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Stress and burnout: Verdi calls for changes at the ECB!
Verdi's Frank Werneke calls on the ECB to take employee rights seriously amid concerns about rising burnout rates.
Stress and burnout: Verdi calls for changes at the ECB!
In an urgent appeal, Frank Werneke, the chairman of the service union Verdi, has sent a letter to Christine Lagarde, the President of the European Central Bank (ECB). He calls on them to respect the rights of employee representatives within the ECB and to take the results of an internal employee survey seriously. This survey reveals alarming dissatisfaction, mental stress and burnout among ECB employees. According to [Süddeutsche], the ECB is a central institution in Europe that should stand up for values such as democracy and social justice.
A separate study has confirmed that physical and mental fatigue is increasing among ECB employees. The proportion of employees experiencing burnout has increased in recent years, from 33.2% in 2021 to 38.9% in 2023. In particular, the proportion of employees experiencing suicidal thoughts increased from 6.0% in 2019 to 9.1% in 2023. This shows that the mental health of employees is increasingly at risk, as [Tagesspiegel] reports.
Alarming employee health statistics
A closer look at the data reveals that the proportion of employees suffering from burnout has increased steadily since 2016. The value there was still 29.7%. In a study that surveyed over 1,600 of the nearly 5,100 employees, it was found that the proportion of excessively stressed or affected employees in the ECB study was 38.9%, well above the average of 28% in comparable studies.
- Burnout-Anteil 2021: 33,2 %
- Burnout-Anteil 2023: 38,9 %
- Suizidgedanken 2019: 6,0 %
- Suizidgedanken 2023: 9,1 %
There are many reasons for the loss of motivation among employees. Inadequate career planning, high workloads, lack of opportunities for advancement and cronyism contribute to dissatisfaction. The IPSO union, which represents the interests of ECB employees, has called on the board to actively combat the causes of psychological stress.
The ECB itself has stated that it takes the health and well-being of its workforce seriously. In order to counteract the worrying development, measures are planned to improve working conditions and career opportunities. However, ongoing staff dissatisfaction may highlight a fundamental need for reform within the institution that needs to be urgently addressed.