Burnout and work engagement are opposites. When you are engaged, your work gives you energy. When you are burnt out, it costs you more energy than you have. Yet the line between the two is thinner than you might think. Burnout often creeps in gradually, from working too long and too hard under high pressure without taking time to recover. However engaged you are, if you don't pace yourself, burnout is lying in wait. In this article you will read what burnout is, how to recognise it, what causes it and how to prevent it, both as an employee and as a manager.

What is burnout?

Burnout is a state of mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress at work. It is not a psychiatric disorder. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes burnout as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. According to the WHO, you can recognise it by three things:

  • you feel exhausted and empty;
  • you distance yourself mentally from your work or become cynical about it;
  • you feel that you are performing less well.

As a result, people with burnout also lose confidence in their own abilities. A long period of sick leave often follows, with a great deal of personal suffering and extra pressure on colleagues. WHO

How common is burnout?

Burnout is no longer a fringe phenomenon. The Netherlands Working Conditions Survey (NEA) 2025 by TNO and Statistics Netherlands (CBS) shows that 21% of Dutch employees have burnout symptoms. Ten years ago, that figure was 13%. After a small dip in 2023 (19%), the share has risen again over the past two years. More than a third of employees (37%) feel that extra measures are needed to tackle work pressure and work stress. Arboportaal

Strikingly, young employees are hit hardest. In the 25 to 34 age group, 28.2% have burnout symptoms, the highest percentage of any age group. Women (23.5%) report symptoms more often than men (18.0%). RIVM

Burnout was originally seen mainly in caring professions such as healthcare and education. It soon became clear that it can occur in any profession. The fact that people talk about it more openly now also has a positive side: it is easier to admit to it.

How do I recognise burnout?

Burnout rarely starts with a sudden crash. Usually you see small signals first. Someone with early burnout symptoms is mentally exhausted, tense and less effective. They are more often low, cynical or irritable, and their motivation is nowhere to be found. Also watch out for:

  • difficulty concentrating and forgetfulness;
  • arriving late more often or calling in sick for short periods;
  • sleeping badly, headaches or other physical complaints;
  • emotional outbursts or, on the contrary, withdrawing from the team;
  • drinking more or other impulsive behaviour.

People who are burnt out often no longer know how to solve it. Their lack of self-confidence makes them give up and withdraw. That is difficult for managers, because on the outside you often see very little.

Overstrained or burnt out?

Dutch GPs use the NHG guideline on overstrain and burnout. According to that guideline, someone is overstrained when four criteria are met:

  1. There are at least three stress symptoms, such as fatigue, poor sleep, irritability, being unable to cope with crowds or noise, emotional instability, worrying, feeling rushed or problems concentrating.
  2. You feel you are losing control or are powerless.
  3. You are clearly functioning less well at work or in your social life.
  4. The symptoms are not solely the result of a psychiatric disorder.

It is called burnout when the symptoms have been present for at least six months and fatigue and exhaustion dominate. Burnout is therefore a serious, long-lasting form of overstrain. NHG

What causes burnout?

The best-known model for understanding this is the Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R) by Wilmar Schaufeli, Arnold Bakker and Evangelia Demerouti. The model says that every job has two sides:

  • Job demands: everything that costs energy, such as high workload, time pressure, emotionally demanding work, conflicts and job insecurity.
  • Job resources: everything that gives you energy or helps you do your work well, such as support from colleagues and your manager, autonomy, feedback and opportunities to develop.

If the demands stay high for a long time and there are too few resources to balance them, your energy slowly runs out. That is the road to burnout. If there are plenty of resources, you become engaged. Research shows that job demands are mainly linked to exhaustion, while a lack of resources is mainly linked to distancing yourself from your work. PubMed

That is why burnout is rarely just about too much work. Little variety, work below your level, getting no feedback, feeling left out of decisions or a bureaucratic organisation can also burn someone out. And anyone without an outlet at home is missing an important source of energy.

How do I prevent burnout?

The JD-R model gives you two dials to turn: fewer energy drains and more energy sources. What can you do yourself?

  • Set your boundaries. Say no in good time and set realistic goals. It does you no good to meet expectations you know will cause you a lot of stress.
  • Do work that suits you. Don't just look at salary and employment conditions, but also at whether the work gives you energy and whether you feel at home in the organisation and with your colleagues. With job crafting you can shape your work so it fits you better.
  • Listen to the people around you. People on the verge of burnout often have no idea how they are doing. Those close to them sometimes see it sooner.
  • Listen to your body. Take breaks, move and make sure work doesn't always come first.

You will find more practical tips in reducing work stress: 4 effective tips.

What can the manager do?

According to Schaufeli, the manager has a big influence. An engaging leader inspires, strengthens and connects employees. In doing so, they reduce job demands and increase job resources. Schaufeli

In practical terms, that means:

  1. Keep an eye on the workload. Discuss priorities and drop what isn't necessary. Clear roles prevent a lot of unnecessary stress.
  2. Give people room to manoeuvre. Let them decide for themselves how they do their work.
  3. Give feedback and appreciation. Show that you see what someone contributes.
  4. Build a good team atmosphere. Support from colleagues is one of the strongest sources of energy.
  5. Watch for the signals and ask questions. Short spells of sick leave more often, irritable or quiet? Start a conversation and refer them to the occupational health doctor in good time.

Do you want to know how the energy in your team is doing before someone drops out? Then it helps to measure engagement and workload regularly.

Engagement makes the difference

Engaged people are less likely to burn out. For them, tiredness after a busy day feels like satisfaction; for people who are burnt out, it leads to complaints. Engaged people also draw positive energy from their work themselves, while people with burnout symptoms can end up in a downward spiral.

But engaged people can burn out too. They are not weak; on the contrary, they have often been strong for too long. Anyone who always gives more than 100% and never rests is at risk. Read more in the difference between a workaholic and an engaged employee and help, I'm too engaged.

Being engaged is good, but being too engaged is dangerous. And of course, prevention is always better than cure!

Sources