Causes of worker burnout

Abstract

This research reports on a survey conducted with 183 protective service workers in the state of Michigan. These practitioners listed 166 separate statements representing primary dissatisfactions or frustrations with being a child protective caseworker. Such dissatisfaction was assumed to underly the various dimensions of burnout. The statements were collated and synthesized through a version of the constant comparative method which resulted in three basic categories reflecting perceived causes of burnout: (a) overloaded responsibility, (b) lack of recognition, and (c) poor communication. The three categories are interrelated and together they point to workers' dissatisfaction with their supervisors as one of the major sources of burnout. The paper also includes a brief discussion of four ways to reduce or prevent worker burnout: reduce the client-to-staff ratio, shorten the number of work hours, change the function of staff meeting, and provide in-service training.