The modern lifestyle demands constant coordination and maintenance of work-life balance, which can be a major challenge for many people. Many individuals spend a lot of time in their work environment; however, when that environment is unsuitable, it can affect the individual negatively. It can affect their physical and mental state and can lead to stress. Additionally, long-term exposure to stress can contribute to burnout, which is the state of physical and mental exhaustion of an individual.
The aim of this diploma thesis is to present the extent to which stress and burnout are present in the work of educators in selected kindergartens; to determine the main reasons why stress and burnout manifest in the first place; to determine in which type of educational institutions (public or private) do stress and burnout manifest more commonly and to look into ways in which they could be eliminated.
Various methods were used in this diploma thesis. Slovenian and foreign literature on stress and burnout was researched for the theoretical part, while surveys were used for the practical part.
The thesis shows that stress and burnout are present in the work place of educators and educator assistants of pre-school children. In public kindergartens, the main reason for the manifestation of stress and burnout lies in the fact that there are too many children in each group, while in private kindergartens the main reason is the overly broad scope of work. For the institution it would make sense to hire additional workers, because then it would be easier to make smaller groups and decrease the scope of work. From the perspective of the employee, healthier and balanced eating habits with the combination of regular physical activity could contribute to the reduction of stress and job burnout.
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