For the first time, researchers are examining possible causes, consequences for working life, and the economic costs of perceived burnout.
Read this article in Norwegian on Arbeidsliv i Norden
The report from the National Research Centre for the Working Environment estimates that a 50-year-old who experiences high levels of physical exhaustion spends 5.6 fewer years in the labour market compared to a 50-year-old with lower levels of physical exhaustion.
Read the report in Danish here
The economic costs to society due to moderate and high physical impairment among older workers – measured in lost productivity – amounts to 9.9 billion Danish kroner (€1.32 bn) annually.
There is no formal diagnosis for burnout, which is why the report is based on older people’s perceived degree of physical and mental burnout based on questionnaires.
However, the report does provide an indication of the costs of burnout and why it makes sense to improve and further develop the working environment, argue the researchers.
“Our research shows that we should take this seriously and listen to people in the workplace when they say they feel burnt out.
“This has consequences in the form of shorter working lives and lost productivity,” says Lars L. Andersen, professor at the National Research Centre for the Working Environment, on the organisation’s website.
