Have you ever noticed a high performer on your team who starts to disengage? Have they stopped being motivated, is it a management issue or do they need to be given a warning? Then their performance drops and they need to take time away due to burnout. Was the job just too much for them, or was it the fact that they were actually performing two roles at once? Masking in the workplace can feel like a second job…an unprofitable side hustle.

Burnout at work is a growing phenomenon. Companies track results and activities constantly and expectations are high. No one is tracking how much effort some people are putting into masking, ie acting the way “normal people” want them to act.

Unequal Distribution

As many as 38% of neurotypical employees have reported feeling burnt out at work according to a Willis Towers Watson   survey of over 4,000 people. For Neurodivergent people it is over 50%. In fact research published in Stress and Health found that adults with ADHD are three to six times as likely to suffer one or more burnouts compared to neurotypical workers.

It’s not that the job itself is more challenging for them. It’s their second job. The job of fitting in with the crowd. Masking the way one naturally acts and speaks takes its toll on focus, mental processing and energy.

What Masking Actually Is

Masking isn’t a deception used to impress people. It’s a survival response – one that’s been shaped by evolutionary history as explored last week. Think of it as camouflage. It’s necessary because the drive to exclude is also hardwired. Masking may no longer be life and death, but it is crucial to survive, never mind thrive, at work.

According to Hull’s groundbreaking study, there are three components.

• Masking – actively suppressing natural traits to avoid standing out
• Compensation – learning scripts, rules and workarounds to bridge the gap
• Assimilation – modifying how you show up in a group so you blend in

This isn’t about trying to impress people. Most often, people aren’t even aware that they are masking. It has become automatic, because it has always been necessary. It’s a secondary process that is always running in the background. Draining both mental and physical energy.

The Pattern to Watch For

Are you surprised when a co-worker suffers burnout and needs to take time off? In hindsight, it usually makes sense. But if asked before they burned out, would you have expected it? As with anything, recognizing the signs before it becomes a crisis is the best way to avert disaster.

• Phase 1 — High output, invisible cost. The person is masking successfully and meeting every expectation. Nothing looks wrong.
• Phase 2 — Engagement withdraws. Quieter in meetings. Less initiative. Fewer informal interactions. Pulls back from the social fabric of the team. This is the window.
• Phase 3 — Performance dips. This is when most managers notice — and intervene too late.
• Phase 4 — Collapse or exit. Burnout, health crisis, resignation

If the issue were simply capability, then when the person is over their head they would jump to phase 3. The withdrawal phase is the key. High performance but a pull back from engaging is an indicator that something else is going on. If people notice at all, they often assume it is something personal, the person’s home life. It is just as likely that it is something personal in their work life – the fact that they are constantly masking.

If You Are Masking

Pay attention to how often you need to filter what you say or consciously control or change body movements. Notice the number of activities which aren’t strictly necessary to complete your work, but you do anyway to fit in with your peers. Do you long for that part of the day or week when you can “just be yourself?” If this rings a bell, there are a few things you can do.

• Name it. Once you acknowledge your situation, you can start to do something about it.
• Find your community. Research shows that constant masking across all contexts is more damaging than selective masking. Find professional groups and activities that naturally fit your style.
• Recognize why you are so tired. It’s not a weakness or a character flaw. You are doing double duty. Give yourself the grace you would give others.

As is so often the case, knowing is half the battle. Once you recognize and name what is happening, you can start taking actions to improve your situation.

If Someone on Your Team Shows Signs of Masking

When you notice a behavior change of someone on your team, stop to think about why that may happen, not just how it is affecting the numbers. Addressing the issue early can avoid issues for both of you.

• The Phase 2 signals are the window: withdrawal, reduced initiative, quieter presence. Intervene there, before productivity is affected.
• Don’t make it worse. Scheduling events, more team meetings and asking questions to get them engaged may have the opposite effect
• Reduce the cost of being different: Ask people how they work best and how much interaction they want/need. Have structure and clear expectations in meetings. The less ambiguous it is, the easier it is on everyone, not just neurodivergent employees.

The Bottom Line

Burnout is expensive for everyone involved. Productivity drops, stress increases and morale takes a hit. Pay attention to the people you work with, especially when something changes. Rather than getting frustrated and trying to force the person to get ‘back on track’, stop and ask yourself why it’s happening. Rather than waiting until performance dips, identify what is at the core of the problem.

Allow people to have one job, don’t force masking to be their ‘side hustle.’

Next week we are going to explore masking inequality. For certain groups, the burden is far heavier. Understanding that has further implications for how you lead a team.

Have you experienced burnout or have a co-worker who has? If you are struggling with how to get people on your team engaged, it might be time to consider how much effort they are putting into ‘going along to get along’. I’d be happy to have a conversation with all parties involved to help get to the bottom of how to move forward. Reach out to set up a short phone call to discuss.