Can Engagement Go Awry and Lead to Burnout? The Moderating Role of the Perceived Motivational Climate

Christina G. L. Nerstad, Sut I Wong and Astrid M. Richardsen
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Christina G. L. Nerstad: BI Norwegian Business School, 0442 Oslo, Norway
Sut I Wong: BI Norwegian Business School, 0442 Oslo, Norway
Astrid M. Richardsen: BI Norwegian Business School, 0442 Oslo, Norway

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 11, 1-21

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: work engagement; burnout; mastery climate; performance climate; well-being (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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