Moderating role of Meaningful Work among First Responders
Disciplines
Industrial and Organizational Psychology | Psychology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Job demands can either negatively impact and hinder an individual’s attainment of goals at work, or positively impact an employee by presenting challenges that foster personal growth. Ultimately, both types of demands are linked to burnout and emotional exhaustion as they both require the consumption of energy that causes stress, although challenging demands can lessen the effects of burnout. Similarly, preliminary research on nurses suggests that higher levels of meaningful work can either lead to higher levels of emotional exhaustion or lower levels of exhaustion. Using the Job Demands-Resources Model, we argue that meaningful work may moderate the relationship between the different types of job demands and burnout, primarily by reducing the impact of demands and promoting engagement. Using survey data from firefighters and police officers, this study aims to investigate how variations in meaningful work influence the relationship between job demands and burnout among a sample that is prone to experiencing meaningful work at a higher level given the nature of their job. We expect individuals with a greater sense of meaning to be more susceptible to well-being issues, particularly among those who appraise hindrance demands at a higher rate. There is a need to investigate the role of meaningful work in stressful environments and to understand the conditions that impact first responders’ well-being.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Psychological Science
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Israel Sánchez-Cardona
Moderating role of Meaningful Work among First Responders
Job demands can either negatively impact and hinder an individual’s attainment of goals at work, or positively impact an employee by presenting challenges that foster personal growth. Ultimately, both types of demands are linked to burnout and emotional exhaustion as they both require the consumption of energy that causes stress, although challenging demands can lessen the effects of burnout. Similarly, preliminary research on nurses suggests that higher levels of meaningful work can either lead to higher levels of emotional exhaustion or lower levels of exhaustion. Using the Job Demands-Resources Model, we argue that meaningful work may moderate the relationship between the different types of job demands and burnout, primarily by reducing the impact of demands and promoting engagement. Using survey data from firefighters and police officers, this study aims to investigate how variations in meaningful work influence the relationship between job demands and burnout among a sample that is prone to experiencing meaningful work at a higher level given the nature of their job. We expect individuals with a greater sense of meaning to be more susceptible to well-being issues, particularly among those who appraise hindrance demands at a higher rate. There is a need to investigate the role of meaningful work in stressful environments and to understand the conditions that impact first responders’ well-being.