COSERE | 125 3.3. Coping with burnout. Research on professional burnout began in the 1970s in the United States, initially focusing on individuals working in human services. Findings indicate that no profession is immune to burnout. Within the field of education, preventing and addressing professional burnout among teachers is a paramount concern. Sustaining a positive outlook toward their work, colleagues, and students is essential for teachers to effectively carry out the educational process. However, the myriad demands placed on teachers in modern schools often result in prolonged stress, leading to burnout. Factors such as the nature of teacher duties, organizational pressures to achieve more with limited resources, role conflicts, ambiguity, workload, and frequent potentially stressful interactions with students, parents, and school administration contribute to teachers’ susceptibility to burnout. This not only jeopardises their health and well-being but also compromises the quality of teaching. Research indicates that burned-out teachers are more inclined to adopt dogmatic teaching methods and rigidly adhere to established structures and routines, impeding educational reforms (Cunningham, 1983). One of the most detrimental outcomes of employee professional burnout for organisations is a decline in work efficiency. Burned-out employees exhibit reduced productivity, impacting both their pedagogical activities and overall work performance. Additionally, they offer less assistance to colleagues and demonstrate diminished organisational commitment (Bakker, Demerouti, & Verbeke, 2004). Furthermore, burnout diminishes professional dedication and increases the likelihood of employees intending to leave their jobs. Moreover, professional burnout can be ‘contagious,’ as affected employees are more prone to conflicts with their colleagues, which can undermine collective goals What is Occupational Burnout? There isn’t a universally recognised and agreed-upon definition for the concept of professional burnout. In scientific literature, numerous definitions exist, each describing different dimensions of this phenomenon depending on the theoretical model under consideration. For instance, Freudenberger and Richelson define burnout as “a state of exhaustion or frustration resulting from not receiving desired rewards despite commitment to a job, lifestyle, or relationship.” Another common definition characterises professional burnout as a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion arising from prolonged exposure to emotionally demanding situations.
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