Abstract:

Stress is a structural problem that affects individuals and organizations and can be conceived as a source of pressure due to the accumulation of work causing emotional and physical damage. Over time, it has been the target of many research studies, since it is one of the major causes of the negative impact on the personal life of individuals, as well as on organizations, the economy, and productivity. Derived from stress comes Burnout, or the Burnout Syndrome, which, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is a syndrome resulting from stress in the workplace. However, the Job Burnout Syndrome, known as Burnout, is not exclusive to the professional context, but a problem that in recent years, and particularly during the context of the pandemic of COVID-19 has also affected higher education students in the academic environment. This study aims to present the “Out Burnout” Project, created in the academic context, within the scope of the POGE course at Águeda School of Technology and Management (ESTGA), University of Aveiro (Portugal) as a pedagogical strategy to raise awareness and to help students to combat Burnout. The project started with the application of a diagnostic survey to 142 students of ESTGA-UA.

The purpose was to evaluate the students' stress level, to understand if they had already felt any symptoms of Burnout and to collect suggestions for strategies to fight against it. The results obtained concluded that 67% of the surveyed students had already experienced the effects of Burnout. The exam period and the change from face-to-face to online teaching were factors that contributed to the increasement of the stress during the confinement period. To combat the effects of Burnout, the respondents suggested sports, relaxation and dance activities, and workshops with professionals.

To meet the requirements identified and help combat possible future situations of Burnout, an online event consisting of a webinar and three workshops was planned and executed. To raise awareness of the theme, to publicize the event and to inform about strategies, symptoms and practices that help prevent Burnout and stress, an online communication strategy was created (social networks Instagram and Facebook, email and online UA newspaper) and offline (printed newspapers and flyers).

The project was evaluated through the application of four evaluation surveys applied to a total of 54 respondents. The overall results of the surveys allow us to conclude that the activities, the quality of the organization and the invited speakers contributed to the pedagogical success of the project.

Keywords:

Out Burnout, ESTGA-UA, Stress, Covid 19, Pedagogical Project.