Burnout

It is generally accepted that job burnout is a multidimensional phenomenon influenced by both job and individual characteristics. This condition lacks a universally agreed-upon definition. Over recent decades, burnout has garnered significant attention in research, leading to the development of various measurement tools and theoretical models aimed at understanding its causes and consequences, particularly in human service occupations such as health care. While research has illuminated numerous sources and effects of burnout on individuals, organisations and services this phenomenon has unique challenges, notably when dealing with absent, difficult or dangerous staff members. The majority of this work has focused on human service occupations, and particularly health care. For many years, burnout has been recognized as an occupational hazard for various people‐oriented professions, such as human services, education, and health care. 

Burnout as an Occupational Phenomenon

The 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) of the World Health Organization (WHO) describes burnout as an occupational phenomenon conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is not classified as a medical condition. It is characterized by three dimensions: feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy . The International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes burnout under the additional section Z73.0 “Problems related to life management difficulty”.

Maslach Burnout Inventory

Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) describes burnout as psychological syndrome resulting from prolonged exposure to occupational stress, characterized by three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment . Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is emerging as a widely accepted assessment tool. This tool captures the essential dimensions of burnout and has been adapted for various occupational contexts. MBI is the first scientifically developed measure of burnout and is used widely in research studies around the world. The trend of simplifying burnout to a singular dimension of exhaustion neglects the complex interplay of factors contributing to burnout, including interpersonal relationships and individual values. The significance of this three‐dimensional model is that it clearly places the individual stress experience within a social context and involves the person's conception of both self and others.

Burnout‐Engagement Continuum

More recently researchers have tried to broaden their understanding of burnout by extending their attention to its positive antithesis. This positive state has been identified as “engagement”. Although there is general agreement that engagement with work represents a productive and fulfilling state within the occupational domain, there are differences in its definition. For some burnout researchers, engagement is considered to be the opposite of burnout and is defined in terms of the same three dimensions as burnout, but the positive end of those dimensions rather than the negative. From this perspective, engagement consists of a state of high energy, strong involvement, and a sense of efficacy.