Preservation of professionals - Prevention of burnout

Burnout is a psychological syndrome that develops after prolonged exposure to chronic stressors in the workplace. The prevalence of burnout across various helping professions averages between 6 & 11%, with rates over 20% reported in some contexts. The costs of burnout can be high both for the individual and the workplace. For the individual there can be longer term emotional difficulties such as anxiety and depression, increased physical illness, increased drug and/or alcohol use, work avoidance and overall questioning of career suitability. For the organisation, workplace burnout can result in increased staff dissatisfaction, unexpected leave, absenteeism, high staff turnover rates and ultimately higher training and employment costs. The ‘preservation of professionals’ through burnout prevention is a goal which benefits all. In this presentation I will outline the burnout syndrome in more detail as well as the risk factors for burnout development, both from an individual and organisational perspective. The implications of these risk factors for burnout prevention strategies will also discussed, again in terms of both individual and organisational interventions. Finally, the findings from some recent research into the levels and predictors of burnout in a group of Australian allied health professionals will be presented.