Counteracting professional burnout by equipping IT managers with professional qualifications in the field of creating friendly working conditions (PositiveWorkplace)
The PositiveWorkplace project responds to current labour market challenges in Europe by adapting vocational education and training (VET) to one of the most pressing issues in the IT sector: job burnout. Building on desk and in-depth interviews that confirm the growing scale of this problem, the project introduces an innovative training approach for IT managers that not only fills a gap in existing VET offers, but also actively involves employers in creating healthier, more supportive working environments. By developing digitally available, flexible courses that address remote work, accelerated digitisations, and post-pandemic changes in work organisation, PositiveWorkplace strengthens managers’ capacity to foster employee well-being, resilience, and readiness for change. Its fully digital design ensures that the results are easy to disseminate, scale, and update in line with evolving social and economic conditions, thus directly contributing to the Erasmus+ horizontal priority on digital transformation.
Location
Poland, Luxembourg, Spain, Lithuania
Duration
April 2024 - March 2026
Focus Areas
Vocational education, professional burnout, IT managers
Funding Program
Erasmus+ KA2, Project Number: 2023-2-PL01-KA220-VET-000176713
Key Activities
Exchange of best practices; Development of the training course dedicated to burnout in the workplace; Testing and Implementation of the training course dedicated to burnout in the workplace.
Key Activities & Learning
Research and needs assessment
The partnership is collecting data in all involved countries through surveys and interviews with IT managers, HR staff and employees. Common research tools are being used so the collected information is comparable. The findings are being transformed into learning objectives, a minimum set of course topics, and recommendations on how to train managers to prevent burnout. Short national summaries are prepared in partner languages to support local stakeholders.
Design and development of the digital training course
Based on the research, a training standard is being drafted and an e-learning course is being designed. The course focuses on recognising and preventing burnout, building a positive working environment, managing remote and hybrid teams, and supporting staff well-being in a digitalised workplace. Interactive digital materials are being created and translated so the course can be used in all participating countries.
Pilot testing, improvement and dissemination
Participants from the IT and business sectors are being recruited to test the course. Testing tools are being applied to gather feedback on content, structure, usability and relevance. The course is then being adjusted and finalized. In parallel, dissemination actions (multiplier events, a final conference, outreach in national languages) are being carried out to promote the results among VET providers, companies and labour-market actors.
Outcomes & Impact
Learning results
- Managers are learning how to create work environments that reduce burnout risks. - VET actors are learning how to turn labour-market problems into flexible, digital training offers. - The partnership is gaining experience in co-creating multilingual, scalable e-learning content that can be updated when working conditions change.
Scalable E-Learning Solution for Workplace Well-being
The project is creating a practical, digital training offer that helps IT managers build workplaces where well-being, motivation and productivity reinforce each other. As a result, managers gain concrete tools to recognize early signs of burnout, to organize hybrid/remote work in a healthier way, and to shape team culture so employees stay engaged longer. VET providers receive ready-to-use, multilingual course materials that they can integrate into their regular programmes, which fills a gap in current training offers for the ICT sector. For companies, the project raises awareness that burnout is not only a personal problem but an organizational one. By promoting positive leadership, supportive communication and preventive measures, the project encourages employers to invest in healthier work environments. Because all outputs are digital and easy to adapt, the results can be scaled to other countries, other sectors and future labour-market needs. In the longer term, the project contributes to a more resilient, digitally ready workforce and to keeping skilled IT professionals in employment instead of losing them to stress-related drop-out.
The most relevant priority according to the objectives of the project
VET: Adapting vocational education and training to labour market needs
Additional priorities according to the objectives of the project:
HORIZONTAL : Addressing digital transformation through development of digital readiness, resilience and capacity
