Fired up with passion: Investigating how job autonomy and passion predict burnout at career start in teachers

This study examines a motivational premise of burnout: in order to burn out, an employee must first be fired up. Based on the dualistic model of passion, we propose that the types of passion – harmonious or obsessive – that drive novice teachers differentially affect the three components of burnout. We further propose that job autonomy (i.e. decision latitude) differentially predict the two types of passion for work. These hypotheses are tested in two studies conducted in Canada in teachers with five years' or less experience. Study 1, using a cross-sectional design, showed that job autonomy positively predicted harmonious passion but negatively predicted obsessive passion. Harmonious passion negatively predicted all three components of burnout, whereas obsessive passion positively predicted emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. A second, 12-month longitudinal study revealed unidirectional effects of job autonomy on the two types of passion. The results also showed unidirectional effects of harmonious passion on professional efficacy and obsessive passion on emotional exhaustion. Neither type of passion predicted cynicism over time. These findings suggest that a more nuanced understanding of passion is required to predict burnout at career start. Implications for theory and further research on burnout and passion for work are discussed.     

Performance and burnout in intensive care units

Abstract

The relationship between three different performance measures and burnout was explored in 20 Dutch Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Burnout (i.e. emotional exhaustion and depersonalization) proved to be significantly related to nurses' perceptions of performance as well as to objectively assessed unit performance. Subjective performance measures relate negatively to burnout levels of nurses, whereas an objective performance measure relates positively to burnout. Furthermore, subjectively assessed personal performance (i.e. personal accomplishment) is more strongly related to burnout than subjectively assessed unit performance. A model test of the relationship between both types of subjective performance and burnout reveals that nurses' perception of unit performance is indirectly related to burnout through perception of personal performance. This model holds similarly for objectively well- and poor-performing ICUs.     

Work-related and individual determinants of the three burnout dimensions

Applying the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory as a framework, this study among Dutch nurses (n=156) first tested whether work-related demands, resources and self-esteem were differentially associated with the three burnout dimensions (emotional exhaustion, personal accomplishment and depersonalization), respectively. In addition, the current study investigated the interrelationships between the burnout dimensions and the hypothesized moderating effect of self-esteem. As expected, emotional exhaustion was primarily associated with job demands (i.e. work overload) and-to a slightly lower extent-with resources such as social support and self-esteem. In contrast, but also according to the authors' predictions, depersonalization and personal accomplishment were not associated with job demands. Emotional exhaustion was, as predicted, an important correlate of depersonalization, whereas reduced personal accomplishment was negatively associated with self-esteem and with quality of work content, a resource. In line with earlier findings but contrary to some recent propositions, reduced personal accomplishment was positively associated with depersonalization. Finally, self-esteem did not moderate the relationships between the selected work factors and the burnout dimensions. The limitations of the study are discussed and directions for future research are proposed.     

Stressors beget stressors: The effect of passive leadership on employee health through workload and work–family conflict

The current study examined passive leadership as a potential antecedent of two commonly studied workplace stressors (i.e. workload and work–family conflict), and investigated its negative effect on employee burnout and physical symptoms via these stressors. We collected two waves of data from 274 focal participants, and one wave of data from their co-workers. Results showed that both self-reported and co-worker-reported passive leadership was positively related to employee burnout and physical symptoms, as well as workload and work–family conflict. Additionally, workload and work–family conflict partially mediated the effects of passive leadership on burnout and physical symptoms, respectively. Our findings support the notion that passive leadership can create a stressful workplace and have a detrimental effect on employees’ health.     

Burnout and impaired cognitive functioning: The role of executive control in the performance of cognitive tasks

Abstract

Burnout patients often report deficits in cognitive control, and there is a need to understand the processes involved. Drawing on recent findings, we hypothesized that emotional exhaustion and task-related demands on executive control would interact in predicting performance in tasks requiring the updating and monitoring of working memory as well as the inhibition of prepotent (dominant or automatic) responses. In accordance with recent conceptualizations of burnout, we focused on emotional exhaustion as the core symptom of burnout. The sample comprised 81 employees recruited from nursing homes for elderly care in Germany, who participated in a laboratory study involving cognitive tasks. Based on a median split, participants were divided into two groups: those with high burnout and those with low burnout. In line with our hypotheses, the high exhaustion participants performed less well than those with low exhaustion only when tasks put high demands on their executive control. As predicted, high levels of emotional exhaustion were associated with more errors and longer reaction times when demands on executive control were high, whereas no performance differences were found when both tasks put low demands on executive control. The implications for practice are discussed.     

