
If your morning routine involves hitting snooze five times before dragging yourself to a job that drains your soul, welcome to the club. According to shocking new data, 61% of South African workers are currently polishing their CVs and eyeing the exit door.

Michelle Dobson, who is the Head of Brand at Pnet, puts it bluntly: ‘Many people aren’t feeling motivated or valued at work.’
Translation? South Africa’s workforce is collectively experiencing that ‘I can’t even’ feeling.
Red flags you’re suffering workplace burnout
According to Michelle , these are telltale signs it’s time to update your LinkedIn:
-
Your to-do list looks like a CVS receipt
-
‘Busy season’ never actually ends
-
Your last ‘new skill’ was learning the coffee machine
-
You’re running on caffeine and resentment
-
You’ve perfected the ‘I’m listening’ nod in Zoom meetings

Meanwhile, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) confirms many workers feel they’re ‘doing two jobs for one salary’, basically modern-day indentured servitude with better WiFi.
Pnet throws workers a lifeline
Enter Pnet’s Helping Hands campaign, the career equivalent of throwing a drowning person a life preserver (but with better benefits). The platform now offers:
-
‘Open to offers’ mode
-
AI-powered job matching
-
Skills showcase section
‘There are jobs out there that match your skills, values, and ambitions,’ says Michelle .
This workplace burnout epidemic signals a fundamental shift in what employees will tolerate.
According to Pnet, alternatives like flexible hours, mental health days and actual career growth could stem the tide of resignations.
With 7 million registered jobseekers on its platform, Pnet is betting big on helping South Africans find work that doesn’t make them want to scream into their coffee every morning.
First published by Cape {town} etc
Compiled by Lulama Klassen
Also see: How to avoid burnout in the workplace