The Relationship between Job Demands, Job Resources, Employee Burnout, and Employee Engagement in Municipal Government Workers — Oak Academic Publishing
Research ArticleOpen AccessGoogle Scholar indexed
The Relationship between Job Demands, Job Resources, Employee Burnout, and Employee Engagement in Municipal Government Workers
Fenimore & Fisher College of Business, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, USA
,
Clinical Psychology Program, California State University, Camarillo, USA
1 Fenimore & Fisher College of Business, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, USA
2 Clinical Psychology Program, California State University, Camarillo, USA
The question of what motivates engagement in the workplace has received a great deal of research attention. The role of job stressors and demands as well as job resources is detailed by the Job Demands Resources (JD-R) theory and has been used to predict burnout, engagement, work enjoyment and performance, and overall employee wellbeing. Although research based on the JD-R has been conducted in many settings, prior to this study, municipal government workers were frequently left out. A quantitative, correlational survey study was conducted with the employees of a city in the southwestern United States (N = 352) using three research instruments: the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), and the Jobs Demands-Resources Scale (JDRS). Analysis of the data using Pearson’s r received indicated a significant positive correlation between job demands and employee burnout ( r (350) = .443, p < .05), a significant positive correlation between job resources and employee engagement ( r (350) = .580, p < .05.), and a significant negative correlation between job resources and employee burnout ( r (350) = - .482, p < .05), but interestingly, no correlation was found between job demands and employee engagement. Results are discussed in terms of applicability to JD-R theory and practical benefits. Future directions for research are discussed.
KeywordsJob DemandsJob ResourcesEmployee BurnoutEmployee EngagementMunicipal Government
Avanzi, L., Zaniboni, S., Balducci, C., & Fraccaroli, F. (2014). The Relation between Overcommitment and Burnout: Does It Depend on Employee Job Satisfaction? Anxiety, Stress & Coping, 27, 455-465. https://www.researchgate.net/institution/Universita_degli_Studi_di_Trento/department/Department_of_Psychology_and_Cognitive_Science/publications?nav=overview&ev=dep_pub https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2013.866230
Bailey, C., Madden, A., Alfes, K., Fletcher, L., Robinson, D., Holmes, J., Buzzeo, J., & Currie, G. (2015). Evaluating the Evidence on Employee Engagement and Its Potential Benefits to NHS Staff: A Synthesis of the Literature. NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research, 3. https://doi.org/10.3310/hsdr03260
Baka, L. (2015). Does Job Burnout Mediate Negative Effects of Job Demands on Mental and Physical Health in a Group of Teachers? Testing the Energetic Process of Job Demands-Resources Model. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 28, 335-346. https://doi.org/10.13075/ijomeh.1896.00246
Bakker, A. B. (2014). Daily Fluctuations in Work Engagement: An Overview and Current Directions. European Psychologist, 19, 227-236. https://doi.org/10.1027/1016-9040/a000160
Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2017). Job Demands-Resources Theory: Taking Stock and Looking Forward. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22, 273-285. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000056
Berg, G. M., Harshbarger, J. L., Ahlers-Schmidt, C. R., & Lippoldt, D. (2016). Exposing Compassion Fatigue and Burnout Syndrome in a Trauma Team: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Trauma Nursing, 23, 3-10. https://doi.org/10.1097/JTN.0000000000000172
Bianchi, R. (2015). What Is “Severe Burnout” and Can Its Prevalence Be Assessed? Intensive Care Medicine, 41, 166. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-014-3534-y
Bianchi, R., Schonfeld, I. S., & Laurent, E. (2015). Burnout-Depression Overlap: A Review. Clinical Psychology Review, 36, 28-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2015.01.004
Bickerton, G. R., Miner, M. H., Dowson, M., & Griffin, B. (2014). Spiritual Resources and Work Engagement among Religious Workers: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 87, 370-391. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12052
Borst, R. T. (2018). Comparing Work Engagement in People-Changing and People-Processing Service Providers: A Mediation Model with Red Tape, Autonomy, Dimensions of PSM, and Performance. Public Personnel Management, 47, 287-313. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091026018770225
Borst, R. T., Kruyen, P. M., & Lako, C. J. (2017). Exploring the Job Demands-Resources Model of Work Engagement in Government: Bringing in a Psychological Perspective. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 39, 372-397. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X17729870
Boyd, C. M., Bakker, A. B., Pignata, S., Winefield, A. H., Gillespie, N., & Stough, C. (2011). A Longitudinal Test of the Job Demands-Resources Model among Australian University Academics. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 60, 112-140. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2010.00429.x
