Of these million workers at risk, almost half are in the “red zone”; they already have serious symptoms of burnout and are on the verge of burnout.
To explain the greater propensity of workers to experience exhaustion, Securex puts forward different avenues. Unlike workers, the private burden of employees has improved in recent years. The feeling of job insecurity would also be lower among employees than among workers. The HR service provider also points out that increasing automation and monotony can contribute to the risk of burnout.
These two age groups are more at risk
The survey also reveals some discrepancies based on the age of workers. Two age groups would be more fragile. First, people in their thirties, who present the highest risk of burnout: 35.8% in 2024. People aged 30-39 encounter on average more role conflicts in the workplace. The mental load in the private sphere is also greater, due to the care of young children, for example, and this public is more confronted with micro-management on the part of managers.
Fifty-year-olds are barely better off and the risk of burnout among them has increased “significantly” in three years. The fact that these workers sometimes have to take care of their older parents may explain this upward trend.
The survey was carried out on the basis of a representative sample of 1,442 Belgian workers, in collaboration with KU Leuven.
