Burnout and work engagement among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of satisfaction with job resources

Abstract

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic represents a major public health challenge, particularly among frontline healthcare workers. This study examines the impact of satisfaction with job resources (leader-, task-, team- and organizational-level) on burnout and work engagement. Materials and methods: one-hundred and twenty-five healthcare workers (physicians, nurses) from a private health institution filled an anonymous online survey. Seventy-six participants were females. Results: Bivariate correlation and multiple regression analyses showed that satisfaction with job resources positively influences work engagement, and negatively influences burnout. In particular, regression analyses showed that burnout symptoms were mainly predicted by satisfaction with organizational resources (β_exhaustion = -.22; β_cynicism = -.53) and work engagement was best predicted by satisfaction with task resources (β_dedication = .45; β_absorption = .34). Conclusions: Current findings point the value of satisfaction with job resources to protect the mental health of frontline healthcare workers during health crises and extreme work overload. Suggestions aimed at reducing burnout, promoting work engagement and protecting the well-being and mental health of healthcare workers during future public health crises are proposed.