The characteristics and risk factors of burnout for public servants in North China

ObjectiveBurnout significantly affected the working efficiency of public servants. This study aimed to identify the characteristics and risk factors of burnout among public servants in North China. MethodsA cross-sectional online and anonymous survey was conducted between March 2024 and April 2024. The inclusion criteria included active public servants aged between 18 and 60 years with fluency in Chinese. Participants with mental disorders were excluded. The study utilized the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey with Chinese adaptation to measure burnout across three dimensions: exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy. The survey consisted of 16 seven-point Likert scale questions, with response options ranging from "never" to "daily," and scored from 1 to 7. Participants with burnout had to meet at least one of the following criteria: 1) scoring in the upper third for exhaustion, 2) scoring in the upper third for cynicism, or 3) scoring in the lower third for professional efficacy. Severe burnout was defined as meeting all three criteria, moderate burnout was defined as meeting two criteria, and mild burnout was defined as meeting one criterion. ResultsThe study included 1064 participants from seventeen provinces in North China. The breakdown of burnout levels among the participants was as follows: 34.3% (365/1064) experienced no burnout, 29.5% (314/1064) had mild burnout, 35.6% (379/1064) had moderate burnout, and 0.6% (6/1064) experienced severe burnout. The study revealed no significant differences in burnout risk based on gender, age, academic degrees, occupation types, and length of service. However, significant variations were observed in burnout risk based on job position, salary, income satisfaction, job security, work stress, and interpersonal ability. ConclusionIn North China, two-thirds of public servants experienced occupational burnout. Job position, salary, income satisfaction, job security, work stress, and interpersonal ability were identified as the risk factors.