Uncovering the Dynamics of Burnout, Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Office Workers: An Experience Sampling Approach

Stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout are recognized as prominent mental health challenges within the workplace, and there is evidence to suggest that several psychosocial risk factors may be associated with the occurrence of these mental health problems. However, few studies have relied on the experience sampling method. To address this lack of knowledge, the present study aimed to characterize these mental health challenges in office workers and identify risk factors associated with their occurrence. The study involved a sample of 31 knowledge workers from a large company. To address the variables of interest, questionnaires were administered to the participants. The results revealed that perceived productivity, level of challenge, level of competence, and level of sleepiness were positively correlated with daily stress levels, whereas psychosocial factors such as workload and time available to perform tasks were found to exacerbate stress. These findings highlight the need to consider these risk factors in prevention and intervention programs aimed at promoting mental health in the workplace. In the future, integrating these factors as predictors of mental health problems in automated detection tools for stress, anxiety, burnout, and depression may prove beneficial.