FLASH Research: Psychological distress and burnout: Contribution of work, non-work and individual factors

Psychological distress and burnout: Contribution of work, non-work and individual factors

 

The first cycle of the Observatory on Workplace Health and Wellness (ELOSMET) Longitudinal Study currently includes 90 Canadian workplaces and their employees participating for the first time between April 10, 2019, and April 8, 2021. A total of 3025 employees aged 18 years and older agreed to complete an online questionnaire, for a response rate of 44.9%. This Research FLASH presents preliminary results on the contribution of work, non-work, and individual factors to two indicators of mental health at work: psychological distress and burnout. A previous Research FLASH (January 2021) highlighted a high prevalence for both of these problems among ELOSMET participants. 1

1. The factors evaluated

2. Preliminary results

Work factors

    • Psychological distress:
      • Lower when the level of decision-making authority and recognition at work recognition at work are high
      • Higher when psychological demands, interpersonal conflict, harassment and job insecurity are harassment and job insecurity are high
    • Burnout:
      • Lower when skill utilization, supervisory support, job recognition and procedural justice are high
      • Higher when psychological demands, interpersonal conflict, harassment and insecurity are harassment and insecurity are high
    • Psychological distress and burnout have psychological demands, interpersonal conflict, harassment, and job insecurity in common

 

Non-Labor Factors

  • Psychological distress:
    • Lower when the person is living in a couple
    • Higher when marital tensions and family-work/work-family conflicts are high
  • Burnout:
    • Higher when work-family conflict is high
  • Psychological distress and burnout have work-family conflict in common.

 

Individual factors

  • Psychological distress:
    • Lower when the person is older and psychological capital is high
    • Higher when chronic health problems are present and there is cannabis use
  • Burnout:
    • Lower when the person is older and psychological capital is high
    • Higher when chronic health problems are present
  • Psychological distress and burnout have in common the age of the person, chronic health age, chronic health problems and psychological capital.

 

Conclusion

The preliminary results presented here suggest that beyond the context marked by COVID- 19, the size of the company and its economic sector, psychological distress and burnout are associated with workplace, off-the-job and individual characteristics. However, the off-work situation seems to play a more important role when the mental health symptoms experienced are those of psychological distress rather than burnout.

Although preliminary, these results suggest the following findings:

  • In the workplace, the opportunity to use one's skills, to be able to make decisions independently, to count on the support of supervision, to be recognized for the work accomplished and to work in an organization whose practices and procedures are based on principles of justice, appear to be favourable elements for protecting the mental health of individuals. However, psychological demands, i.e. workload, work pace and conflicting demands, as well as problems related to interpersonal conflicts, exposure to physical, psychological or sexual harassment, and job insecurity are associated with a higher level of symptoms of psychological distress and burnout.
  • Outside the workplace, living with a partner seems to reduce the psychological distress felt, but the greater the tensions with the partner and the greater the difficulties in reconciling the demands of work and family, the more fragile mental health seems to be. Only work-family conflicts appear to be important for burnout.
  • As for individual characteristics, being older and having greater psychological capital, i.e. a personality marked by a sense of self-efficacy (self-confidence), hope, resilience and optimism, are found to favour a lower level of mental health symptoms associated with psychological distress and burnout. However, a state of health weakened by one or more chronic health problems will tend to disrupt mental health.

The prevention of psychological distress and burnout problems is therefore possible through interventions that can affect the work environment, the non-work situation and certain individual characteristics. However, the preliminary results of the ELOSMET indicate that these problems are complex and need to be assessed not only from the point of view of the workplace, but also by taking into account what people experience outside the company, their state of health, their aging trajectories and their personality traits. An integrated approach that implements management practices that promote the control of working conditions, work-family balance and the health of the individual will undoubtedly yield positive results in terms of protecting mental health and enabling the company to better control its work absenteeism problems 2-3.

References

  1. Observatoire sur la santé et le mieux-être au travail (janvier 2021). Importance des problèmes de santé mentale en milieux de travail avant et pendant la crise de la COVID- 19 : Les premiers résultats du cycle-1 de l’ELOSMET. Collection FLASH Recherche, Université de Montréal. https://osmet.openum.ca/en/flash-recherche-la-sante-mentale-en-milieux-de-travail-en-temps-de-pandemie/
  2. Marchand, A., Haines, V. Y., Harvey, S., Dextras‐Gauthier, J., and Durand, P. (2016) Health and Stress Management and Mental‐health Disability Claims. Stress & Health, 32: 569–577. doi: 1002/smi.2663.
  3. Observatoire sur la santé et le mieux-être au travail (Octobre 2020). 2. Absentéisme et pratiques de gestion de la santé et du mieux-être au travail. Collection FLASH Recherche, Université de Montréal.https://osmet.openum.ca/en/flash-recherche-labsenteisme-et-les-pratiques-de-gestion-en-sante-et-mieux-etre-au-travail/

Web site: www.osmet.umontreal.ca

About OSMET

The Observatoire sur la santé et le mieux-être au travail (OSMET) was born of a collaboration between the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Institut de recherche en santé publique (now the Centre de recherche en santé publique) and the School of Industrial Relations of the Université de Montréal. OSMET is financially supported by four founding partners: LifeWorks Wellness Solutions (formerly Morneau Shepell), McKesson Canada, Medavie Blue Cross and Pratt & Whitney Canada.

This content has been updated on 13 July 2023 at 1h33.