A group of researchers from the RISE-Health Research Unit analyzed the impact that relationships established in a professional context have on the development of burnout, since, according to the experts, “the workplace has a significant importance in an individual’s life, serving not only as a place for work activities, but also as an environment that profoundly influences their mental health and well-being.”

“Burnout is a state of exhaustion that encompasses not only the physical dimension, but also the emotional and cognitive dimensions. It is a chronic, prolonged, and persistent form of stress. This is an occupational phenomenon associated with work and its demands and, because it is a multidimensional syndrome, it is not easy to diagnose,” explains Carla Barros (RISE-Health/UFP).

According to the RISE-Health expert, “burnout is closely related to the imbalance between the demands associated with work and the resources that workers have to respond to this imbalance. Although it is strongly associated with a high pace and intensity of work, this syndrome is also linked to ethical and value conflicts and, at the same time, to relationships in the work context.”

Based on a sample of 364 individuals with jobs in various sectors in Portugal, including public and private organizations such as public and private hospitals, public and private schools and universities, textile industries, stores, among others, the experts at the RISE-Health Research Unit concluded that “the quality of professional life and workplace dynamics play key roles in predicting burnout.”

“[The results] also suggest that professionals in areas where emotional work is predominant are particularly susceptible to burnout due to the profound impact of emotional demands,” reads the article published in the scientific book Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health VI

“Burnout is very high among healthcare professionals and teachers. In these professions, ethical and value conflicts are the strongest predictor of this syndrome,“ points out Carla Barros, explaining that many of the workers involved in this study ”feel psychological tension resulting from the misalignment between personal values and organizational demands,“ leading to ”a state of exhaustion, detachment, and burnout.”

In the expert’s view, combating burnout requires a “primary assessment focused on the causes” and the adoption of measures that “make organizations’ communication channels more open, accessible, and transparent.” These are fundamental measures to simultaneously mitigate the impact of the syndrome and support worker well-being.

The article “The Impact of Psychosocial Risks on Burnout: Tracing the Pathways to Professional Exhaustion?” was authored by Carla Barros (RISE-Health/UFP), Carina Fernandes (RISE-Health/UFP), and Pilar Baylina (RISE-Health/E2S).