Bragard, I., Hansez, I., & Coucke, P. (2014). Working Conditions, Job Strain and Work Engagement among Belgian Radiation Oncologists. Cancer/Radiothérapie, 18, 723-729. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canrad.2014.06.024
Brewer, G. A., & Walker, R. M. (2013). Personnel Constraints in Public Organizations: The Impact of Reward and Punishment on Organizational Performance. Public Administration Review, 73, 121-131. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2012.02681.x
Bright, L. (2018). Government Career Interests, Perceptions of Fit, and Degree Orientations: Exploring Their Relationship in Public Administration Graduate Programs. Teaching Public Administration, 36, 63-80. https://doi.org/10.1177/0144739417738955
Brunsdon, C. (2016). Quantitative Methods I: Reproducible Research and Quantitative Geography. Progress in Human Geography, 40, 687-696. https://doi.org/10.1177/0309132515599625
Bureau of Labor Statistics (2021). Employment Status of the Civilian Population by Sex and Age. Monthly Labor Review. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t01.htm
Byrne, Z. S., Peters, J. M., & Weston, J. W. (2016). The Struggle with Employee Engagement: Measures and Construct Clarification Using Five Samples. Journal of Applied Psychology, 101, 1201-1227. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000124
Chong, A., La Porta, R., Lopez-de-Silanes, F., & Shleifer, A. (2014). Letter Grading Government Efficiency. Journal of the European Economic Association, 12, 277-298. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeea.12076
Cordes, C. L., & Dougherty, T. W. (1993). A Review and an Integration of Research on Job Burnout. Academy of Management Review, 18, 621-656. https://doi.org/10.2307/258593
Crawford, E. R., LePine, J. A., & Rich, B. L. (2010). Linking Job Demands and Resources to Employee Engagement and Burnout: A Theoretical Extension and Meta-Analytic Test. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95, 834-848. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019364
D’Emiljo, A., & du Preez, R. (2017). Job Demands and Resources as Antecedents of Work Engagement: A Diagnostic Survey of Nursing Practitioners. Africa Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 19, 69-87. https://doi.org/10.25159/2520-5293/475
De Braine, R., & Roodt, G. (2011). The Job Demands-Resources Model as Predictor of Work Identity and Work Engagement: A Comparative Analysis. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 37, 52-62. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v37i2.889
De Bruin, G. P., & Henn, C. M. (2013). Dimensionality of the 9-Item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9). Psychological Reports, 112, 788-799. https://doi.org/10.2466/01.03.PR0.112.3.788-799
de la Fuente, C., San Luis, C., Lozano, L. M., Vargas, C., Garcia, I., & de la Fuente, E. (2014). Evidence for Factorial Validity of Maslach Burnout Inventory and Burnout Levels among Health Workers. Revista Latinoamericana de Psicología, 46, 44-52. http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0120-05342014000100005&lng=en&tlng=en https://doi.org/10.1016/S0120-0534(14)70005-6
Demerouti, E., Bakker, A. B., Nachreiner, F., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2001). The Job Demands-Resources Model of Burnout. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86, 499-512. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.86.3.499
Dippold, E., Pome, E., Mayo, R., Saxon, N., Villena, P., & Wilburn, S. (2020). Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll Summary Report: 2019. https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/econ/2019_summary.pdf
Ellickson, M. C. (2002). Determinants of Job Satisfaction of Municipal Government Employees. Public Personnel Management, 31, 343-358. https://doi.org/10.1177/009102600203100307 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/009102600203100307
Extremera, N., Sánchez-García, M., Durán, M. A., & Rey, L. (2012). Examining the Psychometric Properties of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale in Two Spanish Multi-Occupational Samples. International Journal of Selection & Assessment, 20, 105-110. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2389.2012.00583.x
Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Buchner, A., & Lang, A. (2009). Statistical Power Analyses Using G*Power 3.1: Tests for Correlation and Regression Analyses. Behavior Research Methods, 41, 1149-1160. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.41.4.1149
Field, L. K., & Buitendach, J. H. (2012). Work Engagement, Organisational Commitment, Job Resources and Job Demands of Teachers Working within Disadvantaged High Schools in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 22, 87-95. https://doi.org/10.1080/14330237.2012.10874525
Fletcher, L., Robinson, D., Bailey, C., Alfes, K., Holmes, J., Madden, A., Buzzeo, J., & Currie, G. (2014). Measuring Employee Engagement and Interpreting Survey Results. The Institute for Employment Studies. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280234309_Measuring_Employee_Engagement_and_Interpreting_Survey_Results
