Almost one in three Belgian workers is at increased or very high risk of burnout, and there is little sign of improvement. That is a key finding of a new study by UGent@Work, the Ghent University research consortium on work, funded by Helios Foundation. Published on 6 October, ahead of World Mental Health Day, the study made front-page news across the country.

In Belgium, political attention focuses strongly on getting people on long-term sick leave back to work. Labour economist Stijn Baert, who supervised the study, says two other links get too little attention: prevention and sustainable return to work.

“Our figures show once again that above all the first link, prevention, is crucial today. Many organisations fall short in that respect.” – Stijn Baert, professor of labour economics, UGent

Rising risk, stagnant satisfaction

Of the 1.333 workers surveyed, 17% show an increased risk of burnout and 14% a very high risk. Earlier measurements by Securex with the same tool found 24% in 2018 and 29% in 2021. According to the researchers, the upward trend continues, albeit at a slower pace. The share is higher among workers living in Brussels (44%) and Wallonia (36%) than in Flanders (28%), differences the researchers say they can hardly explain. Only 18% of workers are truly satisfied with their job, a figure that has stagnated since the previous study in 2022.

Work organisation and support

Almost half of workers (47%) say they perform tasks that are unnecessary or could be done more simply if work were better organised. Only 41% say their employer takes action to prevent mental health problems. The measures employers offer most, such as stress management training, are not the ones workers believe in most. Workers put adapting tasks and schedules to their strengths and needs first (60% consider this certainly effective), followed by training managers in mental health (50%).

“We see a lot of attention for burnout in society, yet little changes in practice.” – Axana Dalle, labour economics researcher, UGent

From research to action

“UGent@Work was one of the first projects we supported under our second pillar, mental wellbeing at work. With our second call for projects, which we have just launched, we hope to support many more.” – Luc Lallemand, Managing Director, Helios Foundation

The call funds preventive and systemic approaches to wellbeing at work. Letters of intent can be submitted until 30 November 2026.

Discover the call for projects · Read the full policy brief