Why do we still feel drained even in meaningful work?: Unveiling the impact of job insecurity

Abstract

Background The issue of psychological burnout in most workplaces is a significant concern. Despite organizational psychology efforts to alleviate burnout by emphasizing high-quality job conditions such as meaning and calling, discussions often overlook the impact of job insecurity. Given recent approaches’ tendency to neglect fundamental lower-level needs, this study aimed to explore the negative effects of psychological burnout on workers, focusing on subjective job insecurity. Methods Counsellors, recognized for experiencing high psychological burnout, comprised our study with 420 finalized responses out of 450 collected. Data analysis encompassed the utilization of SPSS 29.0, Amos 29.0, and SmartPLS 4.0, with a specific focus on exploring mediating and moderating effects of variables. Results The findings unveiled that job insecurity weakened the previously observed negative indirect impact of work meaning on psychological burnout through living a calling. This observation suggests that as job insecurity intensifies, the alleviating effect of living a calling on burnout diminishes. This study reaffirms the link between work meaning and psychological burnout, emphasizing the mediating role of living a calling among South Korean counsellors. Conclusions The results underscore the necessity of organizational interventions to promote meaningful work, facilitate personal calling, and ensure job security, thereby preventing or mitigating burnout.