Learn/On-Call Burnout
HEALTH & WELL-BEING

On-Call Burnout

Physical and emotional exhaustion caused by frequent sleep interruption, excessive alerts, and the stress of maintaining high availability.

On-Call Burnout

Physical and emotional exhaustion caused by frequent sleep interruption, excessive alerts, and the stress of maintaining high availability.

## The Silent Team Killer Burnout isn't just "being tired." It is a state of chronic stress that leads to detachment and cynicism. In on-call, it comes from the **Uncertainty** ("Will I sleep tonight?"). **Signs**: Cynicism, slower response times, dreading the rotation.

ExTeam Burnout Recovery

"8-person team had 3 engineers quit in 6 months due to on-call burnout. New manager implemented: reduced alert noise by 70%, added comp time (1.5x), limited rotation to 1 week per month. 12 months later: 0 turnover, 45% better response times."

Impact
Turnover eliminated, $180K saved in recruiting costs
Resolution
Treated burnout as system reliability issue, not personal failure

Why On-Call Burnout Matters

The #1 cause of turnover in SRE/DevOps teams.

Burned out engineers make more mistakes, causing more incidents.

Common Pitfalls

Treating burnout as personal weakness
Burnout is a system design issue, not a personal failure. If multiple people are burning out, the system is broken, not the people.
Ignoring burnout signs until people quit
Track burnout indicators: alert noise, rotation frequency, time off. Conduct regular retros and act on feedback before people leave.

Related Terms

Sustainable On-CallAlert Fatigue

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the early signs of on-call burnout?
Early signs include dreading your on-call week, feeling cynical about alerts, slower response times, irritability with team members, and physical symptoms like insomnia or fatigue.
How do I prevent on-call burnout?
Reduce alert noise (only actionable alerts), ensure fair rotations, provide compensation, limit rotation frequency, and support time off. Treat burnout as a system reliability issue.
What should I do if I am experiencing on-call burnout?
Talk to your manager immediately. Take time off if needed. Burnout is a health issue, not a performance issue. Good teams will support you. Consider reducing on-call frequency temporarily.

Learn More

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