What can excessive work complexity lead to in an employee's professional life?

Excessive work complexity can significantly impact an employee's professional life by leading to burnout. When tasks and responsibilities are overly complicated or demanding, it can create a situation where employees feel overwhelmed and stress levels increase. This prolonged stress can deplete an employee's energy and motivation, resulting in feelings of exhaustion, reduced efficacy, and a sense of detachment from their work. Burnout is often characterized by emotional fatigue, cynicism, and a decrease in job performance, which can ultimately lead to absenteeism or turnover.

In contrast, while increased confidence and enhanced skills may come from challenging work, excessive complexity often hinders rather than promotes these positive outcomes. Similarly, job satisfaction typically decreases when employees are faced with overwhelming complexity, as their ability to manage tasks effectively diminishes. Thus, burnout emerges as a direct consequence of excessive work complexity, making it the correct focus in this context.