Burnout Dimensions among Corporate Employees in Croatia: Differences by Gender, Working Hours, Job Position, and Company Size
Abstract
Background
Burnout syndrome, characterised by exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy, is a growing concern in contemporary fast-paced workplaces. In Croatia, research has mostly concentrated on helping professions, rarely focusing on the business sector.
Objectives
This study aims to assess the extent of work-related burnout among Croatian corporate employees and examine whether individual and occupational characteristics are associated with significant differences across the three core burnout dimensions: exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy.
Methods/Approach
Using t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), burnout dimensions were compared across groups defined by gender, age, education, position, working hours, department, company size, and industry.
Results
Although most employees did not exhibit severe manifestations of burnout, the findings indicate moderate levels of exhaustion, suggesting early signs of strain. Overall, respondents display patterns consistent with a mildly overextended profile, although threshold values for high burnout are not reached. Differences across groups were observed, with higher exhaustion reported among employees working longer hours and in larger companies, and differences in cynicism and professional efficacy across gender and job positions.
Conclusions
The results highlight the importance of recognising early signs of burnout and understanding how burnout-related dimensions vary across employee groups. Such insights may support the design of more targeted organisational practices to promote employee well-being in the Croatian business sector.
© 2026 Matea Cvjetković, Dinko Primorac, Emil Vargović, published by IRENET - Society for Advancing Innovation and Research in Economy
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.