The Human Cost of High Performance
“High performance” has long been the gold standard of success in Australian workplaces. It’s what we hire for, train for, and reward.
But lately, it’s become clear that there’s a quiet trade-off behind those numbers, metrics, and milestones. Because when performance is pursued without pause — when productivity becomes identity — it comes at a human cost.
The cost is harder to measure, but easy to feel: burnout, anxiety, disengagement, and a silent erosion of trust and wellbeing.
When High Performance Turns Heavy
According to the 2024 Allianz Mental Health in the Workplace Report, over 62% of Australian employees say they feel pressure to be “always on.” Among managers, that number rises to nearly 70%.
On paper, high-performing teams look unstoppable. But beneath the surface, many are running on adrenaline, not energy. Their motivation has turned into survival mode — and that’s not performance; that’s depletion.
We’ve built workplaces that celebrate results, but rarely ask what it took — or what it cost — to achieve them.
The Invisible Toll on Leaders
For many leaders, the push for high performance comes with its own unique strain. The drive to deliver, support their teams, and manage constant change can blur into over-responsibility.
It’s not unusual to hear leaders say things like:
“I can’t slow down — my team depends on me.”
“If I rest, I’ll fall behind.”
“I’m fine. It’s just busy.”
But underneath “busy” is often exhaustion. And underneath “fine” is often fear — fear of letting others down, of losing momentum, or of being seen as less capable.
The Data Behind the Burnout
The WorkSafe Victoria 2025 Psychological Health Insights report found that psychological injury claims have increased by 30% in high-pressure industries over the past three years.
Meanwhile, Deloitte’s Wellbeing at Work study revealed that employees with consistently high workloads are twice as likely to leave within 12 months, even if they’re top performers.
The message is clear: high performance without psychological safety and recovery is not sustainable.
What High-Performing Cultures Need Next
The next evolution of high performance isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing well, well.
Here’s how HR and leaders can begin the shift:
1. Redefine performance metrics.
Include wellbeing, collaboration, and sustainability measures in how success is evaluated. Productivity is not just output — it’s the quality of energy behind it.
2. Normalise recovery as part of performance.
High performance needs rest just as athletes do. Encourage “recovery culture” — days for thinking, reflection, or deep work without constant urgency.
3. Build safety into ambition.
Ambition isn’t the enemy; pressure without care is. Pair high standards with high support: psychological safety, feedback loops, and realistic workloads.
4. Lead with transparency.
When leaders model boundaries and share honestly about their capacity, it creates a ripple of permission. People can still achieve — but from a place of steadiness, not strain.
The Human Side of Achievement
At its best, high performance is about potential — the expression of talent, creativity, and collaboration. But when it becomes about endurance, we lose the very thing that makes it human.
Performance should elevate people, not empty them.
Because sustainable success isn’t about squeezing more from less. It’s about designing cultures where people can perform and preserve themselves — where thriving is the new measure of excellence.
The most successful organisations in the years ahead won’t be the ones with the longest hours or the highest output. They’ll be the ones with leaders who know how to pace the climb, protect their people, and measure success not just in profit — but in presence.
High performance isn’t the problem.
The cost is — and it’s time we stop paying it with people’s wellbeing.