What happened
High performers are often the last people an organization worries about, as reported by Talent Canada. The piece describes a pattern it calls "functioning but failing": people who mask distress with output and keep delivering until they cannot. When the drop comes, it is sudden, and it can move quickly into absence, burnout or crisis.
The article says the warning signs are subtle and easy to excuse. They include withdrawal from collaboration, irritability or sharp communication, and difficulty delegating or accepting support. Because results stay strong, leaders tend to relax, and some high performers are even rewarded for pushing through. Many also delay asking for help out of pride or fear of looking weak.
The author's answer is early intervention. That means naming observable changes without judgment, inviting reflection instead of interrogation, and making clear that support is about sustainability, not lower standards. The piece also points to employee and family assistance programs (EFAPs) and professional supports as next steps.
Why it matters if you are hiring
The people you can least afford to lose are often the ones nobody is watching. A sudden absence from a senior analyst, a plant supervisor, a top sales rep or a finance lead does not just open a vacancy. It leaves work uncovered, a team unsettled and a search that starts from zero.
The article ties early support to fewer abrupt absences, disability claims and turnover. For hiring managers, that is a workforce planning point as much as a wellness one. Replacing a key person under pressure costs more, takes longer and usually means a weaker shortlist than a planned search.
It also bears on retention and on how you attract people. Candidates ask what happens to someone who is struggling but still delivering. A manager who can answer that credibly has an edge, especially with experienced hires who have seen colleagues burn out.
The article does not offer figures on how common this is, so treat it as a management practice, not a statistic.
One thing to do this week
List the five people your team could least afford to lose in the next 90 days. For each, ask whether their manager has had a real conversation with them recently, not a status update. Then give those managers two plain opening lines, such as "You're delivering, but I'm seeing signs of strain," and book the check-ins.
Traverse helps employers find and keep strong operations, finance, sales and technical people, and we plan cover for key roles before a gap turns into a scramble.