The International Journal of Human Resource Management · 2004 · 86 citations · 30 references
ManagementHuman Resource ManagementOrganizational BehaviorErgonomicsIndustrial-organizational PsychologyJob DesignBurnoutJob RotationJob SpecializationOccupational StressWork DesignWork SpecializationBurnout AntecedentsEmployee BurnoutJob SimplificationSimplificationStaff BurnoutWork RotationWorkforce BurnoutWorkplace Burnout
Historically, job rotation was used in traditional industries to alleviate monotony and fatigue, but rapid technological change has altered its relationship with job specialization and burnout. This study re‑examines how job specialization and job rotation relate to employee burnout in Taiwan’s high‑technology sector. The authors surveyed 304 employees in Taiwan’s high‑technology industry, applying concepts of job specialization and rotation to assess burnout perceptions. Results show that job specialization actually increases professional efficacy and reduces burnout, contrary to past expectations, and that rotation or specialization must be adapted to technological and environmental changes to maximize human‑resource potential. Keywords: job specialization, job rotation, job burnout, Taiwan's high‑technology industry.
Abstract This study applies the concept of job specialization and job rotation based on early principles of job design in solving employees' perception of job burnout, using employees of Taiwan's high-technology industry as targets for re-examination. In past management systems of traditional industries, job rotation was adopted to address employees' feelings of monotony, boredom and fatigue as a result of job simplification and specialization. However, with the advancement of technology, shortening of technical life cycles and changes in job characteristics, the relationship between job rotation, job specialization and job burnout is now different from in the past. The results from 304 valid samples collected from employees of Taiwan's high-technology industry reveal that the adoption of job specialization in high-tech industry in fact raises professional efficacy and reduces employees' feeling of job burnout, which is opposed to the benefits of job design purported in past management systems. Therefore, this paper seeks to re-examine the relationship between the three variables. By implementing job rotation or job specialization systems as means to address issues related to employees' job burnout, organizations should not only consider the benefits to job management, but also adjust according to technology and environmental changes. Only by doing so could organizations release the maximum potential from human resources management systems. Keywords: Job specializationjob rotationjob burnoutTaiwan's high-technology industry
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