Early predictors of job burnout and engagement.

TLDR

The study discusses how two predictive indicators can enhance targeted workplace interventions. The study aimed to predict one‑year changes in burnout or engagement by identifying two early indicators at baseline. The authors surveyed 466 employees on burnout and six work‑life domains at baseline and one year later. Employees showing inconsistent patterns at baseline were more likely to change, with fairness incongruity leading to burnout and its absence leading to engagement.

Abstract

A longitudinal study predicted changes in burnout or engagement a year later by identifying 2 types of early indicators at the initial assessment. Organizational employees (N = 466) completed measures of burnout and 6 areas of worklife at 2 times with a 1-year interval. Those people who showed an inconsistent pattern at Time 1 were more likely to change over the year than were those who did not. Among this group, those who also displayed a workplace incongruity in the area of fairness moved to burnout at Time 2, while those without this incongruity moved toward engagement. The implications of these 2 predictive indicators are discussed in terms of the enhanced ability to customize interventions for targeted groups within the workplace.