I'm just a cog in the wheel: worker engagement and burnout in relation to workplace justice, management trustworthiness and areas of worklife

Abstract

Previous studies have indicated that burnout and engagement are more associated with the work milieu than individual characteristics of employees. The current study extended this theme and addressed perspectives of 561 respondents to a workplace dynamics survey. It was hypothesized that burnout, as measured by the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) and engagement with work, as ascertained by the Utrecht Work Engagement Survey (UWES) could be predicted by respondents’ perceptions of their work environments. These were measured by responses to the Areas of Worklife Survey (AWLS) and Procedural Justice measures, and also by Management Trustworthiness and Trust scales. Observed consistencies between two phases of the research, a pen and paper survey for teachers in non government schools in Queensland (n =297) and an online national (Australian) survey targeting workers in a range of industries (n =264) supported their amalgamation in the current study. Kmeans cluster analysis identified five distinct respondent profiles on the OLBI and the UWES. Subsequent Kruskal-Wallis analyses found significant differences between cluster groups on all other study variables. Patterns of variable distribution indicated clear support for all hypothesized relationships. In addition, support was found for Schaufeli and Bakkers’ (2004) premise that Burnout and Engagement are not opposite poles of one construct.