The study examines the correlates of burnout in systems (IS) professionals. While there has been little previous research in the area of burnout among IS professionals, anecdotal evidence shows that burnout causes a negative impact on the peiformance of IS employees. These negative impacts can take the form of cynicism, dissatisfaction, and turnover (McGee, 1996). In this study we empirically examine the correlations of burnout with several work attributes that are considered to be either antecedents or consequences of burnout. Two role stressors are examined in this study -role ambiguity and role conflict. These variables are theorized to be antecedents of burnout. In addition, two dimensions of organizational commitment-affective and continuance commitment-are examined as possible consequences of burnout. The emotional exhaustion subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory is used to measure burnout in 312 IS professionals. Both role stressors were found to co "elate positively with burnout. In addition, affective commitment was found to be negatively correlated and continuance commitment positively correlated with burnout.Job stress has been noted to be a key factor that can affect the performance and tenure of IS professionals. While little previous research has examined burnout in order to identify its antecedents and consequences among IS professionals, anecdotal evidence does suggest that burnout can have a significant impact on both the performance and commitment of IS employees.For example, McGee (1996) notes that burnout is the root cause of turnover among help-desk employees. In addition, she noted that burned-out help-desk analysts tended to take out their frustrations on the users they were trying to assist and that "burnout manifests itself in shortness with the customer; talking down to them" (p. 116).Other practical consequences of stress and burnout have also been identified in the psychology literature. Kahill (1988) grouped these consequences into five categories: physical, emotional, interpersonal, attitudinal, and behavioral. These
Job stress can lead to burnout and turnover, costing IT organizations countless dollars in replacement costs, and making methods for measuring and minimizing stress a business benefit.
Purpose-This study examined how six institutionalized socialization tactics affect a particular occupation of knowledge workers-information technology (IT) professionals' role adjustment (role conflict and role ambiguity) and organizational attachment variables (job satisfaction, affective commitment, continuance commitment and intention to quit). Design/methodology/approach-The research model and hypotheses were tested using path analysis techniques with survey data collected from 187 recently hired IT professionals. Findings-The results showed that the six socialization tactics affected IT professionals differently. Socialization tactics that recognize employees' values and skills (investiture tactics) and that emphasize the interpersonal and mentoring aspects (serial tactics) had the most significant effects on employees' role adjustment and organizational attachment. The study also revealed complex mediating relationships among socialization tactics, role adjustment and organizational attachment variables. Originality/value-This study provides new insights about the differential effects of the various socialization tactics on IT professionals' role adjustment and organizational attachment. It also sheds light on the complex mediating relationships among socialization tactics, role adjustment and organizational attachment variables. Without considering the logical relationships between the various variables, studies examining the direct effects of socialization on isolated organizational outcome variables may overlook important linkages that are critical for explaining the inconsistent results in past empirical studies.
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