10°c Overcast
15°c Mainly sunny
The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION
Standing by employer by choice or obligation can lead to burnout, study suggests
MONTREAL - Whether you feel a sense of obligation about your work or are staying on the job because you don't see an alternative, new research suggests the end result for employees could be the same: burnout.
According to Montreal researchers, the decision to stick with your company — whether by choice or because of slim pickings in the job market — can lead to emotional exhaustion, a chronic state of physical and mental depletion resulting from continuous stress and excessive job demands.
The study was conducted by Concordia University, Universite de Montreal and HEC Montreal. The findings were published in the journal Human Relations.
Concordia assistant professor and study co-author Alexandra Panaccio and her colleagues surveyed 260 workers from various industries, including information technology, health services, engineering and architecture. Among participants — aged 34 on average — 33 per cent held managerial positions, while 50 per cent worked in the public sector.
The study found that people who stay in their organizations because they feel an obligation towards their employer are more likely to experience burnout. A similar effect can also be seen among workers who stay the course because they don't see alternatives for employment outside their current organizations.
Researchers also observed that individuals with high self-esteem are most affected by a perceived lack of employment alternatives — possibly because that perception is inconsistent with their self-view as important and competent people.
Researchers also measured various types of organizational commitments, like whether employees identified with a company’s goals and values and whether they felt an obligation to stay.
"It may be that, in the absence of an emotional bond with the organization, commitment based on obligation is experienced as a kind of indebtedness — a loss of autonomy that is emotionally draining over time,” said Panaccio in a release.
More Your Health
- Back to Top
- Return to Your Health
More Your Health
(1 of 50 articles for this week)
Sugar Injections for Knee Arthritis May Ease Pain: Study
05/20/2013 5:00 PM 0
Poll
Most Popular Your Health
- Skin picking gets status as distinct disorder, should help sufferers access help
- Measles outbreaks flourish in UK years after discredited research tied measles shot to autism
- Baker's cyst A sign of something else
- Three companies recall antipsychotic drug quetiapine: Health Canada says
- Avoid herpes -- make love like a porcupine
- Vitamin C and lysine proven to keep arteries healthy
- Adrenal fatigue can have significant impact
- Saved by the kettlebell
- Canadian becomes president of International Council of Nurses
- Reduced urinary flow a reality for older men
- Angelina Jolie's double mastectomy: Q&A
- No evidence cycle helmet laws reduce head injuries: study
- Skin picking gets status as distinct disorder, should help sufferers access help
- Measles outbreaks flourish in UK years after discredited research tied measles shot to autism
- Baker's cyst A sign of something else
- Three companies recall antipsychotic drug quetiapine: Health Canada says
- Vitamin C and lysine proven to keep arteries healthy
- Avoid herpes -- make love like a porcupine
- Kidney problems price we pay for progress
- Opposition wants inquest into death of woman who left Winnipeg hospital ER
- Baby delivery: safe haven baby drop-off sites open in Edmonton hospitals
- Boston Marathon bombing victims face huge medical bills; tens of millions in donations pour in
- Angelina Jolie's double mastectomy: Q&A
- Pharmacy assistant who found diluted cancer drugs says label raised questions
- Auditor general takes aim at residential schools, diabetes prevention
- Vitamin C and lysine proven to keep arteries healthy
- Hockey commentator Kelly Hrudey shares daughter's struggle with mental illness
- Biomedical engineer designs exercises, tests to battle Alzheimer's
- Baker's cyst A sign of something else
- No evidence cycle helmet laws reduce head injuries: study
- Three companies recall antipsychotic drug quetiapine: Health Canada says
- Measles outbreaks flourish in UK years after discredited research tied measles shot to autism
- Vitamin C and lysine proven to keep arteries healthy
- Ontario Nurses Association seeks moratorium on cuts to registered nursing jobs
- Canadian dies with aid of doctor in Zurich; wished it could have been in Canada
- No evidence cycle helmet laws reduce head injuries: study
- Avoid herpes -- make love like a porcupine
- Three companies recall antipsychotic drug quetiapine: Health Canada says
- Measles outbreaks flourish in UK years after discredited research tied measles shot to autism
- Vitamin C and lysine proven to keep arteries healthy
- Biomedical engineer designs exercises, tests to battle Alzheimer's
- AGING AMERICA: Poll finds people in denial about the need for long-term care as they get older
- Adrenal fatigue can have significant impact
- Kidney problems price we pay for progress
- Natural medicine best for lowering cholesterol
- Hockey commentator Kelly Hrudey shares daughter's struggle with mental illness
- Knee repair? Study finds physical therapy as good as surgery for torn cartilage, arthritis
- Federal Court tells Ottawa to reimburse First Nation for disabled child's costs
- If you see floaters, it's not necessarily serious
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.