97 2591-2259 / This is an open access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ DOI: 10.17573/cepar.2023.2.05 1.01 Original scientific article Analysis of Workaholism and Burnout Among Employees of Administrative Units and Two Selected Banks in Slovenia Tatjana Kozjek University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Public Administration, Slovenia tatjana.kozjek@fu.uni-lj.si https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5626-8319 Anja Bandelj University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Public Administration, Slovenia anja.bandelj@gmail.com https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6586-5062 Received: 20. 2. 2023 Revised: 17. 7. 2023 Accepted: 15. 10. 2023 Published: 30. 11. 2023 ABSTRACT Purpose: Workaholism and burnout can have detrimental effects on both employees and organisations in both the private and public sectors, and therefore calls for further research. The objective of this survey was to statistically analyse significant differences in the variables of worka- holism and burnout (including emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and personal efficiency) between administrative units and two selected banks, among participants employed in managerial and non-managerial positions, and across genders. Additionally, the survey aimed to analyse the correlations between workaholism, emotional exhaustion, deperson- alisation, and personal efficiency. The research involved 621 employees from 58 administrative units and 404 employees from two selected (pri- vate) banks in Slovenia. Design/Methodology/Approach: Various methodological approaches were used, including statistical tests such as multivariate and factor anal- ysis, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests, the Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman’s rank-order correlation coefficient. Findings: Survey results revealed no statistically significant differences in the variables of workaholism and burnout between administrative units and the two selected banks, among participants employed in manage- rial and non-managerial positions, and across genders. However, the re- search uncovered a strong positive correlation between workaholism and emotional exhaustion, a weak positive correlation between workaholism Kozjek, T., Bandelj, A. (2023). Analysis of Workaholism and Burnout Among Employees of Administrative Units and Two Selected Banks in Slovenia. Central European Public Administration Review, 21(2), pp. 97–118 Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 98 Tatjana Kozjek, Anja Bandelj and depersonalisation, and a slight negative correlation between worka- holism and personal efficiency. Originality/Value: The research contributes to the growing awareness of workaholism and burnout, offering organisations valuable insights to address these issues and enhance employee well-being. Furthermore, it adds to the existing literature on workaholism and burnout within the context of Slovenia. Keywords: administrative units, banks, burnout, workaholism, Slovenia JEL: I10 1 Introduction Work is of key importance for adults, as it enables them to earn a salary, and develop personally; it also encourages the development of new skills and knowledge, shapes the relationships between fellow human beings as well as gives a sense of well-being, meaning, dignity, and self-worth. Employees are driven by both internal and external motives, but employees fail to set bound- aries in some cases and work too much. Thus, employees may unknowingly become workaholics (Andreassen, 2014). In recent years, the number of stud- ies devoted to the study of workaholism, and burnout, has increased. Accord- ing to Workaholism facts and statistics (Holewa, 2023), 46% of European em- ployees deal with severe time pressure or work overload. Even though there are occupations where overtime work is not necessary, it is also expected by employers. Furthermore, financial and insurance services and public adminis- tration and safety services are listed among the ten hard-working industries, namely in fifth and tenth place. Excessive work or workaholism can lead to burnout, which manifests itself in the workplace as emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and personal inefficiency (Maslach et al., 1997; Maslach and Leiter, 2002). According to (Schaufeli, 2018), the European countries with the highest burnout levels are eastern (Poland) and south-eastern coun- tries (Albania, Turkey, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia). Since Slovenia is listed among European countries that have the highest levels of burnout, and financial and public services are listed among the ten hard- working industries, the presented research aimed to analyse differences be- tween workaholism and three dimensions of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and personal efficiency) among employees in the adminis- trative units and two selected banks in Slovenia. The two banks were selected based on the number of employees so that the number of employees at the banks was approximately the same as the number of employees at the ad- ministrative units. The research aims to contribute to rising awareness about workaholism and burnout and to the existing literature on workaholism and burnout within the Slovenian context. The article first presents the theoretical framework of workaholism and burn- out which was the basis for the formation of hypotheses. The next section Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 99 Analysis of Workaholism and Burnout Among Employees of Administrative Units and Two Selected Banks in Slovenia includes the presentation of the sample and used methods. This is followed by a presentation of results, the testing of hypotheses, a discussion, and find- ings and proposals. 