Burnout, Work Engagement and Performance

Evangelia Demerouti, PhD

Athens, May 2004

Outline

Burnout: background Measurement of Burnout Research Findings Engagement Burnout Interventions

Burnout: discovery

Since 1974 (Freudenberger) Definition: Syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and reduced personal accomplishment that can occur among people who do people work of some kind (Maslach, 1982) Main cause: Emotional demands posed by clients

Burnout: reasons for interest

Negative consequences for employees (lack of interest in work existential doubts) Consequences for clients (low quality of service) High costs for organizations Its excessive spread (around 20% of the employees) Important social problem but still unclear concept

Causes of burnout
Work pressure Emotional demands Role problems Work-family conflict Social support Feedback Participation in decision making

Consequences of burnout
Individual level Depression Psychosomatic complaints Infections Work-related attitudes Job satisfaction Organizational commitment Turnover intention Organizational level Absenteeism Turnover

Burnout and Personality

Neuroticism Low extraversion Low hardiness External locus of control Low self-esteem Type A personality Passive coping style

Depression vs. Burnout (clinical)

Depression

Depressive mood Unhappiness, displeasure Weight loss Fearfulness Sleeping problems (wake up early) Guilt feelings Suicide thoughts Indecisiveness Attribution of the problem: sickness General Low vitality

Burnout

Anger, aggression Low pleasure No weight symptoms No fearfulness Sleeping problems (difficulty to fall asleep) Guilt feelings No suicide thoughts Indecisiveness (complaint) Attribution of the problem: work Work-related Moderate vitality

Occupation-independent conceptualisation of burnout

Related to traditional work stressors Work stressors better predictors than working with people (Schaufeli & Enzmann, 1998) Burnout symptoms parallel to phenomena in non-service occupations (e.g., fatigue, alienation,
withdrawal, efficacy)

Artefact of the utilized research designs: alternative hypotheses untested

Measurement of Burnout

Two ways of diagnosis

(Company) doctors using diagnostic session - decision tree Questionnaire (self-reports)

MBI

OLBI

Emotional Exhaustion (9): feelings of being emotionally overextended and drained by others Depersonalization (5): feelings of callous, cynical and detached responses toward clients Reduced Personal Accomplishment (8): decline in ones feelings of competence and successful achievement in work with people

Exhaustion (7): feelings of emotional emptiness, overtaxing from work, strong need for rest and a state of physical exhaustion Distancing from work (8): distancing oneself from ones work, negative attitudes and behaviours toward work in general, work contents and object

Oldenburg Burnout Inventory

Positive and negative worded items Only the core dimensions of burnout Not context-specific Based on theory and not on empirical findings Cut-off scores: - clinical burnout - above the 75 percentile on both dimensions
Demerouti, 1999

Example items OLBI & MBI-GS

Exhaustion (OLBI) After my work, I usually feel worn out and weary After my work, I usually feel totally fit for my leisure activities (R). Distancing from work (OLBI) I usually talk about my work in a derogatory way I get more and more engaged in my work (R)
(1 = totally disagree, 4 = totally agree)

Exhaustion (MBI-GS) I feel burned out from my work, I feel tired when I get up in the morning and have to face another day on the job. Cynicism (MBI-GS) I have become less enthusiastic about my work, I have become more cynical about whether my work contributes anything. Professional efficacy (MBI-GS) I feel I am making an effective contribution to what this organization does, In my opinion, I am good at my job.
(0 = never, 6 = every day)

Theoretical explanations

Demand-Control Model

Autonomy Job Demands

Karasek, 1979

Effort-Reward Imbalance Model

Development Status, Selfesteem Salary

External Demands Internal Demands

Siegrist, 1996

Inequity Model

Outcomes Investments

Schaufeli et al. 1996

Job Demands
Role conflict Work-Home Work times Emotional Demands Work Pressure

Job Resources
Skill Variety Possibilities Self-growth Supervisory Coaching Social Support Autonomy

Balance
Role conflict Work-Home Work times Emotional Demands Work pressure Skill Variety Possibilities Self-growth Coaching Social Support Autonomy

Job Demands-Resources Model

Mental Emotional Physical Etc. Support Autonomy Feedback Etc.

Job Demands

(Impaired) Health

Organizational Outcomes

Job Resources

+
Motivation

Demerouti et al., 2001

Assumptions

Unique Working Environment for every occupational group 2 categories: Job Demands and Job Resources 2 Processes
Health Impairment process Motivational process

Job Resources can be Buffer against Job Demands Job Demands may undermine the Motivational Impact of Job Resources

Research findings

Human services, production, ATC, N = 374 Self-reports, observers ratings (italics)

