Burnout is a veritable social phenomenon that has affected many workers in the last few years. Burnout is a real problem, as it takes a heavy toll on workers' health, and has a negative impact on the company as well as general social equilibrium. The University of Liège's Human Resources Development Unit (ValoRH) decided to measure the extent of this phenomenon in Belgium and to develop a new tool for detecting professional burnout as quickly and as early as possible.  

Work-related stress appeared in the scientific literature as early as the 1930s, and the concept of burnout has existed since the 1980s. In 1996, Belgium first passed a law on employee well-being in the workplace (the August 4, 1996 law). Yet it's only recently that the topic of burnout seems to be everywhere, seemingly the latest fad. In the past several years, burnout has become a hot topic in the news and Belgian companies have increasingly been seeking assistance to address the problem. However, burnout is more than just a passing fad, and can be partially explained by changes in the workplace. The need to be internationally competitive, increasing pressure to be more productive, and the competitive role played by new technologies have all contributed to burnout. As have increasingly blurred boundaries between professional and private lives, and the emotional aspect of work, particularly in the services sector. An uncertain economic context and fear of layoffs increase employees’ stress even further.

In order to respond to a desperate need expressed by companies and employees, the Federal Public Service for Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue, as well as the European Social Fund commissioned and co-financed a study on burnout. The Human Resources Development Unit (ValoRH) at the University of Liège, run by Isabelle Hansez, was chosen to coordinate this project, and just published their findings (1). The multidisciplinary team included six people: Professor Isabelle Hansez and researcher Julie De Cia (ValoRH), Professor Philippe Mairiaux and researcher Nathalie Schippers (Occupational Health and Health Education, Public Health Department at the University of Liège), Professor Pierre Firket from CITES Stress and Work Clinic (and also with the University of Liège’s Department of Clinical Sciences, General Medicine), as well as Professor Braeckman from the University of Gent.

The objective of the first research phase, which began in 2010, was to define the criteria for and symptoms of burnout, and to assess the extent of the phenomenon. The team of researchers started by developing a comprehensive definition of burnout based on the available literature. There are dozens of definitions of burnout, but they considered one of them to be particularly relevant. According to Schaufeli and Enzmann, burnout is "a persistent, negative, work-related state of mind in 'normal' individuals that is primarily characterised by exhaustion, accompanied by distress, a sense of reduced effectiveness, decreased motivation, and the development of dysfunctional attitudes and behaviours at work. This psychological condition develops gradually but may remain unnoticed for a long time by the individual involved. It results from a misfit between intentions and reality at the job.  Often, burnout is self-perpetuating because of inadequate coping strategies that are associated with the syndrome." (2)

(1) De Cia, J., Schippers, N., Braeckman, L., Firket, P., Mairiaux, Ph. & Hansez, I. (2013). Les critères diagnostiques de l’épuisement professionnel en vue d’un dépistage réalisé par des professionnels de la santé. In P. Zawieja & F. Guarnieri (Eds.), Epuisement professionnel : Approches innovantes et pluridisciplianires (pp.223-240). Paris : Armand Colin.
(2) Schaufeli and Enzman, 1998, p.36