Returning to work after suffering from burnout syndrome: Perceived changes in personality, views, values, and behaviors connected with work

• Main Authors: Boštjančič Eva, Koračin Nika
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Drustvo Psihologa Srbije 2014-01-01
• Series: Psihologija
• Subjects: job burnout; burnout recovery; vocational rehabilitation; working population; personality; values
• Online Access: http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0048-5705/2014/0048-57051401131B.pdf

To date only a few studies have focused on returning to work after suffering from burnout syndrome. Participants were asked about their perceived work effectiveness, changes in their personal values, and obstacles and support factors that they encountered when they returned to work. Among the 27 individuals of various professions included in the study, 18 achieved an average or a high score on the Maslach Burnout Inventory, which was used to conduct a semi-structured interview. The answers were later processed by analyzing the content. The results showed that burned-out individuals only slowly return to work after recovery. When they return to work, they encounter changes in personality, personal values, and work effectiveness, and they only receive partial support from the environment. The results draw attention to insufficient detection of the disease by medical staff and employers in Slovenia. Recovering from burnout is a long-term process, which depends most on individuals themselves. At the same time, they can receive the necessary support from their family and coworkers, especially in terms of understanding them and partially adapting their responsibilities at work when they return. This study draws attention to a number of factors that can influence an individual’s process of returning to work and can be used as a basis for developing systematic rehabilitation programs.