2 Theoretical Bases for Forming the Hypotheses Uncontrollable need for constant work or addiction to work that is unmanage- able or the behavioural pattern (Scott, Moore and Miceli, 1997) or so termed workaholism is a disease that is like alcohol addiction or alcoholism. It occurs due to the avoidance of problems, impaired self-esteem, consequences of childhood trauma (Seybold and Salomone, 1994; Clark et al, 2016), the need for control in one’s life (Cantarow, 1979), the pursuit of success, competi- tiveness (Seybold and Salomone, 1994), the cost of putting children through school, saving for retirement (Kozjek, 2014). Workaholism occurs when an employee works more than the expected demands of his or her job (Clark et al, 2016). Addiction to work is difficult to overcome, because, unlike other ad- dictions, those who are addicted to work are usually unaware of it; moreover, their dedication makes them work more and more. The deeper the addiction, the more serious, intense, and lasting the consequences, and the greater the risks to a person’s overall well-being; the individual experiences various physi- cal, behavioural, emotional, and social consequences (Humphreys, 2000, Bal- ducci et al, 2018). The consequence of workaholism on the individual level is also burnout, which represents gradual emotional exhaustion and loss of motivation in people who have worked with great dedication and enthusiasm (Bakker, Demerouti and Sanz-Vergel, 2014), a decline in values, dignity, spirit, and will (Maslach and Leiter, 2002). The World Health Organization (WHO, 2020), Stare et al. (2012), and Cole et al. (2012) define burnout as an occupa- tional phenomenon resulting from chronic stress that (in the workplace) has not been successfully managed. Kaiser, Richardsen and Martinussen (2021) in their research identified, with multiple regression, that job demands are the most important predictors of burnout. Swider and Zimmerman (2010), and Balducci et al (2018) add that it includes chronic emotional and interpersonal stressors experienced by individuals at work and their subsequent responses to work tasks, organisations, co-workers, clients, and themselves. Halbesle- ben & Buckley (2004) argue that burnout is a psychological syndrome that manifests itself as emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and reduced ef- ficiency. According to Cordes and Dougherty (1993) and Witt, Andrews and Carlson (2004), emotional exhaustion is the feeling that a person´s emotional resources are becoming drained, and that person lacks energy. Depersonalisa- tion is according to Cohen (2004), a feeling of detachment from one´s self or if somebody is leaving in a dream or like automation. Längle, Orgler and Kundi (2003) define personal efficiency as the meaning of life and openness to con- siderable existential values, going through a sensible, authentic, responsible life in general. As Cole et al (2012) argued, the consequences of burnout do not only harm the individual but are felt by everyone in any way related to the person experiencing burnout, therefore it should be researched. Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 100 Tatjana Kozjek, Anja Bandelj According to Amigo et al. (2014) and Dias and Angélico (2018), burnout is most prevalent among those employees whose working hours are longer than 40 hours per week and those who have direct contact with clients at their work. The research of Mar, Soklić & Buzeti (2022) shows that work during non-work time (at different times of the day, at weekends, and during their annual and sick leave) is a growing phenomenon among employees in private and public sectors; they also found that such work is particularly common for employees in managerial positions and for professionals in education, health, and police services, as well as for employees engaged in remote work. The re- sults of the study of Schaufeli, van Wijhe, Peeters, and Taris (2011) show that workaholism and the possibility of employees becoming burnt out are more prevalent among employees (in both managerial and non-managerial jobs) in private sector organisations, especially due to competition in the market and greater opportunities for monetary rewards for employees. Özsoy (2018) compared the level of workaholism of public and private sector employees and found that workaholism occurs in both managerial and non-managerial positions but is more common in managerial positions as they bring more responsibility and decisions are more strategic and complex. Based on the findings, the following hypotheses were formulated: H1: There are statistically significant differences in the variables of workaholism and burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and personal efficiency) between administrative units and the two selected banks. H2: There are statistically significant differenc- es in the variables of workaholism and burnout (emotional exhaustion, deperson- alisation, and personal efficiency) between participants employed in managerial and non-managerial positions. Furthermore, the results of Snir and Harpaz (2006) and Burke, Davis, and Flett (2008) show that there are differences in workaholism between men and women. Beiler-May et al (2017) argue that workaholism among women is underestimated due to cultural norms. According to traditional expectations regarding gender roles, men are supposed to work and provide financial sup- port to the family, while women are supposed to do most of the household chores and take care of the children (Kozjek, Mali and Umek, 2021). Dudek and Szpitalak (2019) found that women are also prone to workaholism since they often have to prove that they can perform assigned tasks just as well as men to succeed in their professional lives. Similarly, Burke (1999) stated that women exhibit a higher level of perfectionism, which could be one of the causes of workaholism by women. Behson (2002) also stated that work- aholism is higher in women than in men. Contrary, Snir and Harpaz (2006) found that workaholism, determined based on the number of hours worked per week, is more prevalent in men than in women. Based on these findings it was assumed that H3: There are statistically significant differences between variables