Effort-Reward Imbalance Scale

The Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Scale is an occupational stress assessment tool based on a reciprocal model of work stress. Developed by Johannes Siegrist in 1996, the ERI measures the degree to which employees experience imbalance between their job efforts (demands, overcommitment) and job rewards (income, recognition, career prospects, security). The instrument is grounded in social reciprocity theory and has strong evidence linking high imbalance to cardiovascular disease, depression, and burnout.