Job resources and emotional exhaustion: The mediating role of learning opportunities |
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Authors: | Joris Van Ruysseveldt Peter Verboon Peter Smulders |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Psychology , Open University of the Netherlands , Heerlen, The Netherlands joris.vanruysseveldt@ou.nl;3. Department of Psychology , Open University of the Netherlands , Heerlen, The Netherlands;4. TNO Quality of Working Life , TNO , Hoofddorp, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | The Job Demands-Resources model predicts that job demands increase and job resources decrease emotional exhaustion in employees. In this study, we investigated one possible mechanism for this, in order to provide a deeper insight into the role of job resources in this energy-depletion process. We assumed that job resources (autonomy and task variety) reduce emotional exhaustion through the promotion of opportunities for personal growth and development, especially workplace learning. Moreover, we expected that job demands (workload, cognitive and emotional demands) would be positively related to work-related learning opportunities. Our research model was tested in a large and heterogeneous sample out of the Dutch working population (N = 4589), following a cross-validation procedure. Multi-group structural equation modelling revealed that autonomy and task variety promoted learning opportunities, which in turn partially mediated between these job resources and emotional exhaustion. With respect to job demands, our study showed mixed results: cognitive demands promoted learning opportunities, workload frustrated such opportunities, and emotional demands were not significantly related to learning opportunities. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the interplay between job demands, job resources and learning opportunities in the energy-depletion process, and support the need for the promotion of learning opportunities in the workplace. |
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Keywords: | Job Demands-Resources model workplace learning cognitive demands workload action theory work-related stress |
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