The study also highlighted the protective role of perceived organisational support. Employees who felt valued and cared for by their employers were less likely to adopt extremist views, even when struggling with burnout. However, support was most effective before negative emotions took hold, making early intervention essential.
The findings underscore the need for organisations to invest in prevention strategies – promoting fairness and transparency, recognising employees’ contributions, training managers to spot early signs of burnout, and creating safe channels for feedback. Beyond the workplace, broader perceptions of injustice in society can also intensify extremist sympathies, particularly when people are already mentally exhausted.
Ultimately, burnout is more than workplace fatigue. It reflects an existential vulnerability that, if ignored, can create fertile ground for radicalisation. A workplace that fails to offer meaning and recognition risks leaving employees to search for it elsewhere – with extremist ideologies often waiting to fill the void.