Your Job Design Might Be Broken—Here’s How to Fix It

March 7, 2025

Work is more than just a paycheck—it’s a major part of life. The average employee clocks around 90,000 work hours over a lifetime, and whether those hours contribute to well-being and retention or burnout and turnover depends largely on job design. 

In Lyra Health’s 2025 State of Workforce Mental Health Report, about one-third of U.S. employees cited work-related stress and burnout as top mental health concerns, driven largely by excessive workloads (44%), inadequate staffing (41%), and lack of recognition (33%). Tackling these issues through strategic job design drives workplace success and productivity.

What is job design?

Job design (or work design) is how tasks, responsibilities, and workflows are structured. It includes factors like autonomy, workload, role clarity, and interpersonal dynamics around feedback. Effective job design ensures that work is engaging, meaningful, and supports performance as well as well-being.

Why is job design important? 

The U.S. Surgeon General and the World Health Organization recognize the significant impact work has on mental health and have urged employers to intervene through strategies like effective work design. Thoughtful job design:

Reduces burnout and absenteeism - Balanced workloads prevent exhaustion and promote sustainable productivity.

Enhances engagement - Strategic job design ensures employees see their impact, keeping them motivated and engaged.

Fuels performance and innovation - Clear roles and autonomy leave room for creativity and problem-solving.

Increases retention - Employees are more likely to stay when work is designed to be enriching.

Minimizes stress and role confusion - Defined expectations help employees focus on work instead of navigating ambiguity.

Designing work for success 

Well-designed work supports mental well-being, and a proactive approach can reduce workplace stressors like heavy workloads, limited autonomy, and unclear expectations. By addressing these factors at both the organizational and job-specific levels, employers can create an environment of well-being and peak performance.

#1 Assess and address psychosocial risks

Before making meaningful changes to job design, it’s important to understand the root causes of workplace stress. Psychosocial risk management is a proactive process that identifies and addresses factors impacting mental well-being. Psychosocial risk management follows a structured approach:

• Identify psychosocial hazards – Gather workforce data through surveys, assessments, and conversations to pinpoint sources of stress, burnout, and disengagement.
• Assess psychosocial risks – Determine the severity and impact of these hazards on employee well-being and productivity.
• Share results with employees – Share findings and collaborate on solutions. Transparency builds trust. 
• Take action – Address risks through job design, which may include managing workloads, increasing autonomy, improving communication, and setting clear expectations.
• Partner with a mental health provider – Enlist a  strong mental health partner to provide skill-building and training for employees and managers, as well as direct support, including onsite mental health resources when needed.

#2 Implement organizational-level interventions

Addressing workplace stress at the organizational level is just as important as individual mental health support. System-wide changes create a healthier, more supportive work environment that benefits everyone.

• Equip leaders and employees with mental health training – Provide managers with the skills to recognize signs of distress, have supportive conversations, and create a psychologically safe workplace. Offer employees stress management and resilience-building training to help them navigate challenges.
• Strengthen manager support systems – Give managers the tools and resources to lead effectively, set realistic expectations, and support their teams’ well-being. Manager burnout can trickle down, impacting the entire workplace.
• Encourage collaboration through cross-functional teams – Foster teamwork across departments enhances knowledge-sharing, innovation, and a sense of belonging.

#3 Implement job-specific interventions

The way work is structured at the individual level also plays a key role in employee well-being and performance. Employers can optimize job design with these adjustments:

• Increase autonomy – Employees who have control over their work feel more empowered and engaged.
• Communicate purpose and impact – Employees find greater meaning in their roles when they understand how their work contributes to the organization’s goals.
• Set clear expectations – Defining roles and responsibilities helps minimize stress and improves performance.
• Provide regular feedback – Constructive feedback supports employee growth and reinforces their value to the organization.
• Manage workloads effectively – Chronic overwork leads to diminished productivity and well-being. Designing work with reasonable workloads encourages work-life balance, prevents burnout, and promotes sustainable performance.
• Encourage cross-functional collaboration – Bringing together diverse teams fosters innovation, strengthens teamwork, and creates a more dynamic work environment.

#4 Offer mental health benefits that drive real results

Job design is a critical piece of workplace well-being, but it’s not enough on its own. Organizations also need comprehensive mental health benefits that provide evidence-based care, leadership training, and flexible support options like medication management, coaching, and family support. When employees get the care they need, the results are clear—higher engagement, better performance, and stronger retention.

Fix the work, not the worker

Supporting employee well-being isn’t just about offering resources—it’s about fixing work itself. The next evolution in workforce mental health focuses on designing work that fosters engagement, autonomy, and clarity. When work is designed to support employees, they feel and perform their best—driving both individual and organizational success.