The Relationship Between Visioning Behaviours of Leaders and Follower Burnout

This paper investigates whether the perceived visioning behaviours of leaders influence the burnout process experienced by their followers. A structural equation model was used to examine these relationships using a sample of 480 senior managers from an Australian law-enforcement organization. Differences in the relationships between the two factors of visioning behaviour and aspects of burnout were identified. Inspirational motivation (concept-based) reduced the central factor of burnout, namely emotional exhaustion (psychological strain). Inspirational motivation (image-based) had a positive effect on personal accomplishment (self) and reduced depersonalization. The paper discusses the implications for leaders and followers and identifies directions for future research.     

Job stress,burnout and substance use among urban transit operators: The potential mediating role of coping behaviour

Abstract

Urban transit operators, compared to other occupational groups, have higher rates of mortality and morbidity. A major risk factor is the highly stressful objective environment. This study used structural equation modelling to test a model hypothesizing that transit operators’ coping behaviours in responding to daily job hassles mediate the associations of work stress with burnout and substance use. The study sample consisted of 1231 transit operators who participated in the San Francisco MUNI Health and Safety Study. The results showed a direct and strong association between transit operators’ daily job stress and symptoms of occupational burnout even when a series of controls and coping behaviours were considered. In addition, use of “disengage-deny” and escapist strategies to cope with job stress was positively associated with burnout; the job stress–burnout association was partially mediated through such coping practices. Daily job stress was related to substance use only indirectly and mediated through burnout and use of “disengage-deny” and escapist coping strategies. “Disengage-deny” coping strategies might help reduce substance use whereas escapist coping strategies might increase such use. Overall, our findings suggest that coping behaviour may be an important correlate of transit operators’ ill health. Interventions enabling healthy coping behaviours may help reduce health risks for this occupational group.     

A study of coping behaviours and teacher burnout

This study investigated whether or not factors of teacher burnout were associated with adaptive and maladaptive coping behaviour. It was found, in a sample of 365 US (north Texas) school teachers, that many physical and psychological problems (e.g., stomach aches and depression) were related to teacher burnout factors. Furthermore, the data showed that certain maladaptive coping mechanisms (e.g., excessive alcohol consumption) were associated with higher teacher burnout, while adaptive coping strategies (e.g., hobbies) were related to lower burnout levels among school teachers. An association was also revealed between certain demographic factors (e.g., gender) and coping behaviour.     

Four-stage process model of the core factors of burnout: the role of work stressors and work-related resources

The impact of work stressors and work-related resources on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, as the two core factors of burnout, is investigated. According to the German Action Regulation Theory work stressors are conceptualized as regulation problems that lead to work stress in terms of additional effort (e.g. working longer hours), increased intensity of effort (e.g. working at a faster pace), and risky action (e.g. by neglecting safety rules). Consequently, an extended process model consisting of objective work stressors, work stress, emotional exhaustion and depersonalization is proposed. Nurses from three general hospitals (N=482) provided data for evaluating this model. Complete mediation of work stress and emotional exhaustion were analysed by hierarchical regression analysis. The overall model was tested by structural equation analysis in two steps; in the first step the basic model was analysed while in the second step the model was extended by autonomy as a work-related resource. The process model could be confirmed with respect to: (1) the mediating function of work stress and emotional exhaustion, and with regard to (2) the direct impact of autonomy as a work-related resource on work stressors but not on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Methodological considerations and implications for work design and burnout prevention are discussed.     

Self-control demands, cognitive control deficits, and burnout

Self-control involves inhibiting undesired behaviours and emotions, and it can be particularly relevant in the service sectors. Recent theoretical developments in cognitive and social psychology suggest that the demands on an individual of exercising self-control have an effect as a source of stress at work. In turn, burnout could be associated with being unable to meet those demands. It was expected that cognitive control deficits, as assessed by a questionnaire measure of self-reported failures in perception, memory, and action, would function as a vulnerability factor in the relationship between self-control demands and indicators of job strain. Data from 630 staff members of a German municipal administration revealed significant main effects of both self-control demands and cognitive control deficits on the burnout dimensions of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Both predictors were positively related to burnout. In addition, the results provided clear evidence of the vulnerability hypothesis of cognitive control deficits. By way of contrast, musculoskeletal complaints did not reflect similar main and interactive effects of self-control demands and cognitive control deficits. The requirements for self control in the service sector are expected to increase as the sector expands, and the practical implications for this are discussed.     

