Job burnout among Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC) workers: An explanatory sequential...

BackgroundOccupational burnout is a workplace hazard linked to poorer wellbeing, health complaints, and reduced productivity. Petroleum-sector employees may be especially vulnerable owing to demanding schedules, safety-critical work, long commutes, and high performance expectations, yet evidence from Kuwait's petroleum sector is limited.ObjectiveTo examine the prevalence and pattern of burnout among employees of Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC) and to explore employees' perspectives on contributors to burnout, organizational support, and coping.MethodsAn explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used. In the quantitative phase, a cross-sectional electronic survey using a study-specific, four-domain Occupational Burnout Survey (depletion, overwhelm, apathy, alienation) was completed by 1053 employees. Non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis) with effect sizes and multiple linear regression were used. In the qualitative phase, nine purposively selected employees completed semi-structured interviews analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsOverall burnout was generally low (median 0.8; IQR 0.31-1.45), with depletion and alienation most prominent. Employment type, job satisfaction, marital status, health status, and work function were independently associated with overall burnout (adjusted R² = 0.313). Four themes contextualized these findings: work-life balance strain, uneven organizational support, active coping and recovery, and frustration with limited growth opportunities.ConclusionsAlthough organizational burnout was low, a meaningful subgroup reported depletion and alienation. Prevention should target workload and recovery, supportive leadership, and career development. The study-specific instrument warrants further psychometric validation.