Does Implementation of a Corporate Wellness Initiative Improve Burnout?

The bottom line

A corporate-style wellness initiative did not just fail — over 80% of residents reported it made burnout no better or actively worse, with exhaustion trending upward. This is a cautionary result for leaders tempted by generic wellness programming as a substitute for structural change. As a small, uncontrolled, single-program study outside anesthesia, it warns against a pattern rather than condemning all wellness programs.

What the source found

Measured resident reactions to a corporate wellness initiative implemented over a full academic year; post-intervention MBI scores showed trend toward increased emotional exhaustion and depersonalization; overall satisfaction with program 1.5/5; 43% said intervention made burnout worse and 39% said no difference — >80% reporting neutral or negative effect.

Limitations and applicability

Single program; emergency medicine residents, not anesthesiology; small sample; before-after design without control; self-report burnout measures.

Population and setting

Emergency medicine residents (single program)

Used in FairShare guides

• Why a Wellness Program Made Burnout Worse for One Group of Residents

About this evidence

Research question / practical issue

How does this source inform Evidence-Based Wellness for the population it studied?

Study design, evidence tier, and source class

Peer Reviewed Before After Study · primary source · evidence tier 2

Source type: Peer Reviewed Before After Study · primary · Evidence tier 2

Topics: Evidence-Based Wellness

Audience: Residents, Wellness Leaders