Startling rise in employees showing burn-out symptoms; Up nearly 50 pct.

The number of employees suffering from burn-out symptoms in the Netherlands increased significantly between 2015 and 2017, according to the National Salary Study by university Nyenrode and career site Intermediair. This year 15 percent of Dutch women indicated that they had a burnout, compared to 9,4 percent in 2015. Burnouts hit 9 percent of male employees, compared to 6 percent two years ago.

The researchers surveyed 72 thousand employees for the National Salary Study. When gathering figures on burnouts, the researchers did not only ask employees whether they've experienced a burnout, but also looked into whether the burnout was actually diagnosed by a doctor. This turned out to be so in 92 percent of the cases.

One explanation for the startling increase in burnouts, is the massive increase of temporary contracts in the labor market, Nyenrode researcher Jaap van Muijen said to the Volkskrant. "Our research also shows that people with a permanent contract are less at risk of a burn-out. The same applies to two-income households, who can fall back on the income of their partner, and for highly-educated people. The greater the income uncertainty, the greater the risk of burnout."

As to why women are much more likely to have a burnout than men, Van Muijen suspects it has to do with the fact that women have many more non-job related things on their plate than men. "Think of upbringing and informal care", he said to the newspaper. 

The researchers also found that the gender wage gap is still a problem in the Netherlands. Compared to 2015, the salary of 58 percent of men and 48 percent of women increased. And the salary of 35 percent of men and 42 percent of women decreased.

The wage gap also increases with age. Women under the age of 36 earn 1,400 euros gross per year less than men. Over the age of 36, that difference grows to over 3,600 euros gross per year. Percentage wise it means that women under the age of 36 earn 4 percent less than men of the same age group, and women over 36 earn 8 percent less. 

Men are still much more likely to be in a management position than women - 29 percent of men compared to 16 percent of women. But according to the researchers, this is not enough to explain the gender wage gap. 

Despite this wage gap, women are more likely to be satisfied with their income and job than men, according to the study. 56 percent of women think that their current salary is fair, while 50 percent of men think they are fairly compensated for the work they do.