Paulina Świątek

Introduction: Work is an essential aspect of human life. However, high expectations from employers and clients, combined with time pressure and chronic stress, can contribute to burnout among employees in service professions. Aim of the Study: This study aimed to compare the prevalence of burnout syndrome between two occupational groups—corporate office workers and active nurses—and to assess the influence of socio-demographic factors on the level of burnout in both groups. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted among 330 participants, including 126 nurses (38%) and 204 corporate employees (62%). Data were collected using a standard questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The study period spanned from November 2018 to October 2019, and questionnaires were distributed via email. Results: The findings revealed that both corporate employees and nurses experience occupational burnout. Both groups predominantly exhibited moderate to high levels of emotional exhaustion (nurses: 66.67%, q2 = 20.5; corporate employees: 73.53%, q2 = 31.5) and low to moderate levels of personal accomplishment (nurses: 78.57%, q2 = 32.0; corporate employees: 87.75%, q2 = 27.0). Corporate employees showed significantly higher depersonalization scores (q2 = 13.50) compared to nurses (q2 = 5.0). The prevalence of burnout in both groups was influenced by socio-demographic factors, including having children, their place of residence, education, earnings, and job-related factors such as vacation availability, the frequency of work shifts, work systems, overtime, and overall job satisfaction. Conclusions: Service-oriented professions that involve caregiving and direct interpersonal interactions face comparable risks of occupational burnout. Despite differences in the nature and conditions of work, as well as tasks performed, both corporate employees and active nurses are vulnerable to burnout. High salaries were not confirmed as a protective factor against occupational burnout. Additionally, environmental factors, particularly those related to working conditions, played a significant role in the development of burnout syndrome, alongside individual factors.

Introduction: Work is an important part of human life. However, high expectations from employers and customers as well as time pressure and chronic stress can lead to the development of burnout in employees of service professions. Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to compare the prevalence of burnout syndrome in two occupational groups: corporate office workers and active nurses, and to assess the influence of socio-demographic factors on the level of burnout in both groups. Material and methods: The study was conducted in a group of 330 people, including 126 nurses (38%) and 204 corporate employees (62%). The material was collected using a standard questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The study was conducted from 11.2018 to 10.2019 and questionnaires were obtained by email. Results: The results of the study showed that both corporate employees and nurses suffer from occupational burnout. Both groups showed a predominance of average and high values of emotional exhaustion - nurses 66.67% ( q2= 20.5), corporate employees 73.53% (q2=31.5), and a low and average sense of self-achievement - nurses 78.57% ( q2=32.0), corporate employees 87.75% (q2=27.0). Corporate employees showed significantly higher scores of depersonalization q2=13.50 than the surveyed nurses q2=5.0. The incidence of burnout in both groups was influenced by socio-demographic factors such as having children, place of residence, education, earnings, and factors directly related to performing one’s job (having a holiday, frequency of work shifts, work system, working overtime, and overall perceived job satisfaction). Conclusions: Groups of service occupations, related to providing care and requiring direct interpersonal contact with clients, are at comparable risk of occupational burnout. Despite the different nature and conditions of work and the tasks performed, both corporate employees and active nurses are vulnerable to burnout. It was not confirmed that high salary could be a protective factor against occupational burnout. Moreover, in addition to individual factors, environmental factors, among others those related to working conditions, also played an important role in the development of occupational burnout syndrome.