of workaholism and burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and personal efficiency) between male and female participants. Studies that measured the correlation between employee workaholism and burnout in the world (Cheung et al, 2018; Judež, 2018; Staszczyk and Tokarz, 2017; Schaufeli et al, 2008; and Taylor et al, 2018) have shown that there is Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 101 Analysis of Workaholism and Burnout Among Employees of Administrative Units and Two Selected Banks in Slovenia a correlation between workaholism and burnout. Cheung et al (2018) found that workaholism is positively correlated with emotional exhaustion and dep- ersonalisation and negatively correlated with feelings of personal efficiency. According to previous research, it was assumed that: H4: There is a positive correlation between workaholism and emotional exhaustion and depersonalisa- tion and a negative correlation between workaholism and personal efficiency at administrative units and two selected banks. 3 Sample and Methods Employees from all 58 administrative units (621 participants) and employees from two selected banks (404 participants) participated in the survey, but they were not named to ensure anonymity. The two banks were selected ac- cording to their size so that the number of employees at the selected banks was like the number of employees at administrative units. A total of 1,025 employees from administrative units and banks responded to both surveys, therefore, the results are statistically valid for the selected organizations. The survey was conducted in the spring of 2021 (see also Bandelj, 2021). The link to the anonymous survey questionnaire was sent electronically to the official addresses of all 58 administrative units and the two selected banks with a request to forward the survey questionnaire to all employees. Of all administrative units’ employees, 621 participated in the survey, repre- senting 27% of all employees, whereby 74% (n = 462) were women and 26% (n = 159) were men. 41% of respondents at administrative units were aged 40 to 50 (41%), followed by those aged 51 to 61 (29%). 51% of respondents had a university degree, 19% had a higher education degree and 16% had a mas- ter’s degree. 18% of participants from administrative units were employed in managerial positions, and 82% were in non-managerial positions. Of all employees at both banks, 404 employees participated in the survey, which represents 27% of all employees, 82% (n = 332) of which were women and 18% (n = 72) were men. The predominant group at the banks is that aged 40 to 50 (40%), followed by the 51 to 61 age group (37%). 35% of the partici- pants had a university degree, 31% had a higher education degree and 15% had a secondary school degree. 20% of participating employees at the banks were employed in managerial positions, and 80% were in non-managerial positions. For the research, The Bergen Work Addiction Scale (BWAS) (Anderssen, 2012) and the Maslach burnout inventory (MBI-GS) (Maslach et al, 1997) question- naires were used. At The Bergen Work Addiction Scale (BWAS) scale partici- pants, on a 5-point Lickert Scale (1 – never, 2 – rarely, 3 – sometimes, 4 – often, 5 – always), had to answer ˝how often in the last year…˝: ˝have you thought of how you could free up your time to work˝, ˝spent much more time on work- ing than initially intended˝, ˝worked in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxi- ety, helplessness, and depression˝, ˝have been told by others to cut down on work without listening to them˝, ˝become stressed if you have been prohibit- ed from working˝, ˝deprioritised your hobbies, leisure activities, and exercise Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 102 Tatjana Kozjek, Anja Bandelj because of your work˝, ˝ work so much that it has negatively influenced your health˝. At the Maslach burnout inventory (MBI-GS) scale, participants on a 4-point Likert scale (1 – never, 2 – rarely, 3 – frequently, 4 – daily), where higher grades mean a higher level of burnout, had to evaluate three dimensions. According to the first dimension Emotional Exhaustion, they evaluated these variables ˝I feel emotionally drained from work˝, ˝I feel exhausted at the end of the workday˝, ˝When I wake up in the morning, I feel tired because I have to go to work again˝, ˝Working all day is really tiring for me˝, ˝I feel exhausted from work˝. According to the second dimension Depersonalisation, they evaluated these variables ˝I want to do my work without being interrupted˝, ˝I am less interested in my work since I’ve been in this job˝, ˝I am less enthusiastic about my work˝, ˝I am sceptical about the contribution of my work to something˝, ˝I doubt the importance of my work˝. According to the third dimension Personal Efficiency, they evaluated these variables ˝I feel excited when I get something done at work˝, ˝I achieve many important things in my work˝, ˝I can effectively solve problems that arise in my work˝, ˝I feel that I contribute something to the organization through my work˝, ˝In my opinion, I am good at what I do˝, ˝In my work, I feel confident that I am efficient and able to get things done˝. To test the variables and the hypotheses different methodological approach- es were used, namely the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk test, the Mann-Whitney U test, factor analysis, and Spearman’s rank order correlation coefficient. 