One worker in 10 suffers genuine burn-out

Nearly 10% of workers in Belgium suffer from genuine burnout, according to a study by HR specialists Securex and published on Tuesday. More than 95% of employers acknowledge that they bear a great responsibility towards solving the problem and most call for ‘tailor-made’ jobs that are adapted to the needs of individual workers as a way towards reducing their stress and anxiety.

In Belgium, two workers out of three claim they are excessively stressed by their work, claims the study, and this typically results in workers having trouble with sleeping, headaches, or problems concentrating.

Less-qualified workers are more affected by stress than their more qualified counterparts. Workers take an estimated 96 days, or nearly five months, off to recover from burn-out. The total additional cost to the employer can reach up to €20,000 per worker suffering from burn-out.