Demerouti et al., 2001

Slide 26

Demerouti et al., 2000

Food Processing Industry, N=214

WP Reorgan

.63 .58

Job Demands

.92

Burnout

.21

T2 LT Absence

-.68

Autonomy

.62

Participation .67

Job Resources

.96

Commitment

-.20

T2 ST Absence

Bakker, Demerouti, De Boer & Schaufeli, 2003

Human Services, N=146

e7 e11 e12

OLBI Exhaustion
e1

Self -rating .90 -.42

Other -rating .52

Workload

.66 .51 .68

.86

e2

Emotional Demands Work -Home Conflict

Job Demands

.67

Exhaustion

In-Role Performance
.25 .68
e9

e3

e9

.26
e4

-.45
e10

.80
e10

Autonomy

.55 .88 .37 .89 OLBI Disengagement e8

e5

Possibilities Development Social Support

Job Resources

-.90

Disengagement

-.45

Extra -Role Performance

.99 Self -rating .53 Other -rating

e6

e8

e8

Bakker, Demerouti & Verbeke, 2004

(Im) Balance
JOB DEMANDS
Impaired health
H

Impaired health Motivation

Low motivation

Health
L

Health Motivation
H

Low motivation
L

JOB RESOURCES

Study among salespersons (N=

650)

burned-out salespeople: lowest in-role & extra-role performance non burned-out salespeople: highest in-role & extra-role performance customer-exhausted: among the highest performers (in-role & extra-role performance) compensation strategy customer-depersonalized: in-role performance uninfluenced, extra-role performance diminished loss-based selection, in a proactive manner ineffective: highest similarity with the burned-out group (low in- & extra-role performance) feelings of in-efficiency & poor professional self-esteem

!!! The relationship between burnout performance is not clear cut!

Reciprocal effects

Exhaustion Errors more JD more Exhaustion

Depersonalisation negative behaviour less JR more Depersonalisation

Competence good performance more JR more Competence

Negative or Positive Spiral...

Job Demands I

Job Demands II

Job Demands III

Exhaustion I

Exhaustion II

Exhaustion III

Job Resources I

Job Resources II

Job Resources III

Depersonalization I

Depersonalization II

Depersonalization III

Personal Accomplishment I

Personal Accomplishment II

Personal Accomplishment III

Bakker, Demerouti, van Dierendock & Schaufeli, submitted

Work engagement

Towards positive psychology

Most psychologists are busy with sicknesses instead of well-being - Publications on negative vs. positive states are 17:1 (Diener et al., 1999)

Causes of sicknesses are not identical with the causes of well-being Absence of sickness does not automatically mean presence of well-being Different focus: instead of treatment and prevention, improvement and optimalization!

Burnout vs. Engagement

Exhaustion

Cynicism

Red. Competence

Vigor

Dedication

Absorption

Work engagement: definition

Engagement: a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind that is characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption (Schaufeli et al., 2004). It refers to a persistent and pervasive affectivecognitive state that is not focused on any particular object, event, individual, or behavior. Dimensions Vigor is characterized by high levels of energy and mental resilience while working, the willingness to invest effort in ones work, and persistence also in the face of difficulties. Dedication is characterized by a sense of significance, enthusiasm, inspiration, pride, and challenge. Absorption is characterized by being fully concentrated and happily engrossed in ones work, whereby time passes quickly and one has difficulties with detaching oneself from work.

Work Engagement
Vigor
At my work, I feel bursting with energy At my job, I feel strong and vigorous

Dedication
To me, my job is challenging I am enthusiastic about my job

Absorption
When I am working, I forget everything else around me I am completely immersed in my work

Engaged Employees

Take personal initiative Generate their own positive feedback Are also engaged outside their work Are tired in a different way Also want to do other things than working

Prevalence
%
28 24 20 16 12 8 4 0

Burnout

Engagement

Home Care, N=45.000

Workload Emotions Intimity Work-Home

Job Demands

Burnout

Client Satisfaction

Support Autonomy Feedback Coaching

Source: Taris, Bakker et al. (in prep.)

Job Resources

Engagement

Efficiency

Slide 42

Burnout interventions

Overview of the strategies

Aim Focus Organization Individual

Identification Primary prevention Secundary prevention Treatment

Organisational strategies
Identification Primary prevention Secondary prevention Treatment Risk inventarisation Screening Regulation of work pressure Job design / task content Conflict management Management Development Contact company doctor Social-medical team

Individual strategies
Identification Primary prevention Secondary prevention Treatment Self-monitoring Self-assessment Didactic stress management Work-Family balance Time management Relaxation training Social medical supervision Psychotherapy

Success (meta-analysis)
k Cogn. therapy Relaxation Multimodal Organization 18 17 8 5 N 858 982 470 1463 d .68 .35 .51 .08 Effect moderate small moderate non-sign.

Van der Klink et al. (2000)

Critical success factors

Stepwise systematic approach Adequate diagnosis and analyses of the problems Combination of work- and personoriented approaches Active participation of all involving parties Commitment of the top
Kompier & Cooper (1999)

Training Consultants

JDR-Project

Follow-up

Acquisition

Interventions

Project

Report

Project team

Data via Internet

JDRquestionnaire

Training Consultants

JDR-Project

Follow-up

Acquisition

Interventions

Project

Report

Project team

Data via Internet

Individual Feedback

JDRquestionnaire

Feedback Well-Being
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Exhaustion

Cynicism
Client

Motivation
Norm group

Happiness

Source: www.hcmg.co.uk

Feedback Job Demands

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Mental

Emotional
Client

Physical
Norm group

WHI

Source: www.hcmg.co.uk

Feedback Job Resources

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Coaching

Autonomy
Client

Support
Norm group

Self-growth

Source: www.hcmg.co.uk

Summary and Future

Burnout: Syndrome of our times

More clarity regarding causality & consequences Multi-dimensional approaches

JDR-model: flexible and static structure

Scientific - Integration Practice Application to organizations, teams, and individuals

Future Research
Longitudinal, positive health indicators, reciprocal relations, burnout contagion and crossover, international research

Thank you for your attention!

E.Demerouti@fss.uu.nl