From workaholism to burnout: psychological capital as a mediator

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships among workaholism, psychological capital (PsyCap), and burnout, as well as investigate the potential mediating effect of PsyCap on the relationship between workaholism and burnout. Design/methodology/approach Data on workaholism, PsyCap, and burnout were collected, through administration of an online survey, from 400 faculty and staff at a large Southeastern university. Findings Workaholism is negatively related to PsyCap and is positively related to burnout, while PsyCap is negatively correlated with burnout. Moreover, while tested in a mediation model, PsyCap appeared as a significant mediating variable for all three dimensions of burnout (i.e. emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment). Research limitations/implications Future researchers may benefit from examining a sample outside an educational institution. Also, both workaholism and burnout may be better suited for studies utilizing longitudinal designs. That said, the data reveal information about the process whereby tendencies indicative of heavy work investment lead to burnout within employees. That is, workaholism leads to lower PsyCap, which then results in burnout. Practical implications The results suggest that employers may benefit from considering the negative effects of heavy work investment and maintaining a culture that discourages such behavior. It might also be beneficial for employers to ensure that employees have a heightened PsyCap and, therefore, are safeguarded against burnout. Originality/value This is the first study to examine the influence that employee PsyCap has on the development of workaholism and burnout by examining its role as a mediator.

Psychological Capital Protects Social Workers from Burnout and Secondary Traumatic Stress

“…Based on the JD-R theory, personal resources (i.e., self-efficacy and self-esteem) have a protective impact on employees' well-being, making them more resistant to developing burnout [53]. This was confirmed by a variety of empirical studies that assessed the relationship between PsyCap and burnout among different professional categories [54][55][56][57][58].…”

The Impact of Behavioral Symptoms of Burnout on Work Engagement of Older Employees: The Case of Slovenian Companies

“…Burnout is characterized by emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and ineffectiveness in the workplace and by chronic negative responses to stressful workplace conditions (Moyer et al, 2017). Maslach et al (2001) define burnout as a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and a sense of ineffectiveness, i.e., a lack of accomplishment.…”

Workaholism and occupational health: A translational review

“…For similar reasons, it is also likely that emotional well‐being will be adversely influenced by workaholic tendencies. For example, workaholism positively relates to the emotional exhaustion component of burnout (Clark et al., ; Moyer, Aziz, & Wuensch, ). Furthermore, physical health may also be poor in workaholic individuals.…”

“…It can be increased through short interventions (see Luthans, Avey, & Patera, ) and is related to a number of desirable outcomes (Avey, Reichard, Luthans, & Mhatre, ). Furthermore, the literature suggests that PsyCap relates negatively to workaholism (Moyer et al., ). While an intervention to increase PsyCap has not yet been used in the context of workaholism, Demarzo et al.…”