Gaither, C. A., & Nadkarni, A. (2012). Interpersonal Interactions, Job Demands and Work-Related Outcomes in Pharmacy. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 20, 80-89. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-7174.2011.00165.x
Giauque, D., Ritz, A., Varone, F., & Anderfuhren-Biget, S. (2012). Resigned but Satisfied: The Negative Impact of Public Service Motivation and Red Tape on Work Satisfaction. Public Administration, 90, 175-193. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9299.2011.01953.x
Hao, S., Hong, W., Xu, H., Zhou, L., & Xie, Z. (2015). Relationship between Resilience, Stress and Burnout among Civil Servants in Beijing, China: Mediating and Moderating Effect Analysis. Personality and Individual Differences, 83, 65-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.03.048
Ilies, R., Aw, S. S. Y., & Pluut, H. (2015). Intraindividual Models of Employee Well-Being: What Have We Learned and Where Do We Go from Here? European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 24, 827-838. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2015.1071422
Jackson, L., & Rothmann, S. (2005). Work-Related Well-Being of Educators in a District of the North-West Province. Perspectives in Education, 23, 107-122. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Leon_Jackson2/publication/234661047_Work-Related_Well-Being_of_Educators_in_a_District_of_the_North-West_Province/links/53d8c99a0cf2631430c3526b.pdf
Jin, M. H., & McDonald, B. (2017). Understanding Employee Engagement in the Public Sector: The Role of Immediate Supervisor, Perceived Organizational Support, and Learning Opportunities. American Review of Public Administration, 47, 881-897. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074016643817
Kahn, W. A. (1990). Psychological Conditions of Personal Engagement and Disengagement at Work. Academy of Management Journal, 33, 692-724. https://doi.org/10.2307/256287
Kroll, A., & Vogel, D. (2021). Why Public Employees Manipulate Performance Data: Prosocial Impact, Job Stress, and Red Tape, International Public Management Journal, 24, 164-182. https://doi.org/10.1080/10967494.2021.1874579
Laerd Statistics (2017). Pearson’s Product-Movement Correlation Using SPSS Statistics. Statistical Tutorials and Software Guides. https://statistics.laerd.com
Lekutle, M., & Nel, J. A. (2012). Psychometric Evaluation of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) within a CEMENT FACTORY. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 22, 641-647. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14330237.2012.10820580?journalCode=rpia20 https://doi.org/10.1080/14330237.2012.10820580
Leppink, J. P. (2017). Revisiting the Quantitative-Qualitative-Mixed Methods Labels: Research Questions, Developments, and the Need for Replication. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, 12, 97-101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtumed.2016.11.008
Lorenzo-Seva, U., & ten Berge, J. M. F. (2006). Tucker’s Congruence Coefficient as a Meaningful Index of Factor Similarity. Methodology, 2, 57-64. https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-2241.2.2.57
Maslach, C., Jackson, S. E., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Maslach Burnout Inventory Manual. Consulting Psychologists Press.
Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981). MBI: Maslach Burnout Inventory. Palo Alto, 1, 49-78.
Mérida-López, S., Extremera, N., & Rey, L. (2017). Contributions of Work-Related Stress and Emotional Intelligence to Teacher Engagement: Additive and Interactive Effects. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14, Article No. 1156. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14101156
Mészáros, V., ádám, S., Szabó, M., Szigeti, R., & Urbán, R. (2014). The Bifactor Model of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS)—An Alternative Measurement Model of Burnout. Stress & Health, 30, 82-88. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.2481
Meyer, N. (2012). Job Resources, Job Demands, Burnout and Work Engagement of Employees in the Public Sector. MSc. Thesis, University of the Western Cape. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/handle/11394/4474
Mostert, K., Pienaar, J., Gauche, C., & Jackson, L. B. (2007). Burnout and Engagement in University Students: A Psychometric Analysis of the MBI-SS and UWES-S. South African Journal of Higher Education, 21, 147-162. https://doi.org/10.4314/sajhe.v21i1.25608 https://journals.co.za/content/high/21/1/EJC37307
Murphy, C. (2017). Four Steps toward Fostering a High-Performing Culture in Government. Kennedy School Review, 17, 71-76. https://issuu.com/harvardkennedyschoolreview/docs/ksr_2017__1_/70
Nahrgang, J. D., Morgeson, F. P., & Hofmann, D. A. (2011). Safety at Work: A Meta-Analytic Investigation of the Link between Job Demands, Job Resources, Burnout, Engagement, and Safety Outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96, 71-94. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021484
Narainsamy, K., & Van der Westhuizen, S. (2013). Work Related Well-Being: Burnout, Work Engagement, Occupational Stress and Job Satisfaction within a Medical Laboratory Setting. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 23, 467-474. https://doi.org/10.1080/14330237.2013.10820653 http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/18429/Work-related%20well-being%20Burnout%20work%20engagement.pdf?sequence=3
