The present study explores psychosocial needs among university employees and the extent to which these needs influence employee perceptions of how work positively or negatively affects their health. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses among Norwegian faculty members (N = 11,533) suggest that needs differ in importance to the two work-related health outcomes. Multi-group analyses suggest gender differences in the level of these needs and in their degree of relationship with positive/negative work-related health. Among women, the strongest predictors of positive and negative work-related health are work engagement and autonomy, respectively. Among men, the strongest predictors of positive and negative work-related health are meaning and social community, respectively. Although significant differences were found in the level of the psychosocial needs across different university groups (faculty, PhD students, administrative/technical staff), their predictive value for how work affects their health positively or negatively is basically equivalent across groups. Study findings raise two implications: (1) the mechanisms and characteristics of the work environment that promote versus detract from health in the university setting do not appear to be two sides of the same coin and suggest different sets of interventions for improving employee health, and (2) gender differences should be taken into account in designing interventions to improve health and well-being in universities.

Solutions to workplace burnout often involve victim-blaming: Stressed? Try therapy—or a new job. But burnout is a sign of defective workplaces, not workers. Drawing on decades of research, Christina Maslach and Michael Leiter show managers how to recognize burnout and fix problems cost-effectively, improving employees’ productivity and health.

Burnout is an occupational phenomenon and we need to look beyond the individual to find effective solutions, argue A Montgomery and colleagues

Burnout has a long tradition of studies in the workplace and recently researchers suggested burnout is also rising among university students. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is considered a valid measure of burnout. However, the student version of the MBI (MBI-SS) has received limited empirical support. The aim of this paper is to analyze the factorial validity, invariance, and latent profiles of the Italian version of the MBI-SS in a sample university students. A total of 7757 Italian university students participated in an online cross-sectional survey. Results from explorative and confirmatory factor analyses showed acceptable fits for the Italian version of the MBI-SS. In addition, multigroup analyses supported full-metric invariance of MBI-SS within gender and academic level (bachelor vs. master). Finally, results from latent profile analysis showed that a three latent profile model was the better solution for the data: (a) burned-out (high levels of exhaustion, cynicism (CY), and low professional efficacy (PE); n = 2665, 34.2%); (b) overextended (high levels of exhaustion, moderate other, n = 3953, 51.0%); and (c) engaged (moderate exhaustion, low CY, and high PE, n = 1149, 14.8%). The resulting three-profile solution in the present study partially agrees with a prior study as it replicated three of the five-profile solution identified. In sum, we suggest that the MBI-SS is valid and reliable and represents a robust instrument for the measurement of burnout among Italian speaking university students.

Burnout has a long tradition of studies in the workplace and recently researchers suggested burnout is also rising among university students. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is considered a valid measure of burnout. However, the student version of the MBI (MBI-SS) has received limited empirical support. The aim of this paper is to analyze the factorial validity, invariance, and latent profiles of the Italian version of the MBI-SS in a sample university students. A total of 7757 Italian university students participated in an online cross-sectional survey. Results from explorative and confirmatory factor analyses showed acceptable fits for the Italian version of the MBI-SS. In addition, multigroup analyses supported full-metric invariance of MBI-SS within gender and academic level (bachelor vs. master). Finally, results from latent profile analysis showed that a three latent profile model was the better solution for the data: (a) burned-out (high levels of exhaustion, cynicism (CY), and low professional efficacy (PE); n = 2665, 34.2%); (b) overextended (high levels of exhaustion, moderate other, n = 3953, 51.0%); and (c) engaged (moderate exhaustion, low CY, and high PE, n = 1149, 14.8%). The resulting three-profile solution in the present study partially agrees with a prior study as it replicated three of the five-profile solution identified. In sum, we suggest that the MBI-SS is valid and reliable and represents a robust instrument for the measurement of burnout among Italian speaking university students.

Historical and Conceptual Development of Burnout, C. Maslach and W.B. Schaufeii. Part 1 Interpersonal approaches: burnout - a multidimensional perspective, C. Maslach burnout - an existential perspective, A.M. Pines burnout - a perspective from social comparison theory, B.P. Buunk and W.B. Schaufeli. Part 2 Individual approaches: in search of theory - some ruminations on the nature and etiology of burnout, M. Burisch burning out - a framework, L. Halisten conservation of resources - a general stress theory applied to burnout, S.E. Hobfoll and J. Freedy. Part 3 Organizational approachs: role of professional self-efficacy in the etiology and amelioration of burnout, C. Cherniss organizational structure, social support, and burnout, J. Winnubst impact of professional burnout on creativity and innovation, C. Noworol et al burnout, health, work stress, and organizational healthiness, T. Cox et al. Part 4 Methodological issues: measurement of burnout - a review, W.B. Schaufeli et al burnout in cross-national settings - generic and model-specific perspectives, R.T. Golembiewski et al burnout as a developmental process - consideration of models, M.P. Leiter. Part 5 Outlook: the future of burnout, W.B. Schaufeli et al.

Whenever the topic of job burnout gets raised, the key question is often “What can we do about it?” Although many different ideas have been proposed about how to deal with burnout, few of them have ever been implemented or evaluated systematically. Furthermore, there is a bias toward fixing people, rather than fixing the job situation. However, current research has argued that newer models of job–person fit will lead to better definitions of healthy workplaces and to better strategies of social-change processes.