Understanding Burnout

The concept of burnout, which first attracted the attention of both researchers and practitioners in the 1970s, is now recognized as a major social issue in the workplace. A historical review of the development of this concept, in terms of theoretical models and assessment tools, points to the tension between models of greater complexity and efforts to achieve greater simplicity. An overview of empirical findings reveals the importance of chronic stressors in the job environment, as well as costly personal and organizational outcomes. Furthermore, there is a significant theme in the burnout experience, of imbalance between demands and resources, and between the job and the individual worker.