whether it’s structuring their week around deep-focus work or having the ability to reset when they need it—flexibility fuels long-term performance.
2. Personal Connection & Psychological Safety
A workplace isn’t just about tasks—it’s about people. We actively strive to cultivate an environment where everyone feels safe to speak up, share ideas, and be themselves. Strong relationships and open communication make tough conversations easier and collaboration smoother.
3. Bringing Joy into the Workplace
We don’t just talk about engagement—we create it. Every quarter, we set fun, themed goals that make progress feel exciting rather than exhausting. One of our favourite initiatives? Our “Great Bake Off Goal & Reward Month,” where we celebrate achievements in a way that brings people together (and yes, involves some friendly competition and amazing food).
The result? A workplace where people want to show up, bring their best, and perform at the highest level—without sacrificing their well-being.
Additionally I thought it would be valuable to share some of our research into High-Performance Teams in Australia
Case Study 1: Rio Tinto – Rebuilding a Culture of Psychological Safety
Rio Tinto faced serious workplace culture issues, including burnout, bullying, and harassment. After a comprehensive external review, they implemented recommendations to transform their work environment. The result? A renewed focus on employee mental health, leadership accountability, and well-being as a key performance driver.
Case Study 2: Water Corporation – Leading the Way in Mental Health
Water Corporation, Western Australia’s leading utilities provider, knew they needed to prioritize employee well-being. They conducted an internal audit, launched a Mental Health Champions program, and embedded psychological safety into leadership training. The impact? Stronger engagement, reduced stress levels, and a more resilient workforce.
Case Study 3: Government Sector – Investing in Mental Health for Long-Term Performance
The Australian Government has made mental health a national priority, rolling out initiatives like the Head to Health program and Better Access initiative, ensuring public sector employees and citizens alike have access to critical mental health resources. The shift? A workplace culture where well-being isn’t an afterthought—it’s part of the strategy.
Is Your Team at Risk of Burnout?
To help you in identifying and mitigating burnout we are providing some simple tools to help you take the first steps.
Action Step #1: Take Our Free Burnout Self-Assessment
We’ve built a simple, research-backed assessment that will help you understand:
✅ Where burnout is impacting your team
✅ The hidden risks that could affect long-term performance
✅ What changes you can make right now to create a more resilient culture
Want to Build a Resilient, High-Performance Culture? Let’s Talk.
If you’re serious about preventing burnout and improving performance, we can help. Our High-Performance Program is designed to help teams like yours create a culture where people can thrive.
For a limited time, we’re offering a free 30-minute strategy session for leaders who want to:
✔ Identify burnout risks in their workplace
✔ Build resilience into their team’s performance strategy
✔ Get customized, data-driven recommendations to create a high-performance culture
Because burnout shouldn’t be the price of high performance. And when you get this right—your team, your business, and your bottom line all win.
Final Thought: Sustainable Success is the Only Real Success
Burnout isn’t a badge of honor. It’s a warning sign.
The best teams don’t just survive—they thrive. And the best leaders know that performance and well-being aren’t in conflict—they’re connected.
If you’re ready to build a culture where high performance doesn’t come at the cost of your people, let’s start the conversation.
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