The Psychological Effects of Being Overworked and Underappreciated

In the modern workplace, the pressure to perform at high levels is constant. With deadlines and increasing demands, many employees work longer hours and sacrifice personal time, often feeling unappreciated.

Leading up to this article, we have already exploited some angles on how overwork severely affects mental well-being, leading to stress, burnout, and depression, especially in our article on understanding the impact of workplace stress on mental health highlights how this overwork can severely affect mental well-being, leading to stress, burnout, and depression. The psychological effects of being overworked and underappreciated extend beyond fatigue, impacting motivation and overall well-being.

We have also offered practical strategies to combat job-related stress, where we have again highlighted the connection between overwork and stress.

When we observed how to recognize and address toxic work environments , we noted the problem of workers feeling undervalued and how this kind of environments can ruin the productivity and overall performance of workers hit with such environments.

We have stressed the role of leadership in reducing workplace stress and discussed best practices for managers, alongside with employee assistance programs. Their role in preventing overwork and feeling undervalued is of great importance. Namely, even though workers themselves have to be responsible for their own mental health, a large part of originators of stress lies with the structure. The ones that ae on the top of the structure have to be aware that creating an environment with low levels of stress directly contributes to the overall performance of the business and lower turnover. That is the reason why they should pay more attention to this phenomenon.

This is directly related to the importance of having a developed corporate culture, what we in detail observed in our article on understanding the role of corporate culture in stress management.

Furthermore, business structures have to have in mind that their success lies on productive teams. Stress doesn't strike only individuals, but also entire working teams. Workplace stress, therefore, has to be looked at also from that angle, for it can hinder the harmony of team dynamics as well as annulate the posibility to create resilient teams.

From the previous lines you can probably already conclude what a complex topic work-realted stress is.

The role of regular feedback and recognition in alleviating work-related stress also emphasizes the need for employees to feel appreciated.

Addressing these psychological effects requires fostering a positive, balanced workplace where employees are recognized and supported, ultimately leading to healthier, more productive teams.

The Psychological Effects of Being Overworked and Underappreciated

The psychological effects of being overworked and underappreciated are not just theoretical—they’re real, and we’ve all felt them in one way or another. When work demands keep piling up without any acknowledgment, it takes a serious toll on both our mental and physical health.

From feeling stressed and burned out to losing motivation and cognitive clarity, the consequences are far-reaching.

We’ve seen, both in personal experience and through research, how overwork and lack of appreciation can deeply affect not just employees but entire organizations.

Here’s a closer look at the psychological effects of being overworked and underappreciated, drawing from studies and expert insights that speak directly to these challenges.

1. Increased Stress and Anxiety

We’ve all been there—the constant pressure to meet deadlines, juggle tasks, and stay on top of a never-ending to-do list. This cycle of overwork doesn’t just leave us physically drained; it often leads to heightened stress and anxiety.

It’s almost like a switch gets flipped in our bodies, and suddenly, our stress levels spike, with cortisol, the stress hormone, rising and causing all sorts of issues.

We don’t need to look far to find evidence of how overwork fuels anxiety. Studies, like the one from Salvagioni et al. (2017), show that burnout, a frequent result of overworking, is closely tied to anxiety.

We push ourselves to meet high expectations, but the fear of failure and the lack of recognition only make the anxiety worse. Kuroda and Yamamoto (2019) also point out that overwork often leads us to overlook early signs of anxiety, allowing stress to build up and spiral into more significant mental health issues.

This stress doesn’t just stop at emotional exhaustion; it impacts our physical health too. From high blood pressure to heart disease, chronic stress brings with it a host of health problems that can exacerbate the emotional toll. When unchecked, this stress leads to burnout, making it harder to engage in our work the way we used to.

2. Burnout: A Growing Concern

Burnout is more than just being tired from work—it’s a deep emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion that leaves us feeling empty and disconnected. The more we work without recognition, the faster we head toward burnout.

According to Salvagioni et al. (2017), burnout isn’t only about long hours—it’s about feeling like our efforts are unnoticed. The lack of appreciation for what we do speeds up the process of burnout.

Burnout shows up in a few distinct ways:

• Emotional exhaustion: We can feel mentally drained, unable to cope with the demands of our roles. At some point, we might feel like we’ve given all we can give, both mentally and physically.

• Reduced personal accomplishment: Even when we perform well, we might feel like our work doesn’t matter, which lowers our self-esteem and leaves us questioning our value.

• Depersonalization: We might begin to detach emotionally from our work, colleagues, or clients. The more disconnected we feel, the less we care about what we’re doing.

