Workplace Stress and Burnout: Causes, Effects and Solutions

Dear Colleagues,

A review on the historical development of research discovered early studies on burnout syndrome in the 1970s. For over more than fifty years, scholars have sought to answer questions such as: Why do workers experience emotional exhaustion, anxiety crises, weakness, fatigue, hypersensitivity, insomnia, metabolic disorders, loss of concentration at work, depression, lack of personal fulfilment, low self-esteem, and decreased job performance, among other symptoms? All of these are manifestations are associated with burnout syndrome among workers.

In 2010, the International Labour Organization stated that burnout was a condition that endangered national economies and undermined productivity by affecting the physical and mental health of workers. In 2019, the World Health Organization recognized it as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress. However, it was not until 2022, with the latest revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), that it was officially considered an occupational disease, defining the syndrome as the “result of chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” This new conceptualization, which emphasizes its occupational origin, allows for improved identification, prevention, and treatment of the syndrome.

In short, burnout is a serious problem which affects individuals’ physical and mental health. It also impacts the institutions and organizations in which affected professionals carry out their work, as their performance declines. Ultimately, it also affects the broader population, including patients, clients, or beneficiaries of the work performed by these professionals who develop the disorder.

Given the above, it is of great interest to examine research findings related to the conceptualization, prevention, causes, measurement, development over time, effects, and/or treatment of burnout. This Special Issue aims to disseminate research that contribute to a better understanding of burnout syndrome and advance knowledge in any of the previously mentioned areas. In summary, our objective is to identify elements that may help improve the health of professionals who develop this syndrome. For this Special Issue, we welcome original articles, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses.  Suggested thematic areas and topics include the following:

• Occupational stress and burnout in the workplace.
• Burnout syndrome: causes and consequences.
• Prevalence, risk factors, and levels of burnout in emerging professional and pre-professional groups.
• Burnout syndrome during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Novel approaches to the assessment of burnout.
• Innovative tools for measuring burnout.
• New technologies for monitoring and investigating burnout syndrome.
• The longitudinal progression of burnout syndrome.
• Interventions and solutions for addressing burnout syndrome.

Prof. Dr. Emilia Inmaculada De la Fuente-Solana
Dr. Guillermo A. Cañadas-De la Fuente
Dr. Raimundo Aguayo-Extremera
Guest Editors

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