Four-stage process model of the core factors of burnout: The role of work stressors and work-related resources

The impact of work stressors and work-related resources on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, as the two core factors of burnout, is investigated. According to the German Action Regulation Theory work stressors are conceptualized as regulation problems that lead to work stress in terms of additional effort (e.g. working longer hours), increased intensity of effort (e.g. working at a faster pace), and risky action (e.g. by neglecting safety rules). Consequently, an extended process model consisting of objective work stressors, work stress, emotional exhaustion and depersonalization is proposed. Nurses from three general hospitals (N=482) provided data for evaluating this model. Complete mediation of work stress and emotional exhaustion were analysed by hierarchical regression analysis. The overall model was tested by structural equation analysis in two steps; in the first step the basic model was analysed while in the second step the model was extended by autonomy as a work-related resource. The process model could be confirmed with respect to: (1) the mediating function of work stress and emotional exhaustion, and with regard to (2) the direct impact of autonomy as a work-related resource on work stressors but not on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Methodological considerations and implications for work design and burnout prevention are discussed.     

Beyond demand-control: Emotional labour and symptoms of burnout in teachers

Teaching is a profession that involves a high level of emotional labour. This includes such behaviours as surface acting (displaying an emotion that is not actually felt), deep acting (the activity undertaken to actually feel a required emotion), and suppression of emotion. In many professions, this emotional labour is thought to be related to high levels of burnout. The aim of our study was to show that emotional labour has a unique relationship with burnout that is separate from its relationship with the variables of the Demand Control Support (DCS) model. Emotional labour was studied, together with the variables of the Karasek Job Demand Control Support model, in a random sample of 365 mathematics teachers in the Netherlands. We used the Dutch Questionnaire on Emotional Labor (D-QEL) that measures: (1) surface acting, (2) deep acting, (3) suppression, and (4) emotional consonance. In line with other studies, job characteristics were found to be specifically related to emotional exhaustion. Surface acting was significantly related to depersonalization, and emotional consonance (the absence of emotional labour) was related to personal accomplishment. We conclude that whereas the DCS model has been valuable for understanding emotional exhaustion, emotional labour provides an additional perspective for understanding work stress.     

Relationships between personality variables and burnout: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Most burnout research has focussed on environmental correlates, but it is likely that personality factors also play an important part in the development of burnout. Previous meta-analyses, however, have been limited in scope. The present meta-analysis examined the relationship between personality and three dimensions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI): emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Consistent with our hypotheses, self-esteem, self-efficacy, locus of control, emotional stability, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, positive affectivity, negative affectivity, optimism, proactive personality, and hardiness, each yielded significant relationships with burnout. Type A Personality, however, was only related to personal accomplishment. Furthermore, regression analysis found that core self-evaluations, the Five-Factor Model personality characteristics, and positive and negative affectivity explained significant variance in each of the burnout dimensions. Finally, moderator analyses found several instances in which the strength of personality–burnout relationships depended upon whether burnout was assessed with the Human Services Survey of the MBI or the General Survey version of the MBI. It is concluded that employee personality is consistently related to burnout. Given the practical importance of employee burnout, it is recommended that personality variables be included as predictors in future research on burnout.     

The New Zealand government approach to stress and fatigue

Abstract

Self-control involves inhibiting undesired behaviours and emotions, and it can be particularly relevant in the service sectors. Recent theoretical developments in cognitive and social psychology suggest that the demands on an individual of exercising self-control have an effect as a source of stress at work. In turn, burnout could be associated with being unable to meet those demands. It was expected that cognitive control deficits, as assessed by a questionnaire measure of self-reported failures in perception, memory, and action, would function as a vulnerability factor in the relationship between self-control demands and indicators of job strain. Data from 630 staff members of a German municipal administration revealed significant main effects of both self-control demands and cognitive control deficits on the burnout dimensions of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Both predictors were positively related to burnout. In addition, the results provided clear evidence of the vulnerability hypothesis of cognitive control deficits. By way of contrast, musculoskeletal complaints did not reflect similar main and interactive effects of self-control demands and cognitive control deficits. The requirements for self control in the service sector are expected to increase as the sector expands, and the practical implications for this are discussed.     

Does job complexity mitigate the negative effect of emotion-rule dissonance on employee burnout?

In interactions with clients or patients, human service workers are at risk of experiencing discrepancies between felt and organizationally mandated emotions (i.e. emotion-rule dissonance). Given the documented detrimental effects of such discrepancies on employee strain, the present study investigated whether job complexity mitigates the relation between emotion-rule dissonance and employee burnout using data from a two-wave panel study of eldercare workers (N?=?583, 16-month time lag). Structural equation modelling revealed that emotion-rule dissonance at Time 1 preceded emotional exhaustion and depersonalization at Time 2. Beyond that, employees whose work offered job complexity were found to suffer less from emotional exhaustion and depersonalization when encountering discrepancies between felt and stipulated emotions compared to employees who conducted noncomplex work. Thus, designing complex tasks appears to be a crucial starting point for alleviating employee burnout in jobs that provoke emotion-rule dissonance.     

