Understanding workplace burnout across sectors in Canada: Drivers, consequences, and evidence-informed strategies for behaviour change
MHRC reported in 2025 that 39% of Canadian workers experienced burnout. While much of the research has focused on individual occupations, less is known about how burnout differs across sectors. Maryam’s project examines who is most affected, the workplace factors associated with burnout and its relationship to employees’ ability to work.
Earlier occupational studies of nurses, physicians and electricians help establish the need for comparisons across sectors (Jamal and Baba, 2000; Leiter, Frank and Matheson, 2009; Nowrouzi-Kia et al., 2023).
Burnout also has consequences for employers, including lost productivity, and affects workers’ health, home life and social life.
Approach and methodology
The study will use a national mental health dataset to compare burnout across multiple sectors and identify patterns involving individual, organizational and systemic factors.
Expected contribution
The project aims to generate evidence that can support practical, scalable approaches to reducing burnout beyond any single occupation.
About the researcher
Maryam Shahzad is a third-year PhD candidate at the University of Toronto’s Rehabilitation Sciences Institute and a registered occupational therapist. Her research focuses on persistent concussion and return to work, and her clinical background includes neurology and occupational rehabilitation supporting people with traumatic brain injury.
Her doctoral research uses mixed methods to examine the interaction of individual, organizational and systemic factors affecting work participation. She aims to integrate clinical practice and rehabilitation research to improve workplace well-being and participation.
