THE PHENOMENON OF "BURNOUT" DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AMONG EMPLOYEES OF MEAT PROCESSING ENTERPRISES

Objectives. Employees of meat processing enterprises register higher levels of stress and professional exhaustion (burnout) compared to other professional categories, because, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they were among the few branches that operated without interruption, given that ensuring food security remains a priority issue. Material and methods. A sociological study was carried out in order to determine professional exhaustion (burnout) as a result of the survey of 60 employees from three meat processing enterprises in two administrative territories. Results and discussions. The role of the COVID-19 pandemic in the professional burnout of employees at meat processing enterprises was determined. The employees appreciated that at the end of the work shift, 51 people (85%) felt tired and exhausted, 58% of whom were women. All people who fell ill with COVID-19 were hospitalized, and 84.6% appreciated that they became more exhausted from the first hours of work activity, 54% of them are women. Conclusions. The results of this study confirm the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic played a a substantial role in professional burnout as a result of chronic stress at the workplace of employees of meat processing enterprises. Thus, it is necessary to organize preventive measures to improve the quality of life of employees