Beyond demand–control: Emotional labour and symptoms of burnout in teachers

Abstract

Teaching is a profession that involves a high level of emotional labour. This includes such behaviours as surface acting (displaying an emotion that is not actually felt), deep acting (the activity undertaken to actually feel a required emotion), and suppression of emotion. In many professions, this emotional labour is thought to be related to high levels of burnout. The aim of our study was to show that emotional labour has a unique relationship with burnout that is separate from its relationship with the variables of the Demand Control Support (DCS) model. Emotional labour was studied, together with the variables of the Karasek Job Demand Control Support model, in a random sample of 365 mathematics teachers in the Netherlands. We used the Dutch Questionnaire on Emotional Labor (D-QEL) that measures: (1) surface acting, (2) deep acting, (3) suppression, and (4) emotional consonance. In line with other studies, job characteristics were found to be specifically related to emotional exhaustion. Surface acting was significantly related to depersonalization, and emotional consonance (the absence of emotional labour) was related to personal accomplishment. We conclude that whereas the DCS model has been valuable for understanding emotional exhaustion, emotional labour provides an additional perspective for understanding work stress.     

Presenteeism and health over time among Chinese employees: The moderating role of self-efficacy

The aim of this study was two-fold: first, to examine both the immediate and the lasting effects of presenteeism on health; second, to explore the moderating effect of self-efficacy on the presenteeism-health relationship in a Chinese context. We employed a two-wave study design in which presenteeism, health (i.e. physical health, mental health and exhaustion), and self-efficacy were assessed at Time 1; health was measured again at Time 2 three months later. We surveyed a diverse sample of 345 full-time Chinese employees working in Taiwan and mainland China. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that presenteeism over the previous six months was negatively related to employees' physical health, mental health and exhaustion at Time 1. However, we found no association between presenteeism and health at Time 2, after controlling for the baseline level of health, indicating that presenteeism may not have a lasting effect. Self-efficacy was found to moderate the relationships between presenteeism and all three aspects of health at Time 2, suggesting that for some individuals presenteeism may not on balance be a bad thing. The study sheds light on the association between presenteeism and health. The findings on self-efficacy also extend the literature to incorporate individual characteristics in the presenteeism context.     

Burnout, job stress and violent behaviour among Dutch police officers

Much has been published on burnout in the human services. However, despite the extensive literature on job stress in policing, burnout in police officers has rarely been studied. The present study examined stressors in police work, focusing specifically on the lack of reciprocity that officers experience in relations with civilians, colleagues and the police service. It also investigated the relationship between burnout and the attitudes of officers towards violence, as well as to their own use of violence. Dutch police officers (N = 358) completed a self-report questionnaire. The results showed that: (1) organizational stressors were more prevalent than task-related stressors; (2) compared to other service jobs, police officers report a particular profile on the three scales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)?a relatively low level of emotional exhaustion,an average level of depersonalization, and a high level of personal accomplishment; (3) burnout is associated with a lack of reciprocity between investments and outcomes in the relations that officers have with citizens, colleagues and their organization; and (4) burnout is positively related to attitudes towards use of violence and the use of violence during the officers' duty.     

Burnout,job stress and violent behaviour among Dutch police officers

Much has been published on burnout in the human services. However, despite the extensive literature on job stress in policing, burnout in police officers has rarely been studied. The present study examined stressors in police work, focusing specifically on the lack of reciprocity that officers experience in relations with civilians, colleagues and the police service. It also investigated the relationship between burnout and the attitudes of officers towards violence, as well as to their own use of violence. Dutch police officers (N = 358) completed a self-report questionnaire. The results showed that: (1) organizational stressors were more prevalent than task-related stressors; (2) compared to other service jobs, police officers report a particular profile on the three scales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)?a relatively low level of emotional exhaustion,an average level of depersonalization, and a high level of personal accomplishment; (3) burnout is associated with a lack of reciprocity between investments and outcomes in the relations that officers have with citizens, colleagues and their organization; and (4) burnout is positively related to attitudes towards use of violence and the use of violence during the officers' duty.     

Physician career management: organizational strategies for the 21st century.

Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by long-term involvement in situations that are emotionally demanding. It is not stress, per se, that causes burnout, as many thrive in stressful, demanding careers. Rather, burnout results when stress continuously outweighs the sense of effectiveness, accomplishment, and reward. And, this fate is sealed when one feels helpless to effect significant change in the conditions that fuel the stress. Establishing an organizational environment that reduces the risk of physician burnout requires a new commitment of resources, one that can be challenging to justify to decision-makers with a strictly short-term, bottom line orientation. The key issues to consider in shaping a physician career management program include: (1) entry of new physician employees into the organization; (2) productivity measures; (3) responsiveness to safety concerns; (4) administrative and policy issues; and (5) variety and growth opportunities.