Occupational Burnout among Employees in Serbian Banking Sector: Evidence during Covid-19 Pandemic

Jelena Lukić Nikolić; Vladimir Mirkovic

doi:10.5755/j01.ee.34.5.31558

Authors

Jelena Lukić Nikolić Modern Business School, Republic of Serbia
Vladimir Mirkovic Belgrade Association of Economists, Republic of Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2157-3011

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.34.5.31558

Keywords:

Burnout, Stress, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Digitalization, Remote Work, Covid-19, Banking Sector

Abstract

This paper examines occupational burnout among employees in the banking sector in Serbia, with an emphasis on the Covid-19 pandemic. Workload, short deadlines, role ambiguity, role conflict, lack of autonomy, job insecurity, new technologies, overly demanding clients, constant pressure for high performance, and fierce and increasing competition make the banking sector one of the most stressful. Banking institutions have undergone various changes in their strategies, organization, and structure in the past due to new technologies, processes, and working conditions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The research results of conducted empirical study based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory, in which 165 employees from Serbian banks participated in the first quarter of 2022, revealed a higher level of emotional exhaustion among employees who had daily direct contact with clients and those who worked from office, a higher level of depersonalization among male respondents, and a lower personal accomplishment among employees with less working experience.

Author Biographies

Jelena Lukić Nikolić, Modern Business School, Republic of Serbia

Jelena Lukić Nikolić is an associate professor and the head of the management and marketing department at Modern Business School in Belgrade, Republic of Serbia. She obtained bachelor (2011), master (2012) and doctoral degrees from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Belgrade. She worked as a Consultant and Team Leader in IT firms from 2011 to 2017, gaining considerable practical experience. Her current research interests include organizational behavior and human resource management in the digital age. She published three books and more than 80 papers.

Vladimir Mirkovic, Belgrade Association of Economists, Republic of Serbia

Vladimir Mirković is banking professional since 2007, currently employed at the privately-owned domestic bank „Alta banka a.d.” from Belgrade in the Risk Management Department. He obtained bachelor (2004) and master’s degrees (2010) from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Belgrade. He is a member of the Belgrade Association of Economists since 2012 and the active participant of numerous domestic and international scientific conferences; author and co-author of 60 bibliographical units. Major research areas of his interest are: financial risk management, credit and market risk, regulation, green economics, and entrepreneurial economics.