What is the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT)?

The Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) is a modern, comprehensive instrument for measuring work-related burnout. It assesses four core dimensions of burnout and provides a more nuanced understanding than traditional single-dimension measures.

Who developed the BAT and when?

Developed by Wilmar Schaufeli, Arnold Bakker, and colleagues in 2020 as an updated and improved alternative to the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).

What type of assessment is it?

It is a self-report questionnaire that can be completed by employees, managers, or healthcare professionals. It takes about 8-10 minutes to complete.

What does the BAT assess?

• Exhaustion: Feelings of being overextended and depleted of energy
• Mental Distance: Negative attitudes toward work and emotional detachment
• Cognitive Impairment: Reduced professional efficacy and cognitive difficulties
• Emotional Impairment: Emotional dysregulation and interpersonal problems

How many items and what format?

23 items rated on a 5-point frequency scale (1=Never to 5=Always/Daily). Items are distributed across the four core dimensions.

How is the BAT scored?

Each dimension is scored separately (higher scores = more burnout):
• Exhaustion: 8-40 points
• Mental Distance: 6-30 points
• Cognitive Impairment: 5-25 points
• Emotional Impairment: 4-20 points

Who can use this assessment?

HR professionals, occupational health practitioners, managers, employees, and mental health professionals interested in workplace burnout assessment and prevention.

What are the strengths of the BAT?

Modern conceptualization of burnout, comprehensive assessment of multiple dimensions, good psychometric properties, free to use, available in multiple languages.

What are the limitations?

Relatively new instrument (2020), may not be as widely recognized as MBI, requires self-report which can be influenced by current mood.

Clinical and Research Applications

• Workplace burnout screening and monitoring
• Occupational health assessments
• Employee assistance programs
• Organizational stress management
• Burnout prevention programs
• Research on workplace mental health