Job Burnout among University of Lynchburg Staff
Location
Turner Gymnasium
Access Type
Campus Access Only
Entry Number
17
Start Date
4-5-2023 12:00 PM
End Date
4-5-2023 1:30 PM
College
College of Health Sciences
Department
Public Health
Keywords
Burnout, Staff Members, Faculty, Anxiety, Higher Education
Abstract
Background: Burnout can cause a person to feel mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted, in addition to feeling overwhelmed and unappreciated. According to the latest Gallup poll, employees in education are among the most burned out groups in the United States. The purpose of this study was to identify if staff at the University of Lynchburg were experiencing job burnout and to what extent.
Methods: A survey was designed using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory Tool and distributed to all staff members during the Fall of 2022 using the all staff and faculty listserv. Job stress was defined in the survey using Mayo Clinic’s definition of “a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.”Descriptive and thematic analysis was used to summarize results.
Results: A total of 86 staff participated in the survey. Over two in three staff reported experiencing job burnout (72.2%), of the respondents stated that they have been experiencing burnout in the last three months due to the highly demanding workload (76.2%), dysfunctional workplace dynamics (57.4%), work-life imbalance (49.2%), and lack of job satisfaction (44.3%). Themes identified in the open-ended responses included staff members having to take on more work due to positions on campus being vacant, improving transparency and communication from administration, the need for stress-relieving activities, and the desire to have resources to help minimize burnout and improve work-life balance.
Conclusions: Job burnout was experienced by University of Lynchburg staff at the time of this survey. To reduce burnout levels, the administration must make changes to its policies to focus on improved transparency and communication. Educating staff members on how to identify burnout, providing opportunities that can help relieve stress, and providing resources to deal with stress and improve work-life balance are also recommended.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Jennifer Hall
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Job Burnout among University of Lynchburg Staff
Turner Gymnasium
Background: Burnout can cause a person to feel mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted, in addition to feeling overwhelmed and unappreciated. According to the latest Gallup poll, employees in education are among the most burned out groups in the United States. The purpose of this study was to identify if staff at the University of Lynchburg were experiencing job burnout and to what extent.
Methods: A survey was designed using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory Tool and distributed to all staff members during the Fall of 2022 using the all staff and faculty listserv. Job stress was defined in the survey using Mayo Clinic’s definition of “a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.”Descriptive and thematic analysis was used to summarize results.
Results: A total of 86 staff participated in the survey. Over two in three staff reported experiencing job burnout (72.2%), of the respondents stated that they have been experiencing burnout in the last three months due to the highly demanding workload (76.2%), dysfunctional workplace dynamics (57.4%), work-life imbalance (49.2%), and lack of job satisfaction (44.3%). Themes identified in the open-ended responses included staff members having to take on more work due to positions on campus being vacant, improving transparency and communication from administration, the need for stress-relieving activities, and the desire to have resources to help minimize burnout and improve work-life balance.
Conclusions: Job burnout was experienced by University of Lynchburg staff at the time of this survey. To reduce burnout levels, the administration must make changes to its policies to focus on improved transparency and communication. Educating staff members on how to identify burnout, providing opportunities that can help relieve stress, and providing resources to deal with stress and improve work-life balance are also recommended.