Outcome over output: Move away from hustle culture to ensure long-term success

Globe and Mail

21-05-2025

Carsten Bruhn is the president and chief executive officer for Ricoh North America.
In North America, corporate culture can often glorify overworking and hyper-productivity, expecting employees to be available and connected at all times.
However, recent data from a variety of parties including Mental Health Research Canada shows Canadian employees are growing tired of the 'rise-and-grind,' with more than two-thirds (69 per cent) of professionals reporting burnout symptoms. While hustle culture might yield short-term business gains, it is unsustainable and can damage a company's ability to attract and retain talent in the long run.
Rather than driving employees to the edge of exhaustion, leaders can promote lasting growth by prioritizing purpose over immediate results and fostering a culture where employees feel a sense of fulfilment from their work.
Sounds easy right? Not exactly. Meaningful implementation requires a commitment to seeking, understanding and acting upon the concerns, needs and ideas from your team.
At Ricoh, striking the right balance between driving productivity and fostering purpose in the workplace starts with a culture that permeates all aspects of our business – one that recognizes the need for both flexibility and accountability. According to our employee engagement survey, that approach is working, with scores having steadily increased over the past few years.
The more you give, the more you get
Our new digital workplace has created the opportunity to curate a unique work experience. Traditional 9-5 schedules have given way to greater flexibility, and with it, a greater need for self-discipline. We are better able to focus on things that are meaningful both within and outside of our jobs and we've found that providing some leeway can mitigate burnout and cultivate loyalty. According to a recent Ricoh survey, the 2024 North American Workplace Fulfillment Gap Index, 88 per cent of Canadians said openness to new and better ways of working is important to their decision to stay in their role or at their current company.
Fulfilment has an equal impact on retention, according to the same survey, with 84 per cent indicating that feeling fulfilled at work is a main deciding factor as to whether they stay with a company. However significantly fewer (14 per cent) report feeling completely fulfilled at work.
Why is that? The onset of a hybrid distributed workforce has made it more difficult to build and maintain a common culture, to regularly engage with one another and collaborate from different locations. Burnout can stem not just from an always-on workforce, but from the roadblocks to connection and collaboration. It is crucial for leaders to engage their teams consistently and provide the tools that allow them to easily engage with one another.
Lead the charge and unplug
Another approach I encourage is unplugging and that starts from the top down. Setting boundaries between work and personal life is core to fostering wellbeing. When work-life boundaries are blurred, people experience an increase in emotional exhaustion and declining happiness.
How do we unplug with phones always on us at home and at the office?
I encourage leaders of each business unit to set the tone that's right for each team – perhaps it's a 'no-reply' expectation past working hours and weekends or offboarding projects before an employee takes a vacation so they can fully turn off while on a break. This allows them to enjoy their time away from the office and focus on recharging during much needed rest time.
It's important to recognize that what's happening outside of the workplace can also be overwhelming. Many people are struggling to comprehend what's happening in the world today. Things can feel as though they are out of our control, leading to emotional burnout. As leaders, we have the power to set the example and make well-being equally important to business outcomes. There are times to 'hustle' or step up and times to rest. Flexible, hybrid workplaces thrives when we all understand and abide by the personal and business priorities that drive that give and take.
By fostering a culture that values purpose, rest and boundaries, companies can create an environment where employees thrive – not just survive. The shift away from hustle culture isn't just about improving work-life balance; it's about ensuring long-term health for both individuals and organizations.
This column is part of Globe Careers' Leadership Lab series, where executives and experts share their views and advice about the world of work. Find all Leadership Lab stories at tgam.ca/leadershiplab and guidelines for how to contribute to the column here.