4 Results The literature and sources in the field of workaholism and burnout present varied findings when comparing the public and private sectors. Generally, the findings indicate the greater presence of workaholism and burnout in organi- zations within the private sector. Therefore, in the selected sample of admin- istrative units (AU) and two selected banks, it was important to check whether statistically significant differences exist. The mean values, mean ranks, Mann- Whitney U, and statistical significance of these differences are presented in Tables 1 and 2 below. The presented findings for the variables of workaholism indicate three statis- tically significant differences between employees in banks and administrative units. The findings reveal that employees in administrative units, compared to employees in banks, report a higher level of working more than initially intended (Mean Rank = 561.37; P = 0.003), a higher level of being told by oth- ers to reduce their workload without listening to them (Mean Rank = 576.23; P <0.001), a higher level of deprioritising their hobbies, leisure activities, and exercise due to the work (Mean Rank = 554.14; P <0.001). Mean values for all variables range between 2 and 3, indicating a rare or frequent level. Addition- ally, the results may have been influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic, which leads to the organisations closure and remote work. Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 103 Analysis of Workaholism and Burnout Among Employees of Administrative Units and Two Selected Banks in Slovenia Table 1: Comparison of the Variables of Workaholism between employees from administrative units and banks Variables of Workaholism Organisation N Mean Rank Mann- Whitney U P How often in the last year have you thought of how you could free up your time to work? Banks 421 550.84 133947.0 0.345 AU 658 533.07 How often in the last year have you spent much more time working than initially intended? Banks 421 506.59 124445.0 * 0.003 AU 658 561.37 How often in the last year have you worked in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness, and depression? Banks 421 543.27 137131.5 0.776 AU 658 537.91 How often in the last year have you been told by others to cut down on work without listening to them? Banks 421 483.38 114671.0 ** <0.001 AU 658 576.23 How often in the last year have you become stressed if you have been prohibited from working? Banks 421 514.41 127734.0 0.026 AU 658 556.38 How often in the last year have you deprioritised your hobbies, leisure activities, and exercise because of your work? Banks 421 458.76 104309.0** <0.001 AU 658 591.98 How often in the last year have you worked so much that it has negatively influenced your health? Banks 421 517.90 129203.5 0.055 AU 658 554.14 Source: Own Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 104 Tatjana Kozjek, Anja Bandelj Table 2: Comparison of the Variables of Burnout between employees from administrative units and banks Variables of Burnout Organisation N Mean Rank Mann- Whitney U P I feel emotionally drained from work. Banks 418 529.97 133955.0 0.643 AU 651 538.23 I feel exhausted at the end of the workday.  Banks 418 543.00 132716.5 0.460 AU 651 529.87 When I wake up in the morning, I feel tired because I have to go to work again. Banks 418 530.98 134377.0 0.715 AU 651 537.58 Working all day is really tiring for me. Banks 418 536.07 135611.0 0.921 AU 651 534.31 I feel exhausted from work. Banks 418 540.21 133880.0 0.632 AU 651 531.65 I want to do my work without being interrupted. Banks 412 515.63 127359.5 0.283 AU 641 534.31 I am less interested in my work since I've been in this job. Banks 412 503.88 122520.5 0.031 AU 641 541.86 I am less enthusiastic about my work. Banks 412 505.63 123240.0 0.049 AU 641 540.74 I am sceptical about the contribution of my work to something. Banks 412 496.47 119466.5 * 0.005 AU 641 546.62 I doubt the importance of my work. Banks 412 494.77 118769.0* 0.003 AU 641 547.71 Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 105 Analysis of Workaholism and Burnout Among Employees of Administrative Units and Two Selected Banks in Slovenia Variables of Burnout Organisation N Mean Rank Mann- Whitney U P I feel excited when I get something done at work. Banks 407 522.13 127339.0 0.789 AU 631 517.81 I achieve many important things in my work. Banks 407 539.75 120167.5 0.047 AU 631 506.44 I can effectively solve problems that arise in my work. Banks 407 533.44 122734.5 0.146 AU 631 510.51 I feel that I contribute something to the organization through my work. Banks 407 546.15 117561.5 0.011 AU 631 502.31 In my opinion, I am good at what I do. Banks 407 547.08 117183.5 0.006 AU 631 501.71 In my work, I feel confident that I am efficient and able to get things done. Banks 407 560.24 111828.0 ** <0.001 AU 631 493.22 Source: Own Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 106 Tatjana Kozjek, Anja Bandelj The presented findings for the variables of burnout, including five variables of emotional exhaustion, five variables of depersonalisation, and six variables of personal efficiency, generally do not indicate statistically significant differ- ences between employees in banks and administrative units. However, two variables of depersonalisation and one variable of personal efficiency show significant differences. More specially, employees from the administrative units report a higher level of being sceptical about the contribution of their work to something (Mean rank = 546.62; P = 0.005) and a higher level of ex- pressing doubt about the importance of their work (Mean rank = 547.71; P = 0.003). The mean values for variables range around 2, indicating a rare level. On the other hand, employees from banks report a higher level for one vari- able of personal efficiency, namely their feeling of being confident that they are efficient and able to get things done (Mean rank = 560.24; P = <0.001). The mean value for the variable is around 3, indicating a frequent level. Based on the results of the comparison of workaholism and burnout varia- bles, hypothesis H1: ˝There are statistically significant differences in the vari- ables of workaholism and burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and personal efficiency) between administrative units and the two selected banks ˝, is rejected. Despite the varied findings that indicate a higher presence of workaholism in the private sector organisation, especially due to the market competition and greater opportunities for monetary rewards for employees (e. g. Wijhe, Peeters, and Taris, 2011), the findings