The promotion you worked so hard for may come with a cost nobody warned you about: the always-on expectation. For many workers, achieving work-life balance as a senior leader is harder than it was before getting elevated. According to Glassdoor’s burnout research, mentions of burnout in employee reviews rose 65% year over year in the first quarter of 2026 and are now 2.5 times pre-pandemic levels.¹ Reviews that mention burnout are 81% less likely to give a positive work-life balance rating.¹
Finding balance in a senior role is achievable, but it takes intentional planning and boundary setting.
Key takeaways
- Finding balance at the senior level really comes down to design, not just the specifics of each role.
- As a senior-level employee, delegation becomes a key part of your job.
- Establishing and clearly communicating boundaries is essential for gaining respect from others.
- Protect your energy, not just your time. Being overworked can seriously impact both your health and your performance.
Yes, work-life balance is harder for senior leaders
Work-life balance may seem harder in senior roles because responsibility, visibility, and always-on expectations all expand. Gallup found that in 2023, managers were more likely than non-managers to report burnout and to struggle with work-life balance.
In addition, according to Deloitte’s Well-Being at Work survey, 71% of the C-suite would seriously consider leaving for a job that better supports their well-being, compared with 66% of managers and 59% of workers.
“Workers can take only so much stress, and burnout occurs when workers face a chronic, unmanageable amount,” said Chris Martin, a senior economist on Glassdoor’s Economic Research team, in a burnout report.
The pressure isn’t only external. “I think I’m the biggest hindrance to my own balance. For example, I had today off and still got some work done,” admitted one director of marketing on Glassdoor Community.
Glassdoor data on the employee-leader disconnect shows that average senior leadership ratings fell below 3.5 in April 2026, the worst month since 2017.²
Continue Reading: https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/work-life-balance-senior-roles/