The Dark Side Of Employee Engagement Is Passion Fatigue

All organizations want an engaged workforce, with employees who care about what they do. But what happens when employee engagement becomes toxic? 

Engaged workers are every leader’s dream. Let’s say you have an employee who genuinely loves what they do. They come in to work early, give tasks their full attention and elevate the performance of those around them. They never seem to wear out and you can count on them to pick up the slack when others are sick or on leave. But lying dormant below this employee’s zest for work is a huge risk.  We all know that engagement is critical for organizational success, driving outcomes that make for a thriving workforce, including productivity, performance and job satisfaction.

In fact, research published in the Academy of Management Journal found that engagement can even prevent some negative health aspects of workaholism, including high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels. But when it turns obsessive, engagement can lead to territorialism and ‘passion fatigue’ – meaning your best and brightest could be on the road to burnout.