of the presented research conducted among Slovenian administrative units and two selected private banks do not confirm this. Additionally, the findings reveal that employees in administrative units report a higher level of working than initially intended, a higher level of being told by others to reduce their workload without listening to them, and a higher level of deprioritising their hobbies, leisure activities, and exercise due to the work. Furthermore, the results do not confirm the no- tation that employees with more client contacts experience higher levels of burnout, as Amigo et al. (2014) and Dias and Angélico (2018) found. However, these results may be influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to an increase in remote work. The literature and sources in the field of workaholism and burnout present varied findings when comparing workaholism and burnout among manage- rial and non-managerial positions. Generally, the findings indicate the greater presence of workaholism and burnout among managers. Therefore, in the selected sample of administrative units and two selected banks, it was impor- tant to examine whether statistically significant differences exist. The mean values, mean ranks, Mann-Whitney U, and statistical significance of these dif- ferences are presented in Tables 3 and 4 below. Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 107 Analysis of Workaholism and Burnout Among Employees of Administrative Units and Two Selected Banks in Slovenia Table 3: Comparison of the Variables of Workaholism between managerial and non-managerial positions Variables of Workaholism Position N Mean rank Mann- Whitney U P How often in the last year have you thought of how you could free up your time to work? Managerial 191 556.88 71266.0 0.019 Nonmanagerial 834 502.95 How often in the last year have you spent much more time working than initially intended? Managerial 191 537.95 74881.5 0.171 Nonmanagerial 834 507.29 How often in the last year have you worked in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness, and depression? Managerial 191 513.31 79588.5 0.987 Nonmanagerial 834 512.93 How often in the last year have you been told by others to cut down on work without listening to them? Managerial 191 623.92 58462.0 ** <0.001 Nonmanagerial 834 487.60 How often in the last year have you become stressed if you have been prohibited from working? Managerial 191 524.51 77448.5 0.540 Nonmanagerial 834 510.36 How often in the last year have you deprioritised your hobbies, leisure activities, and exercise because of your work? Managerial 191 595.59 63871.5 ** <0.001 Nonmanagerial 834 494.08 How often in the last year have you worked so much that it has negatively influenced your health? Managerial 191 561.61 70362.0 0.010 Nonmanagerial 834 501.87 Source: Own The presented findings for the variables of workaholism indicate two statisti- cally significant differences between managers and non-managers. More spe- cially, the findings reveal that managers report higher levels of being told by others to cut down on work without listening to them (Mean Rank = 623.92; P < 0.001), as well as a higher level of deprioritising their hobbies, leisure activi- ties, and exercise due to the work (Mean Rank = 595.59; P < 0.001). The mean values variables are between 2 and 3, indicating a rare or frequent level. Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 108 Tatjana Kozjek, Anja Bandelj Table 4: Comparison of the Variables of Burnout between managerial and non-managerial positions Variables of Burnout Pos Position N Mean Rank Mann- Whitney U P I feel emotionally drained from work. Managerial 191 532.42 75937.0 0.275 Nonmanagerial 834 508.55 I feel exhausted at the end of the workday.  Managerial 191 552.52 72099.0 0.026 Nonmanagerial 834 503.95 When I wake up in the morning, I feel tired because I have to go to work again. Managerial 191 517.64 78761.0 0.797 Nonmanagerial 834 511.94 Working all day is really tiring for me. Managerial 191 471.23 71669.0 0.019 Nonmanagerial 834 522.57 I feel exhausted from work. Managerial 191 508.18 78727.0 0.787 Nonmanagerial 834 514.10 I want to do my work without being interrupted. Managerial 191 482.48 73817.0 0.082 Nonmanagerial 834 519.99 I am less interested in my work since I've been in this job. Managerial 191 477.05 72781.0 0.043 Nonmanagerial 834 521.23 I am less enthusiastic about my work. Managerial 191 485.16 74330.0 0.121 Nonmanagerial 834 519.38 I am sceptical about the contribution of my work to something. Managerial 191 480.12 73367.5 0.070 Nonmanagerial 834 520.53 I doubt the importance of my work. Managerial 191 456.58 68871.5 * 0.002 Nonmanagerial 834 525.92 I feel excited when I get something done at work. Managerial 191 526.06 77153.0 0.425 Nonmanagerial 834 510.01 I achieve many important things in my work. Managerial 191 593.56 64260.5 ** <0.001 Nonmanagerial 834 494.55 I can effectively solve problems that arise in my work. Managerial 191 532.51 75921.5 0.223 Nonmanagerial 834 508.53 I feel that I contribute something to the organization through my work. Managerial 191 596.35 63727.0 ** <0.001 Nonmanagerial 834 493.91 In my opinion, I am good at what I do. Managerial 191 517.16 78852.0 0.804 Nonmanagerial 834 512.05 Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 109 Analysis of Workaholism and Burnout Among Employees of Administrative Units and Two Selected Banks in Slovenia Variables of Burnout Pos Position N Mean Rank Mann- Whitney U P In my work, I feel confident that I am efficient and able to get things done. Managerial 191 532.31 75959.5 0.246 Nonmanagerial 834 508.58 Source: Own The presented findings for the variables of burnout, which include five varia- bles of emotional exhaustion, five variables of depersonalisation, and six vari- ables of personal efficiency, generally do not indicate statistically significant differences between managers and non-managers. However, one variable of depersonalisation and two variables of personal efficiency show significant