Reducing workplace burnout through exercise

Objectives. The global burden of burnout cost is in excess of $300 billion annually. Locally, just under half of working Australians experience high levels of occupational burnout. Consequently, burnout interventions are paramount to organisational productivity. Exercise has the potential to provide a multilevel and cost effective burnout intervention. The current study aims to extend the literature by comparing cardiovascular with resistance exercise to assess their relative effectiveness against well-being, perceived stress, and burnout. Design. Participants were 49 (36 females and 13 males) previously inactive volunteers ranging in age from 19 to 68 that completed a four week exercise program of either cardiovascular, resistance, or no exercise (control). Randomised control trial design was employed. Method. Participants were measured against the Subjective Exercise Experience Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Results. After four weeks of exercise participants had greater positive well-being and personal accomplishment, and concomitantly less psychological distress, perceived stress, and emotional exhaustion. Cardiovascular exercise was found to increase well-being and decrease psychological distress, perceived stress, and emotional exhaustion. Resistance training was noticeably effective in increasing well-being and personal accomplishment and to reduce perceived stress. The present findings revealed large effect sizes suggesting that exercise may be an effective treatment for burnout. However, given a small sample size further research needs to be conducted. Conclusion. Exercise has potential to be an effective burnout intervention. Different types of exercise may assist employees in different ways. Organisations wishing to proactively reduce burnout can do so by encouraging their employees to access regular exercise programs.

研究目标：全球职业倦怠（burnout）带来的年度经济负担超过3000亿美元。在澳大利亚本地，近半数在职劳动者存在中重度职业倦怠。因此，职业倦怠干预方案对组织生产力而言至关重要。运动有望成为多维度且高性价比的职业倦怠干预手段。本研究旨在拓展现有研究成果，对比有氧运动（cardiovascular exercise）与抗阻训练（resistance exercise）的干预效果，评估二者对个体幸福感、感知压力及职业倦怠的相对有效性。研究设计：本研究采用随机对照试验（randomised control trial）设计，共招募49名此前无运动习惯的志愿者，其中女性36名、男性13名，年龄跨度为19至68岁。参与者被随机分配至有氧运动组、抗阻训练组或无运动对照组，完成为期四周的运动干预方案。研究方法：本研究采用主观运动体验量表（Subjective Exercise Experience Scale）、感知压力量表（Perceived Stress Scale）及马氏职业倦怠量表（Maslach Burnout Inventory）对受试者进行指标测评。研究结果：四周干预结束后，受试者的积极幸福感与个人成就感显著提升，同时心理困扰、感知压力及情绪衰竭程度均有所降低。细分来看，有氧运动可提升幸福感并降低心理困扰、感知压力与情绪衰竭；抗阻训练则显著提升幸福感与个人成就感，并缓解感知压力。本研究结果显示效应量（effect sizes）较大，表明运动或可成为治疗职业倦怠的有效手段，但由于样本量较小，仍需开展进一步研究。研究结论：运动具备成为职业倦怠有效干预手段的潜力，不同类型的运动可通过不同路径助力劳动者。有意主动降低员工职业倦怠水平的组织，可通过鼓励员工参与规律运动项目达成目标。