Increasing numbers of ECB employees are suffering from physical and mental expenditure
More and more employees of the European Central Bank (ECB) are reportedly suffering from physical and mental exhaustion, according to a study. The proportion of staff reporting burnout increased from 33.2% in 2021 to 38.9% this year, according to a study commissioned by ECB personnel representatives and obtained by the news agency AFP on Thursday. The study also revealed that the proportion of staff with suicidal thoughts has risen.
The proportion of staff suffering from burnout was reportedly lower at 29.7% in 2016, according to the study conducted by consulting firm Psy@work, which surveyed over 1600 of the nearly 5100 ECB staff. 146 or 9.1% reported having suicidal thoughts, compared to 6.0% three years ago.
The study authors presented 16 statements to the employees for them to agree or disagree with. These included questions about work pressure, emotional exhaustion, and work commitments. The proportion of overly stressed or burnout-affected staff in the ECB study was higher than in comparable studies, where the rate was 28%, according to Psy@work.
The study authors also noted that "poor or lacking career plans" were often a cause of motivation loss among staff. Carlos Bowles from the ECB union IPSO called on the board to address the causes of staff psychological stress, urging ECB President Christine Lagarde to act. Staff complained of excessive workload, poor career prospects, and bullying.
"We take the health and well-being of our staff very seriously," the ECB said in response to AFP's inquiry. The bank has already taken action and plans to address issues such as workload and career opportunities.
The constant work pressure and emotional exhaustion experienced by EZB employees might always contribute to the high rates of burnout and suicidal thoughts, as highlighted in the study. Recognizing this issue, Carlos Bowles from IPSO urged ECB President Christine Lagarde to implement changes to improve the career prospects and alleviate the excessive workload faced by the employees.
