Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI)
A 16-question burnout assessment that measures two core dimensions of workplace burnout: exhaustion and disengagement from work.
Based on Demerouti et al. research. See full details below.
Your Results
Based on the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory
Your Burnout Profile
extended
Thresholds based on Peterson et al. (2008) research cut-offs
What this means
Things to consider
The Research Behind the OLBI
From the Research
"Results confirmed the 2-factor structure (exhaustion and disengagement) of a new burnout instrument – the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory – and suggested that this structure is invariant across occupational groups."
— Demerouti, E., Bakker, A. B., Nachreiner, F., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2001). The Job Demands-Resources Model of Burnout. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(3), 499–512.
The OLBI breaks burnout into two measurable dimensions, each capturing a different way burnout shows up:
Demands
Resources
- Exhaustion covers physical, cognitive, and emotional fatigue related to work. Feeling drained before, during, or after work.
- Disengagement covers distancing yourself from your work. Losing interest, going through the motions, or feeling cynical about what you do.
- The OLBI uses a balanced mix of positively and negatively worded items, which helps reduce response bias and provides a more accurate picture.
From the Research
"Our analyses suggested that the OLBI may be a viable alternative to the Maslach Burnout Inventory–General Survey. It demonstrates acceptable reliability (test–retest and internal consistency) as well as factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity."
— Halbesleben, J. R. B. & Demerouti, E. (2005). The construct validity of an alternative measure of burnout. Work & Stress, 19(3), 208–220.
(range 0.74–0.87)
English validation study
has been translated into
The OLBI was originally developed in German by Demerouti and colleagues at the University of Oldenburg. The English version was validated by Halbesleben & Demerouti (2005) using a large U.S. sample, confirming strong factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity.
Cross-cultural studies (Reis, Xanthopoulou & Tsaousis, 2015; Sinval et al., 2019) have verified that the two-factor structure holds across different countries and populations, including workers and students.
The OLBI sits alongside other well-known burnout measures. Here is how they differ:
| Feature | OLBI | MBI | CBI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | Exhaustion, Disengagement | Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, Personal Accomplishment | Personal, Work, Client Burnout |
| Items | 16 | 22 | 19 |
| Item Wording | Mix of positive & negative | All negative | Mix |
| Free to Use | Yes | No (proprietary) | Yes |
| Focus | Work context (any job) | Originally human services | Personal, work, & client contexts |
Each measure offers a slightly different lens on burnout. The OLBI focuses specifically on how depleted and how detached you feel from your work. If you want a broader view, try our Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) test or our Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI).
How OLBI Scores Are Interpreted
The OLBI does not have official clinical thresholds. The bands below are based on suggested cut-offs from one study of Swedish healthcare workers (Peterson et al., 2008). They offer a reference point, not a diagnosis.
Exhaustion Scale (average per item)
Peterson et al. threshold for high exhaustion: ≥2.25
Disengagement Scale (average per item)
Peterson et al. threshold for high disengagement: ≥2.10
From the Research
"Employees with burnout had the most symptoms, compared with those who experienced only exhaustion, disengagement, or no burnout, underlining the importance of actions taken to prevent and combat burnout."
— Peterson, U., Demerouti, E., Bergström, G., Samuelsson, M., Åsberg, M., & Nygren, Å. (2008). Burnout and physical and mental health among Swedish healthcare workers. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 62(1), 84–95.
About This Assessment
This page uses the official Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) items, a freely available research instrument developed by Demerouti and colleagues. It is offered here for educational and self-reflection purposes.
The OLBI is a freely available instrument. Items are from Halbesleben & Demerouti (2005) and Demerouti et al. (2001). No licensing fee or special permission is required. We are not affiliated with the original authors or the University of Oldenburg.
This tool is for personal insight and self-reflection. It is not a clinical diagnosis. Burnout is classified by the WHO (ICD-11) as an occupational phenomenon, not a medical condition. The OLBI does not measure depression, anxiety, or any clinical disorder. If you have concerns about your mental health, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
The OLBI authors did not publish official cut-off scores. The descriptors "low," "moderate," and "high" used here are based on suggested thresholds from Peterson et al. (2008), a study of Swedish healthcare workers. These are not universal standards and should be treated as approximate reference points.