We Still Need to Talk about Burnout

This book critically examines the concept of work burnout, exploring its origins, defining features, and ongoing debates in psychological and organizational research.

Burnout is a pervasive phenomenon in contemporary work life, typically characterized by exhaustion, a distant and/or cynical attitude towards work and the people one works with, and a diminished sense of effectiveness at work. It emerges when chronic stress overwhelms our capacity to cope, often resulting in reduced work performance, increased absenteeism, and a general decline in well-being. Yet, fifty years after its initial appearance in the scientific literature, many questions about the concept remain unresolved. This collection of essays addresses key questions about burnout’s relationship to work, personality, emotional labour, and outlines future directions for scholarly inquiry.

This book will be helpful for researchers of industrial and organizational psychology, as well as those interested in business management and human resource management. Most chapters were originally published as a special issue of Work & Stress, and were complemented with several additional contributions on burnout that appeared in this journal.

Elfi Baillien is full professor of Mental and Digital Well-being at KU Leuven’s Faculty of Economics and Business. Her research examines the antecedents, developmental processes, and organizational interventions related to (cyber)harassment and employee (digital) well-being (e.g., cyberstress). Besides publishing widely around these topics, she is committed to bridging the gap between science and practice.

Toon Taris is full professor of Work Psychology at Utrecht University and currently Editor-in-Chief of Work & Stress, a leading scientific journal in occupational health psychology. His primary research interests are burnout, workaholism, and work motivation. He has authored numerous publications on these and related topics.