Assessing Construction Worker Burnout Levels Using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) an‎d Their Effects on Project Outcomes

2/28/2027 12:00:00 AM

Occupational burnout is an increasingly recognised psychosocial risk in construction, where labour-intensive, safety-critical operations are executed under schedule an‎d cost pressure. However, context-specific evidence on burnout among site-based workers—an‎d its linkage to project delivery outcomes—remains limited in many low- an‎d middle-income settings. This thesis assesses burnout levels among construction workers in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) an‎d quantifies the statistical associations between burnout an‎d perceived adverse impacts on five core project outcomes: time (schedule delays), cost (increased costs), quality (quality decline), productivity (lower productivity), an‎d safety (reduced safety performance). A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was administered on active construction sites during October–November 2025. A total of 390 eligible questionnaires were retained following screening; because respondents could skip items, analytic sample sizes vary by analysis. Descriptive statistics for the burnout an‎d outcome indicators are reported using complete cases (N = 377). Burnout was operationalised using OLBI exhaustion an‎d disengagement subscales an‎d an overall burnout score (1–4 scale). Perceived outcome impacts were measured using single-item indicators (1–4 scale) selec‎ted to minimise respondent burden in constrained site conditions. Data were analysed in SPSS using descriptive statistics, internal consistency reliability testing, Pearson correlations (with Spearman robustness checks), an‎d simple linear regression models with diagnostic screening. Results indicate moderately elevated burnout, with overall burnout slightly above the scale midpoint (Overall Burnout M = 2.57, SD = 0.515), an‎d exhaustion exceeding disengagement (M = 2.62 vs. 2.53). The OLBI scales showed good internal consistency (α = 0.837 overall; α = 0.765 exhaustion; α = 0.732 disengagement). Burnout was positively linked to all perceived outcome impacts, with schedule delays (r = 0.474) an‎d reduced safety performance (r = 0.451) having the strongest links. In unadjusted regressions, burnout explained significant variance in perceived time impacts (R² = 0.224; β = 0.474) an‎d safety impacts (R² = 0.203; β = 0.451), while cost, quality, an‎d productivity had smaller explanatory power (R² = 0.022–0.057). These findings position burnout as a salient workforce-related delivery risk—particularly for schedule reliability an‎d safety performance—within the studied context. Practically, the results support integrating psychosocial risk controls into construction planning an‎d safety management (e.g., deman‎d–resource balancing, fatigue-relevant work packaging, supervisor support, an‎d safety climate strengthening). Interpretation is bounded by the cross-sectional, self-report design, non-probability sampling, an‎d perception-based outcome measures; future research should triangulate with objective project KPIs an‎d longitudinal designs to test directionality an‎d intervention effects.

كارگران ساختماني , فرسودگي شغلي , سياهه فرسودگي اولدنبرگ (OLBI

construction workers; , occupational burnout , Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI);

DIYARI OBED

Mostafa Khanzadi