Microfoundations of work intensification and burnout

Alexander Matros, Vladimir Smirnov, Andrew Wait and Helen Zhang

No 2023-02, Working Papers from University of Sydney, School of Economics

Abstract: This paper develops a model to explain recent trends of work intensification and employee burnout. In an organization a manager assigns tasks to an employee; doing tasks is costly and too many create burnout. In a matrix-style organization,different managers simultaneously assign tasks to an employee, ignoring the ‘externality’ their directives generate on the overall productivity. An over-assignment of tasks also occurs in a vertical hierarchy when task managers at different levels can directly assign tasks. These two frameworks provide a theoretical foundation behind empirical trends and generate testable insights on the organizational causes of burnout.

Keywords: task assignment; job intensification; burnout; double marginalization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-04
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