I manage Windows endpoints for a global law firm across more than 40 countries, primarily using SCCM, Intune, and occasionally AVD. There are only two people covering the environment, while many local IT administrators have limited experience with Active Directory, SCCM, or Intune. I'm leading a migration from hybrid-joined, co-managed devices to Entra-joined, Intune-managed devices, even though very little Intune configuration exists today.
The workload has become overwhelming. I regularly work more than 40 hours a week without meaningful breaks, and I'm expected to support a global environment without adequate staffing or coverage outside my hours. I've created documentation, trained colleagues, and tried to improve the environment, but I feel ignored and unappreciated. Although the pay is high, it doesn't feel proportional to the workload or responsibility.
I'm now struggling with basic tasks like showering, brushing my teeth, and eating. I'm married, dealing with tax obligations, and feel unhappy, exhausted, and increasingly hopeless. I've started therapy and have spoken with my doctor, but I'm hesitant about medication. I've also been diagnosed with ADHD, and treatment can increase my anxiety.
I want to finish the Windows 10-to-11 and SCCM-to-Intune migrations before leaving, but I'm worried about what will happen to the organization if I go. I've begun laying the groundwork for a small consulting or MSP business, though I don't have clients yet. Should I take time off and leave as soon as possible, or try to complete more of the migration first? Is the problem this particular workplace, or should I consider leaving IT altogether?
4 Answers
Don’t wait for the perfect handoff. Define a short, realistic exit plan: document the critical dependencies, convert the highest-value policies and configurations, identify what remains unfinished, and then leave. A company that knowingly operates with inadequate coverage will have to manage the consequences after you’re gone. Your hourly rate doesn’t make unlimited work or constant availability reasonable, especially when they’ve reduced your billable hours instead of approving overtime.
The loss of energy for eating, showering, and brushing your teeth is more serious than ordinary work stress. Please keep working with your doctor and therapist, and describe those symptoms plainly rather than presenting it only as job burnout. You don’t have to agree to medication immediately, but it’s worth discussing the options and risks openly. Decisions about an MSP or a career change will be clearer once your health is more stable.
My therapist said this is beyond normal burnout, and I’m trying to set boundaries. I also recognize that I have a habit of giving everything to a job until I have nothing left.
Two people supporting more than 40 countries is a structural failure, not a personal failure. You’ve already done more than can reasonably be expected by documenting the environment, training others, and moving the migration forward. Take leave if you can, start applying elsewhere, and stop treating the company’s staffing problem as your responsibility. Endpoint and modern workplace skills are still marketable, so this situation doesn’t mean you need to leave IT.
I’ve been contacted by recruiters and I’m sure I can find something else. I just keep feeling responsible for finishing the migration and leaving the environment in a better state.
This sounds more like a bad employer and an unsustainable role than proof that IT is the wrong industry. Your experience with SCCM, Intune, Entra, migrations, and large distributed environments gives you several paths: a healthier endpoint engineering job, consulting, or a more varied infrastructure role. Try not to launch a demanding business while severely depleted. First protect your health, take whatever break is financially possible, and interview companies about staffing, on-call expectations, project ownership, and how they handle failed timelines.
I’m the highest escalation point for several areas, so it feels difficult to simply slow down. But I can probably complete the core policy and migration work and leave the lower-priority pieces documented.