The relationship between exhaustion, work-related experience and working conditions among employees in different occupations

Abstract

Background: The terms burnout, exhaustion and work-related stress have gained a well-deserved attention in recent years due to the debilitating influence on working people. High job demand and low job resources at work can lead employees to experience chronic stress. Prolonged and chronic stress can lead to overwhelming exhaustion and long-term sickness or disability among working people. It can also lead to mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety and affect physical health. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess whether high job demand and lack of resources, namely Overload, Growth opportunities, Organizational support, Job insecurity and Advancement, were associated with exhaustion among employees in the human service sector and employees outside that sector. Work-related experience and exhaustion among these occupational groups was also evaluated. Method: A web-based survey was sent to members of the Icelandic Confederation of University Graduates, making it possible to measure work-related experience among different occupations. Results: The findings demonstrated that high job demand and lack of resources were positively correlated to exhaustion among employees both within and outside the human service sector. The results also revealed that participants in both occupational groups had similar work-related experience regarding Overload, Growth opportunities, Organizational and Advancement but employees outside the human service sector scored significantly higher on the sub-scale Job insecurity. Furthermore, both occupational groups reported similar state of exhaustion. Conclusion: The findings suggest that work-related experience and exhaustion are reasonably the same among different occupations. Preventive measure should therefore place emphasis on work-related experience and working conditions, as well as reducing exhaustion in all workplaces. Keywords: burnout, exhaustion, job demand-resources model, prevalence