Burnout in construction: causes, recognition and data for Croatia and the EU

Construction is not just one of the sectors affected by burnout - according to EU-OSHA, together with healthcare, industry and financial services, it is among the sectors with the highest work intensity in the European Union, and work intensity itself - a fast pace, time pressure, frequent interruptions - is one of the known drivers of burnout. (EU-OSHA/OSHwiki, Psychosocial risks and workers' health.)

By definition, burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed - and it is reflected in three dimensions: feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one's job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and reduced professional efficacy. (WHO ICD-11, QD85, 2019.) Put more simply, it is a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.

The key difference between ordinary tiredness and burnout lies in how we recover - rest helps with ordinary tiredness, whereas with burnout it does not.

What does European data say about burnout in construction?

• As many as 18 million workers in European construction are exposed to risk factors that can lead to mental health problems, and 46% are exposed to severe time pressure and work overload. (EU-OSHA, 18 million EU construction workers at risk of mental health issues, 2024.)
• One in four construction workers in the UK feels "burnt out" (Health & Safety Matters, 2026.)
• For Croatia, there is no publicly available data specific to the construction sector.
• According to general data from Moj posao in 2025, 78% of Croatian workers have experienced burnout. (Alma Career Croatia, 2025.)

Is burnout legally recognised as an occupational disease in Croatia?

Burnout is not classified as a mental disorder, but is defined as an "occupational phenomenon" - a phenomenon tied to the work context, not a clinical diagnosis that exists independently of it. (WHO ICD-11, QD85, 2019.) This uncertain classification leaves room for individual countries to treat it differently in their legislation.

In Croatia, burnout syndrome is still not officially recognised as an occupational disease and is not included in the official List of Occupational Diseases - unlike Latvia, which explicitly lists it in its List of Occupational Diseases. (Lastovková et al., Burnout syndrome as an occupational disease in the European Union: an exploratory study, 2018.)

What are the main causes of burnout in construction?

The main causes of burnout in construction are: (FIEC/EFBWW, April 2025.)

• work-related stress (44%)
• unrealistic targets (29%)
• long working hours (22%)
• a "macho" work culture in which employees feel uncomfortable asking for help (16%)
• a culture of bullying (15%)

This also explains a seemingly paradoxical finding: engineers and project managers - those with the greatest responsibility, in positions where a single decision can affect the entire project - are more exposed to burnout than manual workers in the field. (EU-OSHA, Mental health in the construction sector, 2024.)

How to recognise burnout at work?

Burnout is a process, not a one-off event. According to the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) model by Schaufeli and colleagues, it comprises four stages: (Schaufeli et al., Burnout Assessment Tool)

• Mental and physical exhaustion
• Impaired emotional functioning: you feel frustrated, you are irritable at work, you cannot regulate your own emotions and you feel upset for no clear reason
• Impaired cognitive functioning, including problems with memory, attention and concentration
• Mental distancing from work

In addition to the four core dimensions of burnout, the same model also identifies three secondary symptoms: psychological distress, psychosomatic complaints and depressed mood. (Schaufeli et al., Burnout Assessment Tool)

What does a director do when an employee burns out?

Numbers and definitions are one side of the story. Here is the other.

I remember a large construction site in Zagreb. They told me to talk to the engineer first. He sat down opposite me, looked at the table and said nothing for the first half minute. When he finally spoke, his voice had no energy, it was almost flat. Nothing could lift him - neither talking about the opportunities he had, nor asking what would help him.

When I realised what state the engineer from that story was in, I recommended an urgent response and a visit to a therapist. The employer responded - offered support and engaged a therapist immediately. However, it was simply too late for the engineer to stay with the company. The damage had already been done: a fantastic talent, and the company lost him, even though it had invested in him for years.

That is exactly why we do the Site Scan - 1:1 conversations in the field, without the supervisor present, within 30 days. The goal is not to diagnose burnout, but to open up space in time for signals of dissatisfaction to be heard - while there is still time for change.