By Irish Examiner
Burnout is often described as exhaustion, but as Prof. Stephen Gallagher of the University of Limerick explains, it is more complex than simply feeling tired. In a recent Irish Examiner feature on workplace burnout, Prof. Gallagher contributed expert insights on how burnout develops, how it affects people, and why addressing it requires action not only from individuals, but also from organisations and systems.
The article, “My workplace burnout was my body’s way of telling me to change”, explores the personal experience of burnout through the story of Carol Gaffney, while also bringing in expert perspectives from health and psychology professionals. Prof. Gallagher highlighted that burnout has three key dimensions: energy depletion, increased mental distance or cynicism towards work, and reduced professional efficacy. This means that burnout can affect how people feel, how they relate to their work and others, and how they perform professionally.
His contribution also drew attention to the particular risks faced by healthcare professionals. As Prof. Gallagher noted in the article, burnout is not only an individual experience, but also a workplace and organisational issue. In healthcare settings, this can appear as compassion fatigue, reduced engagement, increased errors, and wider health impacts for staff who are exposed to sustained pressure over time.
The feature also referred to Prof. Gallagher’s involvement in a major EU research project on burnout among hospital doctors and nurses. This work is closely linked to the mission of KEEPCARING, a Horizon Europe project focused on strengthening the wellbeing and resilience of healthcare professionals in EU hospital settings. Through research, co-creation, and the development of practical solutions, KEEPCARING aims to better understand the causes of stress and burnout and support healthier, more sustainable working environments.
Early findings mentioned in the article point to important differences across countries, with surveyed healthcare workers in Ireland reporting higher levels of burnout than those in the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark. These differences underline a key message of the KEEPCARING project: burnout prevention cannot rely only on individual coping strategies. Supportive leadership, organisational resources, workplace culture, and practical measures that respond to staff needs all play an important role.
Prof. Gallagher’s contribution helps bring this discussion to a wider public audience at a time when health systems across Europe continue to face recruitment and retention challenges. By connecting lived experiences with research evidence, the article highlights why burnout must be recognised early, taken seriously, and addressed through coordinated action at individual, team, and organisational levels.
Read the full Irish Examiner article here.