From Burnout to Balance: Rethinking Agency Culture in eCommerce

And for a long time, it was normalised. We wore it like a badge: busy = valuable. We over-delivered, over-extended, and called it “commitment.”

I’ve lived that version of agency life. That’s why, when I joined GENE, I knew what kind of culture I didn’t want to recreate.

At GENE, we’ve built something different. Balance isn’t just encouraged here - it’s actively designed into how we deliver work. It’s not perfect, but it’s intentional, and it’s constantly reviewed. That makes all the difference.

Why the traditional model breaks people

In many agencies, “support” means firefighting. A customer raises a P1, and your weekend disappears. Projects run late because developers are pulled into emergencies no one planned for. No one knows what’s being worked on, but everyone’s exhausted.

This kind of pressure doesn’t just burn people out…it makes it impossible to do great work. You’re reacting, not delivering.

So we flipped the model.

Planning for real humans, not ideal conditions

We don’t believe in “crunch culture.” If a deadline is at risk, we call it early and replan. If scope grows, we reset expectations. If someone’s overloaded, we shift the work - not the blame.

Our version of agile isn’t about sticking to the sprint board for the sake of it. It’s about flow, transparency and pace. We check in weekly on how people are feeling, not just what they’re delivering.

Because we’ve learned that sustainable output is better output. And that consistency beats heroics every single time.

“There’s an understanding that life happens. We call it out early, adjust, and move on - like grown ups”.

Managing energy, not just time

Burnout often comes from cognitive overload - too many tabs open, too much noise. So we’re intentional about how we protect focus:

• We keep meetings short and purposeful

• We limit back-to-back calls and long stand-ups

• We give people the autonomy to own their work

• And we trust everyone to manage their own flow, especially in a remote-first setup

That might mean a quiet Monday morning to get your head down, an early lunchbreak to catch a yoga class, or an extended break to get outside for some sunshine.

Because delivery shouldn’t come at the expense of wellbeing. And at GENE, it doesn’t have to.

A few ways to protect yourself (wherever you work)

Not every workplace has the structures we’ve built, but that doesn’t mean you’re powerless. Here are five things I share with people when we talk about managing pressure:

1. Set boundaries and stick to them
   There will always be something to distract you; allow yourself the ownership to prioritise
   
   

2. Schedule your deep work like a meeting
   Prioritise this time, rather than trying to fit it in around other things
   
   

3. Track your energy, not just your time
   Pay attention to when you do your best work, and guard that time fiercely.
   
   

4. Ensure you have breaks
   Even a five-minute check-out, letting your mind wander, can help your brain let go.
   
   

5. Say something early
   Burnout rarely shows up out of nowhere. If things feel off, tell someone sooner rather than later. Sometimes things aren’t obvious to others

Delivery that lasts

Burnout doesn’t make your team stronger. Balance does. And that balance isn’t soft, it’s strategic.

It’s how we retain brilliant people. It’s how we deliver high-quality work consistently. And it’s how we make sure that everyone at GENE, not just the projects, keep moving forward.

If that sounds like a team you’d like to be part of, we want to hear from you.

Want to deliver brilliant work without burning out?