Burnout Risk is Cumulative, Not Event-Based
Context
Analysis of burnout patterns across multiple development teams, examining the relationship between work events and burnout manifestation.
Observation
Burnout incidents showed stronger correlation with accumulated minor stressors (r=0.78) than with major work events (r=0.31). Small, persistent deviations from sustainable work patterns contributed more to burnout risk than isolated high-stress events.
Insight
Burnout risk appears to function more like a cumulative load than a threshold-based system. The accumulation of minor stressors may be more significant than individual high-stress events.
Why This Matters
Focus on major stress events may miss the more significant impact of routine work patterns. This suggests the need for continuous monitoring of small deviations rather than just major incident management.
Limitation
Study period limited to 18 months. Longer-term accumulation patterns and potential seasonal variations require additional research.