HBR – Employees who facilitate collaboration across organizational silos, known as boundary spanners, face significant risks of burnout due to increased cognitive and emotional demands. Research involving over 2,000 professionals reveals that such roles can lead to higher levels of exhaustion and negative social behaviors. To mitigate these risks, organizations should formally recognize and support boundary-spanning roles, provide adequate resources and training, and implement check-in mechanisms to monitor and alleviate burnout, fostering a healthier and more productive work environment.
By Eric Quintane, Sunny Lee, Jung Won Lee, Camila Umaña Ruiz, and Martin Kilduff
