Technology, Work Intensification and Burnout*

We model how technologies that allow managers to directly communicate with and more closely monitor employees can lead to an intensification of work, heightening employee vulnerability to burnout. When multiple managers assign tasks simultaneously, like in a matrix organisation, employees can become overburdened, decreasing their productivity and well‐being. Similarly, in a traditional vertical hierarchy, sequential task assignments can create an environment that leads to employee overload and burnout. We demonstrate that even when managers cannot perfectly direct their subordinates, overwork can still occur. These frameworks help us understand the organisational factors contributing to burnout and work overload, providing insights for better management practices and policy interventions.