Ojedokun, O., & Idemudia, E. (2014). Burnout among Paramilitary Personnel in Nigeria: A Perspective from Conservation of Resources Theory. South African Journal of Psychology, 44, 106-117. https://doi.org/10.1177/0081246313516256
Pillay, K., Buitendach, J., & Kanengoni, H. (2014). Psychological Capital, Job Demands and Organisational Commitment of Employees in a Call Centre in Durban, South Africa. South African Journal of Human Resource Management, 12, a599. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhrm.v12i1.599
Platsidou, M., & Daniilidou, A. (2016). Three Scales to Measure Burnout of Primary School Teachers: Empirical Evidence on Their Adequacy. International Journal of Educational Psychology, 5, 164-186. https://doi.org/10.17583/ijep.2016.1810
Qin, X., Hom, P., Xu, M., & Ju, D. (2014). Applying the Job Demands-Resources Model to Migrant Workers: Exploring How and When Geographical Distance Increases Quit Propensity. Journal of Occupational & Organizational Psychology, 87, 303-328. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12047
Quratulain, S., & Khan, A. K. (2015). Red Tape, Resigned Satisfaction, Public Service Motivation, and Negative Employee Attitudes and Behaviors: Testing a Model of Moderated Mediation. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 35, 307-332. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X13511646
Raftopoulos, V., Charalambous, A., & Talias, M. (2012). The Factors Associated with the Burnout Syndrome and Fatigue in Cypriot Nurses: A Census Report. BMC Public Health, 12, Article No. 457. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-457
Rama, D. V., & Nagini, A. (2013). Work-Life Balance and Burnout as Predictors of Job Satisfaction in Private Banking Sector. Skyline Business Journal, 9, 50-53. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/anonymous?id=GALE%7CA408916799&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=fulltext&issn=19983425&p=AONE&sw=w&authCount=1&isAnonymousEntry=true
Reilly, R. (2014). Five Ways to Improve Employee Engagement Now. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/231581/five-ways-improve-employee-engagement.aspx
Risher, H. (2016). Losing Experienced Workers Is Costly. Public Management, 99, 12-14. https://icma.org/articles/pm-magazine/losing-experienced-workers-costly
Rothmann, S., Mostert, K., & Strydom, M. (2006). A Psychometric Evaluation of the Job Demands Resources Scale in South Africa. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 32, 76-86. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v32i4.239
Sardeshmukh, S. R., Sharma, D., & Golden, T. D. (2012). Impact of Telework on Exhaustion and Job Engagement: A Job Demands and Job Resources Model. New Technology, Work & Employment, 27, 193-207. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-005X.2012.00284.x
Schaufeli, W., & Bakker, A. (2003). Utrecht Work Engagement Scale: Preliminary Manual. UWES. http://www.beanmanaged.com/doc/pdf/arnoldbakker/articles/articles_arnold_bakker_87.pdf
Schutte, N., Toppinen, S., Kalimo, R., & Schaufeli, W. (2000). The Factorial Validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) across Occupational Groups and Nations. Journal of Occupational & Organizational Psychology, 73, 53-66. https://doi.org/10.1348/096317900166877
Seppala, P., Mauno, S., Feldt, T., Hakanen, J., Kinnunen, U., Tolvanen, A., & Schaufeli, W. (2009). The Construct Validity of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale: Multisample and Longitudinal Evidence. Journal of Happiness Studies, 10, 459-481. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-008-9100-y
Storm, K., & Rothmann, S. (2003). The Relationship between Burnout, Personality Traits and Coping Strategies in a Corporate Pharmaceutical Group. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 29, 35-42. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v29i4.128 https://journals.co.za/content/psyc/29/4/EJC88979
Swider, B. W., & Zimmerman, R. D. (2010). Born to Burnout: A Meta-Analytic Path Model of Personality, Job Burnout, and Work Outcomes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 76, 487-506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2010.01.003
ten Brummelhuis, L. L., ter Hoeven, C. L., Bakker, A. B., & Peper, B. (2011). Breaking through the Loss Cycle of Burnout: The Role of Motivation. Journal of Occupational & Organizational Psychology, 84, 268-287. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8325.2011.02019.x
Van den Broeck, A., Vander Elst, T., Baillien, E., Sercu, M., Schouteden, M., De Witte, H., & Godderis, L. (2017). Job Demands, Job Resources, Burnout, Work Engagement, and Their Relationships: An Analysis across Sectors. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 59, 369-376. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000000964
Vandenabeele, W., Brewer, G. A., & Ritz, A. (2014). Past, Present, and Future of Public Service Motivation Research. Public Administration, 92, 790-806. https://doi.org/10.1111/padm.12136
Yom, Y.-H. (2013). Analysis of Burnout and Job Satisfaction among Nurses Based on the Job Demand-Resource Model. Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing, 43, 114-122. https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2013.43.1.114