differences. More specially, non-managers report a higher level of doubting the importance of their work (Mean rank = 525.92; P = 0.002). The mean value is around 2, indicating a rare level. Additionally, managers report a higher level of feeling that they achieve many important things in their work (Mean rank = 593.56; P < 0.001), as well as they are feeling that they contribute something to the organization through their work (Mean rank = 596.35; P < 0.001). The mean values are around 3, which indicates a frequent level. Based on the results of the comparison of workaholism and burnout vari- ables, hypothesis H2: There are statistically significant differences in the vari- ables of workaholism and burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and personal efficiency) between participants employed in managerial and non-man- agerial positions˝, is rejected. Despite the varied findings indicating a higher prevalence of workaholism and burnout among managers (e. g. Schaufeli, van Wijhe, Peeters, and Taris, 2011; Özsoy, 2018), the findings of the presented research conducted among Slovenian administrative units and two selected private banks do not confirm this for managers and non-managers. Addition- ally, the findings reveal that managers report higher levels of being told by others to cut down on work without listening to them, as well as a higher level of deprioritising their hobbies, leisure activities, and exercise due to the work. Furthermore, non-managers report a higher level of doubting the importance of their work, on the other hand, managers report a higher level of feeling that they achieve many important things in their work, as well as they are feel- ing that they contribute something to the organization through their work. The literature and sources in the field of workaholism and burnout present varied findings when comparing workaholism and burnout between gen- ders. Generally, the findings indicate a greater prevalence of workaholism and burnout among women, mainly because of balancing working and pri- vate life. Therefore, in the selected sample of administrative units and two selected banks, it was important to examine whether statistically significant differences exist. The mean values, mean ranks, Mann-Whitney U, and statisti- cal significance of these differences are presented in Tables 5 and 6 below. Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 110 Tatjana Kozjek, Anja Bandelj Table 5: Comparison of the Variables of Workaholism between genders Variables of Workaholism Gender N Mean Rank Mann- Whitney U P How often in the last year have you thought of how you could free up your time to work? Male 231 487.76 85876.5 0.129 Female 794 520.34 How often in the last year have you spent much more time working than initially intended? Male 231 471.39 82094.0 0.010 Female 794 525.11 How often in the last year have you worked in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness, and depression? Male 231 490.83 86586.5 0.183 Female 794 519.45 How often in the last year have you been told by others to cut down on work without listening to them? Male 231 507.28 90385.0 0.729 Female 794 514.66 How often in the last year have you become stressed if you have been prohibited from working? Male 231 488.63 86078.5 0.143 Female 794 520.09 How often in the last year have you deprioritised your hobbies, leisure activities, and exercise because of your work? Male 231 469.60 81682.5 0.009 Female 794 525.63 How often in the last year have you worked so much that it has negatively influenced your health? Male 231 437.23 74205.0 ** <0.001 Female 794 535.04 Source: Own The presented findings for the variables of workaholism indicate one statis- tically significant difference between genders. More specially, the findings reveal that women report higher frequencies of working so much that it has negatively influenced their health (Mean rank = 535.04; P < 0.001). The mean value is around 3, indicating a frequent level. Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 111 Analysis of Workaholism and Burnout Among Employees of Administrative Units and Two Selected Banks in Slovenia Table 6: Comparison of the Variables of Burnout between genders Variables of Burnout Gender N Mean Rank Mann- Whitney U U P I feel emotionally drained from work. Male 231 457.02 78775.5 ** <0.001 Female 794 529.29 I feel exhausted at the end of the workday.  Male 231 457.61 78913.0 ** <0.001 Female 794 529.11 When I wake up in the morning, I feel tired because I have to go to work again. Male 231 452.55 77742.5 ** <0.001 Female 794 530.59 Working all day is really tiring for me. Male 231 463.92 80369.0 * 0.002 Female 794 527.28 I feel exhausted from work. Male 231 451.02 77389.5 ** <0.001 Female 794 531.03 I want to do my work without being interrupted. Male 231 527.32 88399.0 0.358 Female 794 508.83 I am less interested in my work since I've been in this job. Male 231 505.11 89885.0 0.616 Female 794 515.29 I am less enthusiastic about my work. Male 231 496.54 87905.0 0.302 Female 794 517.79 I am sceptical about the contribution of my work to something. Male 231 484.97 85231.0 0.082 Female 794 521.16 I doubt the importance of my work. Male 231 469.01 81545.0 0.006 Female 794 525.80 I feel excited when I get something done at work. Male 231 507.92 90534.0 0.727 Female 794 514.48 I achieve many important things in my work. Male 231 510.95 91234.0 0.892 Female 794 513.60 I can effectively solve problems that arise in my work. Male 231 511.03 91251.5 0.889 Female 794 513.57 I feel that I contribute something to the organization through my work. Male 231 526.39 88613.5 0.388 Female 794 509.10 In my opinion, I am good at what I do. Male 231 514.96 91254.5 0.895 Female 794 512.43 Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 112 Tatjana Kozjek, Anja Bandelj Variables of Burnout Gender N Mean Rank Mann- Whitney U U P In my work, I feel confident that I am efficient and able to get things done. Male 231 533.77 86908.5 0.176 Female 794 506.96 Source: Own The presented