Burning Both Ends: Examining Overload, Trait Motivation, and Burnout Through the Person-Environment Interaction

Abstract

Burnout has received substantial attention in academic literature and popular media due to its extensive breadth and detrimental impact on individual and organizational outcomes. To effectively address and combat the phenomenon, it is important to understand the boundary conditions in which burnout occurs and the individual and environmental interactions that predict burnout. In the current study, the relationships among burnout, overload, and trait motivation were investigated. Data were collected via Amazon Mechanical Turk from a sample of working professionals. Overload was negatively related to approach motivation and positively related to avoidance motivation and burnout. Approach motivation was negatively related to burnout, while avoidance motivation was positively related. A series of moderation models were tested to understand the interaction between trait motivation and overload in the relationship to burnout. The moderation results were not confirmed, but the main effects were significant. Understanding relevant boundary conditions and individual differences associated with motivation and burnout will equip organizational leaders and decision-makers to effectively combat the phenomenon and preserve employee well-being.