Chief executive burnout costing economies billionsFor Sancar Sahin, a chicken masala was the last straw.
It was, he realises now, “a very disproportionate response to the mistake I had made”. But mentally fried from the pressure that came with his £100,000 -plus salary, “that’s the kind of cycle you get into”.Sahin was one of a growing number battling the “dirty little secret” among businesses’ top brass: chief executive burnout.
“Perfectionism, being a high achiever – these kinds of traits make great chief executives, but they are also the things that can chip away at your mental health.” Together they set up Oliva, a platform designed to connect employees to personalised mental health help, which raised £4.3 million in its third funding round last year. At the same time a clutch of retreats for broken C-suite workers have sprung up.
“Self-medicating with alcohol, prescription or illegal drugs often follows for those battling boardroom-induced demons,” he adds. “Burnout can easily spiral into a more serious problem.” He had been earning a seven-figure salary helming his own venture capital consultancy firm, sleeping poorly and barely making time to eat lunch, when his wife fell down the stairs at seven months pregnant. She was rushed into surgery.