Measuring Workers′ Burnout and Intention to Leave

Identifies workers′ burnout as an important factor influencing productivity, commitment, and intentions to leave a job, which disrupt organizational operation and costs. Examines the relationship between the burnout of female school teachers and its effect on their intentions to leave their jobs. Based on a comparative analysis of three measures of burnout, shows two major findings. First, the best burnout predictor of intention to leave a job was obtained when 21 items measuring burnout level were factorily analysed and consolidated into three factors, which were then employed as independent variables in a regression analysis. This was superior to the utilization of the mean score of the 21 items or to a single direct measure. Explained variances were 66.5 per cent, 55.7 per cent, and 44.5 per cent, respectively. Second, a more detailed identification of types of burnout obtained by the first method showed that physical and mental burnout components are significant in explaining workers′ intention to leave, while emotional burnout was not. Discusses the crucial importance of accurate identification of burnout components and their dimensions with regard to management strategies to prevent and/or provide treatment for workers suffering from burnout.