findings for the variables of burnout, which include five varia- bles of emotional exhaustion, five variables of depersonalisation, and six vari- ables of personal efficiency, generally do not indicate statistically significant differences between genders. However, significant differences were found for all variables of emotional exhaustion. Additionally, women report a high- er level of feeling emotionally drained from work (Mean rank = 529.29; P < 0.001) and feeling exhausted at the end of the workday (Mean rank = 529.11; P < 0.001). They also report a higher level of tiredness when waking up in the morning because they have to go to work (Mean rank = 530.59; P < 0.001), finding working all day to be really tiring (Mean rank = 527.28; P = 0.002), and experiencing exhaustion from work (Mean rank = 531.03; P < 0.001). The mean values range between 2 and 3, which indicates a rare or frequent level. Based on the results of the comparison of workaholism and burnout variables, hypothesis H3: There are statistically significant differences between variables of workaholism and burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and person- al efficiency) between male and female participants˝, is rejected. However, the findings indicate that women report statistically significantly higher frequen- cies of feeling emotionally exhausted. Despite the varied findings indicating a higher presence of workaholism and burnout among women (e. g. Burke, 1999; Dudek and Szpitalak, 2019), the findings of the presented research con- ducted among Slovenian administrative units and two selected private banks do not support this trend for women. Additionally, women report a higher level of feeling emotionally drained from work and feeling exhausted at the end of the workday. They also report a higher level of tiredness when waking up in the morning because they have to go to work, finding working all day to be really tiring, and experiencing exhaustion from work. The literature and sources on the correlation between employee workaholism and burnout have shown the existence of a correlation. Therefore, it was im- portant to examine whether a positive correlation between workaholism and emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation, as well as a negative correlation between workaholism and personal efficiency, exists in the selected sample of administrative units and two banks. To test the fourth hypothesis, the data reduction method was used. The result of factors analysis results for the seven workaholism variables indicate that one factor (workaholism) explains 50,819% of the variance. Similarly, the factor analysis results for the burnout variables (Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis; Rotation Meth- od: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization) shows that three factors (emotional Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 113 Analysis of Workaholism and Burnout Among Employees of Administrative Units and Two Selected Banks in Slovenia exhaustion, depersonalisation, and personal efficiency) explain 64,184% of the variance. The hypothesis was tested with the Spearman correlation coef- ficient. The results are shown in Table 7. The presented (Table 7) findings indicate a strong positive correlation be- tween workaholism and emotional exhaustion (ρ = 0.611; P < 0.001), a weak positive correlation between workaholism and depersonalisation (ρ = 0.327; P < 0.001), and a negligible negative correlation between workaholism and personal efficiency (ρ = –0.164; P = 0.001). Table 7: Spearman correlation coefficient Workaholism Emotional exhaustion Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ) P N 0.611 ** <0.001 1025 Depersonalisation Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ) P N 0.327 ** <0.001 1025 Personal Efficiency Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ) P N –0.099 0.001 1025 ** The correlation is statistically significant at 0.01 (2-sided). The results confirm hypothesis H4: There is a positive correlation between work- aholism and emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation and a negative correla- tion between workaholism and personal efficiency at administrative units and two selected banks˝. The findings align with the results by Cheung et al (2018), who also found a positive correlation between workaholism and emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation, and a negative correlation with feelings of personal efficiency. 5 Discussions Administrative units implement regulations and guidelines from higher-level institutions (ministries) and their employees are in direct contact with clients who have ever-increasing expectations. This can lead to stress, and in in the long run, even burnout for some employees. The same can be said for banks, where employees with direct client contact face increasing demands are from both clients and superiors. However, contrary to findings from Amigo et al. (2014) and Dias and Angélico (2018), the presented research conducted among Slovenian administrative units and two selected private banks do not Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 114 Tatjana Kozjek, Anja Bandelj confirm a higher presence of burnout among employees with more client contacts. Additionally, the results of the presented research do not confirm findings indicating a higher prevalence of workaholism in the private sector organisation, as Wijhe, Peeters, and Taris (2011) found. On the other hand, the findings reveal that employees in administrative units report a higher level of working than initially intended, a higher level of being told by oth- ers to reduce their workload without listening to them, and a higher level of deprioritising their hobbies, leisure activities, and exercise due to the work. Furthermore, despite the varied findings indicating a higher prevalence of workaholism and burnout among managers (e. g. Schaufeli, van Wijhe, Peeters, and Taris, 2011; Özsoy, 2018), the findings of the presented research conducted