Since the end of last May, Brazilian companies have been discussing a new legal framework on mental health in the corporate environment. The update of Regulatory Standard No. 1 (NR-1), whose implementation requirement has been postponed to 2026, requires organizations to identify and mitigate psychosocial risks such as stress, moral harassment, and emotional overload. In this context, managers and Human Resources professionals need to understand, more than ever, the individual differences and working conditions that can lead to burnout.
Recent studies by Hogan Assessments – one of the world’s largest publishers of psychological tests, focusing on personality assessment in the workplace – indicate that certain personality traits can lead some people to experience professional burnout faster than others.
“Burnout is not just the result of individual characteristics; it results from a combination of factors. Toxic environments, excessive demands, and hostile management can lead to burnout even in the most resilient professional,” warns Roberto Santos, managing partner of Ateliê RH, a company that distributes Hogan assessments in the country.
Greater susceptibility to stress
The Hogan research, based on responses to the company’s psychological tests, which constitute a database of thousands of responses worldwide – including in Brazil – indicates that although anyone is subject to chronic stress, two traits are associated with a higher risk of burnout: low scores on the Adjustment and Ambition scales – measures used to assess an individual’s personality traits.
“Adjustment refers to emotional stability and resilience to daily pressures. Individuals with low scores on this scale are more stress-sensitive and less resilient, becoming susceptible to exhaustion during long periods of tension. They have high self-criticism, easily feel overwhelmed, worried, and insecure under pressure, and have difficulty ‘switching off’ negative emotions after work,” explains Santos.
Meanwhile, professionals with low Ambition scores demonstrate profiles dedicated to work without seeking advancement to leadership positions. Generally, they do not like to compete and may feel overwhelmed when they need to take on additional responsibilities or commit to ambitious goals.
Hogan Assessments’ research also identified 11 behaviors of the so-called ‘dark side’ of personality or ‘career derailers,’ behaviors that can derail a professional career. Two of these traits indicate a higher propensity for illness: high scores on the Temperamental and Cautious scales.
According to the study, professionals with a high score on the Temperamental scale are often passionate about what they do and quite energetic, but emotionally volatile – tending to shift quickly from enthusiasm to frustration. This same fervor that drives them can lead to burnout, as they often struggle to manage negative emotions by easily becoming frustrated, which can result in prolonged stress.
“On the other hand, individuals with high Cautious scores tend to avoid risks for fear of failure. Although cautious, they hesitate in making decisions in high-pressure environments, becoming paralyzed by the possibility of error, which increases the sense of overload and exhaustion,” alerts the executive.
How to identify risks in corporate daily life
In day-to-day life, professionals with low emotional stability (Adjustment) often react intensely to setbacks. Small changes, conflicts, or additional demands can generate disproportionate levels of stress or irritation. These individuals show frequent mood swings, pessimism, and difficulty concentrating. When they also have low Ambition, they tend to avoid challenges or major responsibilities, remaining in their comfort zones.
“In the short term, this can function as a protective mechanism. However, in high-demand positions, it results in task accumulation, postponement of important decisions, and a sense of incapacity in the face of increasing demands, leading to burnout,” explains Santos.
Professionals with Temperamental and Cautious traits leave clear risk clues in daily life. A manager with a high Temperamental trait starts projects with enthusiasm but quickly becomes discouraged in the face of obstacles, becoming emotionally unpredictable. This instability creates insecurity within the team.
On the other hand, the excessively Cautious professional shows reluctance to make difficult decisions or innovate, excessively evaluating minimal risks. In fast-paced environments, this hesitation can lead to missed deadlines and opportunities, accumulating pressure on themselves and colleagues. Their constant need for validation amplifies stress and can affect the organizational environment.
Burnout as a systemic phenomenon
Burnout is not just an individual problem, but an organizational and cultural one. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies it as an occupational phenomenon, a result of poorly managed chronic work stress.
Burnout occurs when there is a persistent mismatch between job demands and an individual’s capacity to meet them. Although personality factors influence it, the context is crucial: in a healthy culture with sustainable management, even predisposed individuals can avoid burnout, while toxic environments harm even the most resilient professionals.
Research from Gallup shows that the main causes of burnout are linked to the environment and management practices: unfair treatment, excessive workloads, lack of clarity, absence of leadership support, and unrealistic deadlines. The predominant conclusion of this research is clear: ‘people leave bosses, not companies.’
An analysis by McKinsey also indicates that hostile workplaces with abusive leadership or excessive demands dramatically increase burnout rates. Employees in toxic environments are much more likely to leave due to burnout. Chronic demands that exceed available resources, such as reduced teams after layoffs without equivalent adjustments in goals, lead to overload, excessive work hours, and heightened stress. All these factors fall within the organizations’ sphere of responsibility.
Mitigation Strategies
Addressing burnout requires an integrated approach. ‘Understanding who we are affects our response to pressure, but it is the culture and structure around us that define the boundary between healthy challenge and overload,’ emphasizes Roberto Santos.
For HR professionals, mapping and proactively managing the behavioral vulnerabilities of teams and leaders from hiring are as strategic as managing productivity, budgeting, or innovation.
“The message is clear: investing in evaluations that identify these behavioral vulnerabilities is not just a good practice, but an essential strategy to promote healthy and productive environments, especially in light of the new requirement of NR-1,” concludes the specialist.
