The relationship between burnout and cognition in a South African metal manufacturing company

Abstract

Employees in South African organisations are faced with increasing work pressures as economic and business factors (such as globalisation) lead to extensive restructuring, cost cutting and initiatives to continuously improve organisational processes. These conditions are conducive to the occurrence of burnout in the South African private sector. Burnout has been extensively researched in areas such as health services and law enforcement, however, the subject has received less focus in the private sector. Given the negative impact of burnout on employees and organisations, it becomes valuable to study burnout in this context. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between job demands, job resources, cognition and burnout. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Stratified random samples (N = 80) were taken from employees at a South African metals manufacturing company. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Cognitive Flexibility Scale (CFS) and Job Demands-Resources Scale (JDRS) were administered. The reliability of the measuring instruments was assessed with the use of Cronbach alpha coefficients. Descriptive statistics (e.g., means and standard deviations) were used to analyse the data. Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to assess the relationships between job demands, job resources, burnout and cognition. The correlation coefficients indicated that cynicism is negatively related to growth opportunities and organisational support. Professional efficacy was positively related to organisational support, growth opportunities, advancement and cognitive flexibility. Multiple regression analysis showed that job demands, job resources, and cognitive flexibility predicted 18% of the variance in the exhaustion of employees. Job demands, job resources, and cognitive flexibility predicted 28% of cynicism and 44% of the variance in professional efficacy.