A study by Sweden's Karolinska Institute has found that a high effort-reward imbalance (ERI) significantly increases the risk of workers burning out, but high demands are only part of the problem.
The researchers, seeking to identify any association between ERI and burnout among medical doctors, say that properly rewarding staff involves much more than money.
Burnout, characterised by prolonged negative psychological responses to work stressors, affects about 67 percent of physicians globally. Over the past few decades, changes in how hospitals and clinics are run have increased doctors' workloads and stress levels, making it harder for them to work efficiently.
Junior doctors face low pay, and all doctors have fewer chances to pursue further education or research as rewards for their hard work. These changes combined with limited rewards have exacerbated job strain.
The low reward aspect of ERI was more strongly linked to burnout than workload pressures.
Analysing ERI questionnaires from 2,300 Swedish doctors, they found 62 percent faced high ERI, correlating with an 11-fold increased burnout risk, especially among female doctors.
Data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic's third wave may have influenced results, but the researchers warn that the ‘high prevalence of burnout among physicians is alarming due to the possible detrimental effects on both individual and societal levels.’