Mentions of the word “fatigue” on Glassdoor rose 41% this year, a signal that workers are carrying far more emotional weight than their jobs alone can explain. Many entered 2025 hoping for greater stability, yet political tension, economic strain and rapid advances in AI created a landscape where daily pressures felt heavier and harder to manage. Even routine tasks required more energy because people were already stretched thin by forces outside the workplace.
Glassdoor named “fatigue” its word of the year after analyzing these patterns across its community. Here are the forces that pushed fatigue to the center of workplace life in 2025.
1. Politics Invaded The Office
In 2025, political conversations became unavoidable in workplace settings, creating tension even among colleagues who previously maintained cordial relationships. Mentions of “inauguration” increased by 875% year-over-year on Glassdoor, reflecting the deep impact of political events on workplace discourse. One senior manager captured the challenge perfectly: “I wore my ‘I Voted’ sticker to the office and had to take it off because people kept using it as an invitation to debate.”
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