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As awareness of burnout increases, it's clear there's also a wave of 'compassion fatigue' overcoming employees who have caring responsibilities, says a psychologist.

"Burnout is the complete exhaustion that results from having a workload that is too heavy, or too stressful, or both," says occupational health provider Rehab Management national psychological services manager Deborah Shand.

Compassion fatigue, on the other hand, "is the emotional and physical fatigue that helpers experience when they feel compassion for those they help, but don't have adequate time away from their caring responsibilities to refuel and care for themselves".

This tends to deplete an individual's empathy, she tells HR Daily.

"Often people don't realise they're an issue for them until they are completely overwhelmed by exhaustion. The past few years have really taken a toll on people, especially in typically caring or giving professions, however burnout or compassion fatigue can happen to anyone..."