We all assume we know (commute) what is making us tired.
Recently, one of our team members at The Outlier Group shared a post on LinkedIn about his daily commute. He spoke candidly about how mentally draining the travel is, and how much more effective he feels when working from home.
Clearly, he touched a nerve. As I write this, that post has garnered over 240,000 impressions globally. The comments section was flooded with people agreeing that the physical act of getting to work is the biggest energy vampire in their week.
Inspired by this, I decided to test the theory. I put a poll out to my own network to ask a simple question: What drains your battery the most at work?
I fully expected the commute to be fighting for the top spot. We know how much Australians value hybrid working, and we know the pain of peak-hour traffic.
But the results were shocking.
The Breakdown
Of the four options provided, the commute came in dead last.
- 4th Place (12%): The Commute
- 3rd Place (12%): Fixing AI and Tech errors
- 2nd Place (Marginally higher): The constant “pings” of Slack and Teams
So, if it’s not the traffic, the glitchy tech, or the relentless notifications, what is exhausting us?
1st Place (62%): Emotional Labour.
Yes, people.
Overwhelmingly, the number one drain on our batteries in 2026 is the energy required to navigate human relationships, manage team dynamics, and “be on” for others.
Why is the "people stuff" so heavy right now?
I have to admit, this surprised me. With so much automation, AI workflows, and digital distance in our working lives, you might assume the emotional burden would be lighter.
But perhaps that is exactly the problem.
Here is my theory, and I would love to hear yours.
I wonder if we have been so focused on the mechanics of work, implementing the automation, refining the hybrid policies, adopting the new tech, that we have taken our eyes off the humanity of work.
We have optimised our systems, but have we neglected our engagement?
There is a reason employee engagement is sitting at an all-time low. Leadership is not just about managing workflows, it is about holding space for emotions, navigating conflict, and building culture. These are muscles. And if we haven’t been training them because we’ve been too busy “fixing AI errors,” it makes sense that using them now feels exhausting.
What do you think?
If you are a leader, does this resonate? Do you find that navigating the emotional landscape of your team is draining your battery faster than your to-do list?
And more importantly, if emotional labour is the highest cost to our energy, how do we better budget for it?
I’m opening up the discussion. I’d love to hear your thoughts on why the “people side” is hitting so hard in 2026.
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