Can Engagement Go Awry and Lead to Burnout?
The Moderating Role of the Perceived Motivational Climate
We have all found outselves in this situation. What is important to note, is that we have in no small part allowed this to manifest. Let’s take a closer look at what the research has to say and it’s findings.
In this study, we propose that when employees become too engaged, they may become burnt out due to resource depletion. We further suggest that this negative outcome is contingent upon the perceived motivational psychological climate (mastery and performance climates) at work. A two-wave field study of 1081 employees revealed an inverted U-shaped relationship between work engagement and burnout. This finding suggests that employees with too much work engagement may be exposed to a higher risk of burnout. Further, a performance climate, with its emphasis on social comparison, may enhance—and a mastery climate, which focuses on growth, cooperation and effort, may mitigate the likelihood that employees become cynical towards work—an important dimension of burnout.
ijerph-16-01979 Can Engagement Go Awry and Lead to Burnout
