Burnout syndrome: Is it just a matter of workload?

Abstract

In this paper, the aim is to highlight the relationship between work loneliness and job burnout and a conceptual model is presented in order to explain the anticipated relationships. In this sense, based on the premises of social exchange theory, work anxiety is proposed as a mediator for explaining how loneliness can be associated with burnout. Also, optimism, social competence and need for affiliation levels of employees are expected to affect the relationship between loneliness and anxiety such that more optimistic and socially competent individuals are expected to experience lower levels of anxiety whereas employees with a higher need for affiliation are expected to experience higher levels of anxiety compared to other lonely individuals.