Key highlights
- Burnout is recognised as an occupational phenomenon; the pattern is predictable in “always-on” reputational roles. World Health Organization
- The pressure isn’t only workload — it’s ambiguity, risk, and 24×7 public scrutiny.
- In 2026, synthetic media and misinformation raise the cost of a single mistake. Press Information Bureau+1
When a top communications head exits suddenly, people love one explanation: “politics.” Sometimes it is. But the more honest answer is that the role itself is built like a pressure cooker: high visibility, low margin for error, and a job description that expands every time the internet learns a new trick.
The health dimension is real. The World Health Organization describes burn-out in occupational terms as chronic workplace stress not successfully managed, with exhaustion, mental distance/cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy.World Health Organization+1That language fits comms leadership uncannily well: you are always responding, rarely resting, and constantly translating chaos into composure.
Then comes the structural dimension: communications heads often sit at the intersection of law, narrative, and reputation. A policy shift, leadership change, election calendar, crisis incident, or regulatory update can instantly rewrite the job. In 2026, add deepfakes and synthetic misinformation to the list — now your team isn’t only fighting rumours; it’s fightingmanufactured reality. MeitY’s advisories and proposed synthetic media measures underline how seriously this is being treated at the platform level.Press Information Bureau+1
So why do they exit? Usually one (or more) of these:
- Mandate mismatch: leadership wants aggressive messaging; the comms head wants credibility.
- Risk appetite conflict: one side tolerates controversy; the other sees legal/reputational debt.
- Crisis fatigue: the calendar becomes an emergency treadmill.
- Strategy reset: organisations restructure; comms becomes performance marketing or vice versa.
- Personal cost: the job consumes identity.
If you’re reading this as a citizen: the next time you see a high-profile exit, don’t romanticise it. These roles are not glamorous; they are emotionally expensive. And in an era where one synthetic clip can become “truth” for millions, the expense is rising.
Official reference: WHO burnout definition + MeitY synthetic media directionWorld Health Organization+1
