Psycho-tribology: an interdisciplinary view on employees' burnout processes

Burnout is a multidimensional psychological response to chronic work stress, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and diminished personal accomplishment. In this paper, we introduce “Psycho-tribology”—a pioneering multidisciplinary framework that analogizes psychological burnout to mechanical wear in engineering. Drawing on a wear equation, the authors propose a conceptual model where work pressure parallels mechanical load, resilience functions as material hardness, and coping strategies act as “lubricants” to minimize friction. Preliminary findings highlight that while heavy workloads universally exacerbate burnout markers, specific factors such as recognition and person-organization fit serve as critical resources that mitigate emotional exhaustion. Conversely, compulsive work investment can paradoxically increase personal achievement despite rising depersonalization. By calculating a “personal wear coefficient,” organizations can move beyond traditional surveys to objectively predict employee-job compatibility. This innovative approach offers a transformative tool for human resource management, potentially increasing workforce retention and ethical hiring practices by matching individual resilience coefficients to the attrition potential of specific professional roles.