Nearly one in three (31%) Belgian employees are at risk of suffering burnout in the near future, with half of them being considered to be at high risk, according to a research paper from Ugent@Work.
The number of people at risk of suffering from burnout has increased significantly since the previous high during the Covid-19 pandemic, when 29% of people were found to be at risk by Securex. In 2018, this figure stood at 24%.
The research used a Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT), a test that uses 12 statements to identify the main symptoms of burnout.
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The paper notes that, often alongside an elevated risk of burnout, fulfilment with their current job ranks highest among the people interviewed. It suggests that job satisfaction often leads to more time and effort at work, which increases the risk of burnout.
Welfare state under strain
"Belgium typically ranks lowest in Europe in terms of the number of people on long-term sick leave," chief supervisor at UGent@Work Stijn Baert said about the results of the research. This puts the Belgian welfare state under strain with much of the political debate focused on tightening the ‘gatekeeping’ of access to health insurance and on reintegration following illness.
"However, two other links in the chain receive too little attention: prevention and sustainable re-employment." Baert said. "Our figures demonstrate once again that the first of these links – prevention – is particularly crucial today."
Historic measures to counter the rise in burnout cases, like the four-day work week, have failed to curb the trend of rising burnout according to Baert.
