2026/05/01 by C Lambreghts, Charlotte Lambreghts, S Vandenbroeck +2
Health Professions · Psychology · #Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout #Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue #Workplace Health and Well-being
paper · doi:10.1093/occmed/kqag041
openalex publication_date 2026/05/01 · openalex created_date 2026/06/17 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
BACKGROUND: Burnout is a work-related mental health problem often leading to long-term sickness absence. Research on which return-to-work (RTW) interventions for sick-listed employees with burnout are the most effective in preventing long-term work disability shows no conclusive results. AIMS: This study aims to investigate the experiences and needs of (occupational) healthcare professionals in supporting the RTW process of employees with burnout. It is part of a larger mixed-methods study focused on developing and implementing an RTW intervention, in the form of a care pathway, for employees suffering from burnout. METHODS: We conducted nine focus groups with (occupational) healthcare professionals using a semi-structured interview guide with open-ended questions. Thematic content analysis was employed to explore the perspectives of these professionals. RESULTS: A total of thirty-nine professionals participated in the study. Participants described several obstacles in supporting the RTW process of sick-listed employees with burnout: (i) challenges for healthcare professionals in diagnosing burnout and challenges for employees in accepting burnout (ii) diverging opinions on burnout follow-up during sick leave (iii) the need for workplace support (iv) communication needs between (occupational) healthcare professionals. We propose a care pathway that addresses these needs. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insights into the practical challenges and unmet needs faced by (occupational) healthcare professionals, which are addressed by the return-to-work care pathway for employees with burnout proposed in this article.