When we experience burnout, the emotional toll can lead to depression and a further decline in overall well-being. Not only does burnout impact our work, but it also affects our personal lives, our relationships, and our happiness.

Since we have dedicated an entire article to the topic of burnout, we would rather invite you to address it in our separate paper, since here we are trying to get a good overview on all of the psychological issues related to work-place stress.

3. Depression and Emotional Fatigue

Overwork and lack of recognition can eventually lead to something even more serious: depression and emotional fatigue. It’s one thing to feel tired from working hard, but it’s another to feel like your contributions don’t matter.

This sense of being unnoticed and unappreciated can breed hopelessness, fueling depression. We can start to feel like we’re just going through the motions, and that sense of worthlessness is a tough cycle to break.

The research by Salvagioni et al. (2017) shows that burnout often leads to depressive symptoms, especially for those who feel underappreciated. We begin to feel isolated, disconnected, and disengaged from our work, lowering our morale and making it harder to stay motivated.

Over time, emotional fatigue can impair our decision-making, thinking, and even the ability to perform everyday tasks. Emotional fatigue often results in cognitive overload, making it even harder to concentrate, which can severely impact our productivity and well-being.

It’s hard to stay motivated when we feel like no one notices the effort we put in. Job satisfaction is closely tied to how valued we feel. When we’re overburdened with tasks but receive little recognition, our satisfaction with our work takes a sharp dive. Research by Eatough et al. (2021) shows that role overload—the feeling of being asked to do more than we can handle—can lead to significant psychological strain, ultimately lowering job satisfaction and increasing the risk of burnout.

The lack of appreciation only makes this worse. When we feel undervalued, it becomes harder to stay motivated to do our best work. Salvagioni et al. (2017) highlight that when recognition is absent, employees may begin to feel that their work is meaningless, which leads to disengagement and dissatisfaction. This dissatisfaction can create a toxic work environment where people are simply going through the motions, disengaged from the purpose of their roles.

This lack of motivation and job satisfaction often leads to increased turnover, as employees search for workplaces where they feel appreciated and recognized. Companies that fail to acknowledge their employees’ contributions risk losing their top talent and damaging their reputation as an employer.

4. Impact on Job Satisfaction and Motivation

5. Decreased Cognitive Functioning

Overwork doesn’t just wear us down emotionally—it also impairs our ability to think clearly.

When we’re pushing ourselves too hard, without proper breaks or recovery time, our brains become exhausted, which affects our cognitive abilities. We begin to struggle with focus, memory, and decision-making.

Kuroda and Yamamoto (2019) found that prolonged overwork impairs cognitive functioning, leading to difficulties in processing information and making decisions.

When we’re cognitively fatigued, it’s harder to concentrate on tasks, and the quality of our work can suffer. The Salvagioni et al. (2017) study highlights that overwork can lead to cognitive overload, where our minds feel bogged down, making it harder to be creative or come up with innovative solutions.

This creates a cycle of diminishing returns—our work becomes harder, and the more we push, the more frustrated we feel by our inability to keep up.

The Role of Workplace Environment in Alleviating These Effects

While the psychological effects of overwork and underappreciation are significant, a supportive workplace environment can help reduce the toll on employees. A culture that emphasizes recognition, respect, and support can go a long way in mitigating the impacts of overwork.

One important factor in easing the psychological effects of overwork is fostering positive leader-member exchange (LMX) relationships. As noted by Eatough et al. (2021), high-quality relationships between leaders and employees can buffer the effects of role overload.

When we feel supported by our managers and have open communication, it’s easier to handle the pressures of work without feeling overwhelmed.

Organizations can also promote work-life balance by encouraging employees to take regular breaks, offering flexible working hours, and providing mental health resources,. These efforts can help prevent burnout and mental health issues from taking hold.

Conclusion: Addressing the Psychological Effects of Being Overworked and Underappreciated

The psychological effects of being overworked and underappreciated are profound, and they’re something we all need to acknowledge. Overwork, combined with a lack of recognition, leads to stress, burnout, depression, and cognitive fatigue, which takes a serious toll on our mental health and overall well-being.

For organizations, these psychological effects result in decreased job satisfaction, lower productivity, and higher turnover rates.

To combat these issues, organizations must create a supportive, appreciative work environment. This means offering recognition, ensuring manageable workloads, and prioritizing mental health.

By addressing the psychological impacts of overwork and underappreciation, companies can foster healthier, more motivated teams that contribute to the long-term success of the organization.

Ultimately, prioritizing employee well-being not only benefits individuals but strengthens the organization as a whole. A workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated is a place where everyone can thrive.