Job burnout amongst university administrative staff members in China—a perspective on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

It is widely accepted that administrative staff, as important components of a university’s workforce, play a critical role in realizing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The worth of administrative staff is based on their productivity, and this has a significant impact on the...

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Main Authors: Lei, Miao, Alam, Gazi Mahabubul, Hassan, Aminuddin
Format: Article
Published: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2023
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/109395/
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author Lei, Miao
Alam, Gazi Mahabubul
Hassan, Aminuddin
author_facet Lei, Miao
Alam, Gazi Mahabubul
Hassan, Aminuddin
author_sort Lei, Miao
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description It is widely accepted that administrative staff, as important components of a university’s workforce, play a critical role in realizing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The worth of administrative staff is based on their productivity, and this has a significant impact on the viability of universities. Based on the job demands–resources model, this study investigates the antecedents of job burnout among administrative staff from both emotional and interpersonal perspectives, taking into account SDGs 3, 4, and 8. In this paper, a quantitative research method using descriptive and inferential analyses explores the complex interplay between job autonomy, emotional job demands, colleague support, and job burnout, with a particular emphasis on the role of emotion regulation. A questionnaire was answered anonymously by 1009 administrative staff members in China, and the results conclude that job autonomy was negatively associated with job burnout, while emotional job demands were positively linked to burnout. Moreover, leader support emerged as more beneficial to workers than colleague support. Emotion regulation strategies such as reappraisal function as an important personal resource that buffers the negative effects of job demands and enhances job resources, leading to lower levels of burnout. Furthermore, this study examines how the SDGs can be achieved through reducing job burnout. The important implications for university administrative staff and policymakers, as well as the sustainable development of universities, are discussed.
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spelling upm-1093952024-08-05T02:49:50Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/109395/ Job burnout amongst university administrative staff members in China—a perspective on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Lei, Miao Alam, Gazi Mahabubul Hassan, Aminuddin It is widely accepted that administrative staff, as important components of a university’s workforce, play a critical role in realizing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The worth of administrative staff is based on their productivity, and this has a significant impact on the viability of universities. Based on the job demands–resources model, this study investigates the antecedents of job burnout among administrative staff from both emotional and interpersonal perspectives, taking into account SDGs 3, 4, and 8. In this paper, a quantitative research method using descriptive and inferential analyses explores the complex interplay between job autonomy, emotional job demands, colleague support, and job burnout, with a particular emphasis on the role of emotion regulation. A questionnaire was answered anonymously by 1009 administrative staff members in China, and the results conclude that job autonomy was negatively associated with job burnout, while emotional job demands were positively linked to burnout. Moreover, leader support emerged as more beneficial to workers than colleague support. Emotion regulation strategies such as reappraisal function as an important personal resource that buffers the negative effects of job demands and enhances job resources, leading to lower levels of burnout. Furthermore, this study examines how the SDGs can be achieved through reducing job burnout. The important implications for university administrative staff and policymakers, as well as the sustainable development of universities, are discussed. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2023-05-31 Article PeerReviewed Lei, Miao and Alam, Gazi Mahabubul and Hassan, Aminuddin (2023) Job burnout amongst university administrative staff members in China—a perspective on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sustainability, 15 (11). art. no. 8873. pp. 1-17. ISSN 2071-1050 https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/11/8873 10.3390/su15118873
spellingShingle Lei, Miao
Alam, Gazi Mahabubul
Hassan, Aminuddin
Job burnout amongst university administrative staff members in China—a perspective on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
title Job burnout amongst university administrative staff members in China—a perspective on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
title_full Job burnout amongst university administrative staff members in China—a perspective on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
title_fullStr Job burnout amongst university administrative staff members in China—a perspective on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
title_full_unstemmed Job burnout amongst university administrative staff members in China—a perspective on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
title_short Job burnout amongst university administrative staff members in China—a perspective on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
title_sort job burnout amongst university administrative staff members in china—a perspective on sustainable development goals (sdgs)
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/109395/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/109395/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/109395/