The work-family and burnout nexus: insight from a qualitative survey of coal miners in India

Occupational burnout is a growing concern in the occupational health context. Coal miners, due to the physically demanding nature of their work, long shifts, and limited recovery time, are particularly vulnerable to occupational burnout, especially when these demands interfere with their family responsibilities. The mining industry workers are susceptible to burnout arising from conflict between work and family responsibilities. This study examined how work-family dynamics contribute to occupational burnout among coal mining employees and incorporated an additional dimension of how such burnout potentially affects their interpersonal relationships. Open-ended semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirty-nine coal mining employees aged 20–60 years at four coal mines in Eastern India. The content analysis revealed themes suggesting the relationship between work-family conflict and occupational burnout. Employees reported experiencing burnout was influenced by demanding working conditions (e.g., long hours, lack of breaks and high production pressure), strained interpersonal relationships both in the workplace and at home, perceived occupational health risks (e.g., exposure to dust, noise, and physical strain), as well as emotional and behavioural symptoms commonly associated with burnout (e.g., irritability, detachment, and fatigue). The workers stated that high-risk work environments and work-family imbalance negatively affect their health and work skills. The findings highlight that interpersonal and organizational factors can induce burnout and are amenable to intervention. This study may contribute to future research on work-family challenges and occupational burnout among high-risk coal mining populations in a collectivist cultural context. It may also inform interventions aimed at improving supportive working conditions and promoting effective management strategies to manage work-family challenges and burnout.