among Slovenian administrative units and two selected private banks do not confirm this for managers and non-managers. Additionally, the findings reveal that managers report higher levels of being told by others to cut down on work without listening to them, as well as a higher level of depri- oritising their hobbies, leisure activities, and exercise due to the work. On the other hand, non-managers report a higher level of doubting the importance of their work. Contrary, managers report a higher level of feeling that they achieve many important things in their work, as well as they are feeling that they contribute something to the organization through their work. According to Dudek and Szpitalak (2019), traditional expectations surround- ing gender roles, men are traditionally expected to focus primarily on work and provide financial support to the family, while women are expected to manage most of the household chores and take care of the children in ad- dition to their jobs; it can lead to challenging for women to balance family life with their career, leading to work overload. Based on the results of the comparison of workaholism and burnout variables according to gender, the findings indicate that women report statistically significantly higher frequen- cies of feeling emotionally exhausted. Additionally, women report a higher level of feeling emotionally drained from work and feeling exhausted at the end of the workday. They also report a higher level of tiredness when waking up in the morning because they have to go to work, find working all day to be really tiring, and experience exhaustion from work. Despite the varied find- ings indicating a higher presence of workaholism and burnout among women (e. g. Burke, 1999; Dudek and Szpitalak, 2019), the findings of the presented research conducted among Slovenian administrative units and two selected private banks do not support this trend for women. This divergence may be attributed to different social environments and the fact that women today aspire to be financially independent or less dependent on men, thereby prior- itising their careers more than in the past. It is crucial for individuals to actively monitor their work schedule and strive to achieve a better balance between professional and family or personal life (Kozjek et al, 2014; Kozjek et al, 2021), to effectively recover from exhaustion and fatigue. However, the findings align with the results by Cheung et al (2018), who also found a positive correlation between workaholism and emotional exhaustion Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 115 Analysis of Workaholism and Burnout Among Employees of Administrative Units and Two Selected Banks in Slovenia and depersonalisation, as well as a negative correlation with feelings of per- sonal efficiency. Nevertheless, it is important for organisations and employ- ees to prioritise workload management and implement employee well-being programs in order to prevent burnout, promote work-life balance, and assure regular assessment of employee well-being. The current study has some limitations that should be acknowledged. One limi- tation is the potential self-selection bias as non-probability sampling was em- ployed, which means that the participants included in the research may differ from those who chose not to participate. Additionally, the research was rein- forced by the similar findings of other researchers in this area, further strength- ening their reliability. Moreover, it is important to recognise that the results of the study may be influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has resulted in an increase in remote work. Therefore, conducting further research in this area would be appropriate. Nevertheless, this research contributes to rising aware- ness about workaholism and burnout, allowing organisations to address the issues and improve employees´ well-being. Furthermore, it adds to the existing literature on workaholism and burnout within the Slovenian context. 5 Conclusions The paper presents research on workaholism and burnout conducted among Slovenian administrative units and two selected private banks. The research was reinforced by the similar findings of other researchers in this area, fur- ther strengthening their reliability. The analysis of workaholism was conduct- ed using seven variables, while burnout was measured using five variables of emotional exhaustion, five variables of depersonalisation, and six variables of personal efficiency. The findings for the variables of workaholism generally do not indicate statisti- cally significant differences between administrative units and banks, as well as not between managers and non-managers, and across genders. Similarly, the findings for the variables of burnout do not show statistically significant dif- ferences between these categories. However, the research reveals a positive correlation between workaholism and emotional exhaustion and depersonali- sation, as well as a negative correlation with feelings of personal efficiency. Therefore, it is crucial for organisations and employees to prioritise work- load management and implement employee well-being programs to prevent burnout, promote work-life balance, and assure regular assessment of em- ployee well-being. It is also important to acknowledge that the results of the study may be influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has resulted in an increase in remote work. Further research in this area would be valuable to deepen understanding of the research. Nonetheless, this research contributes to rising awareness about worka- holism and burnout, providing organisations with insights to address these is- sues and improve employees´ well-being. Furthermore, it adds to the existing literature on workaholism and burnout within the Slovenian context. Central European Public Administration Review, Vol. 21, No. 2/2023 116 Tatjana Kozjek, Anja Bandelj References: Amigo, I. et al. (2014). 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