Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The Design and Development of Staff Wellbeing Initiatives: Staff Stressors, Burnout and Emotional Exhaustion at Children and Young People’s Mental Health in Australia

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Mental health work presents problems for staff over and above those encountered in other organisations, including other areas of healthcare. Healthcare workers, in particular mental health workers, have poorer job satisfaction and higher job burnout and turnover compared with established norms for other occupational groups. To make sense of why healthcare workers experience high levels of burnout, a strong body of literature points to the emotionally demanding nature of people-work. The negative effects of mental health work on employee health can be mitigated by the provision of appropriate job resources and wellbeing initiatives. As to develop initiatives that appropriately target staff sources of stress and needs, it is important to engage staff in this process. As such, Children and Young People’s Mental Health (CYPMH) and headspace Gosford, in Australia, New South Wales (NSW), developed a survey to identify how staff experience and manage the emotional demands of mental health work, what they identify as key stressors and which initiatives they would like to see implemented. Fifty-five staff (response rate of 73 %) completed the survey, and the results suggest that while staff find the work emotionally demanding, they do not appear to be emotionally exhausted and report administrative rather than client issues as their primary concerns. While a strong body of literature identifies the management of emotions in the workplace as a significant cause of stress, organisational stressors such as working in a bureaucratic environment are also important to understanding staff wellbeing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alexander, C., & Fraser, J. (2004). Occupational violence in an Australian healthcare setting: implications for managers. Journal of Healthcare Management, 49, 377–390.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Almeida, D. M. (2005). Resilience and vulnerability to daily stressors assessed via diary methods. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14, 64–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bakker, A., & Heuven, E. (2006). Emotional dissonance, burnout, and in-role performance among nurses and police officers. International Journal of Stress Management, 13, 423–440.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bakker, A., Schaufeli, W. B., Sixma, H., Bosveld, W., & Dierendonck, D. (2000). Patient demands, lack of reciprocity, and burnout: a five-year longitudinal study among general practitioners. Journal of Organisational Behavior, 21, 425–441.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumeister, R. F., Gailliot, M., DeWall, C. N., & Oaten, M. (2006). Self-regulation and personality: how interventions increase regulatory success, and depletion moderates the effects of traits on behavior. Journal of Personality, 74, 1773–1801.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blomberg, K., & Sahlberg-Blom, E. (2007). Closeness and distance: a way of handling situations in daily care. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 2, 244–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bono, J., & Vey, M. (2005). Toward understanding emotional management at work: a quantitative review of emotional labour research. In C. E. Hartel & W. J. Zerbe (Eds.), Emotions in organizational behavior (pp. 213–233). Mahwah: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brotheridge, C. M., & Grandey, A. (2002). Emotional labor and burnout: comparing two perspectives of ‘poeple work’. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 60, 17–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brotheridge, C. M., & Lee, R. T. (2003). Development and validation of the Emotional Labour Scale. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 76(3), 365–379.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coates, D. D. (2013). New Religious Movements as avenues for self-change and the development of increased emotional connectedness. Studies in Symbolic Interaction, 40, 271–305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coffey, M., Dugdill, L., & Tattersall, A. (2004). Stress is social services: mental wellbeing, constraints and job satisfaction. British Journal of Social Work, 34, 735–746.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cote, S. (2005). A social interaction model of the effects of emotion regulation on work strain. Academy of Management Review, 30, 509–530.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Jonge, J., Le Bland, P. M., Peeters, M. C. W., & Noordam, H. (2008). Emotional job demands and the role of matching job resources: a cross-sectional survey study among health care workers. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 45, 1460–1469.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diefendorff, J. M., Croyle, M. H., & Gosserand, R. H. (2005). The dimensionality and antecedents of emotional labor strategies. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 66, 339–357.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diestel, S., & Schmidt, K.-H. (2011). The moderating role of cognitive control deficits in the link from emotional dissonance to burnout symptoms and absenteeism. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 16(3), 313–330.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dollard, M. F., Bailey, T., McLinton, S., Richards, P., McTernan, W., Taylor, A., et al. (2012). The australian workplace barometer: report on psychosocial safety climate and worker health in Australia. Safe work australia: Canberra.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dollard, M. F., Dormann, C., Boyd, C. M., Winefield, H. R., & Winefield, A. H. (2003). Unique Aspects of Stress in Human Service Work. Australian Psychologist, 38(2), 84–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drach-Zahavy, A. (2010). How does service workers’ behaviour affect their health? Service climate as a moderator in the service behavior-health relationships. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 15, 105–119.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Farhenkopf, A. M., Sectish, T. C., Barger, L. K., Sharek, P. J., Lewin, D., Chiang, V. W., et al. (2008). Rates of medication errors among depressed study and burnt out residents: prospective cohort. BMJ, 336, 488–491.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fearon, C., & Nicol, M. (2011). Strategies to assist prevention of burnout in nursing staff. Nursing Standard, 26(14), 35–39.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fineman, S. (2006). On being positive: concerns and counterpoints. Academy of Management Review, 31, 270–291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghodse, H., & Galea, S. (2006). Misuse of drugs and alcohol. In J. Cox, J. King, A. Hutchinson, & P. McAvoy (Eds.), Understanding Doctors’ Performance (pp. 38–48). Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glomb, T. M., & Rotundo, M. (2004). Emotional labour demands and compensating wage differentials. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(4), 700–714.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grandey, A. A. (2003). “The show must go on”: surface acting and deep acting as determinants of emotional exhaustion and peer-rated service delivery. The Academy of Management Journal, 46(1), 86–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grandey, A. A., Chi, N.W., & Diamond, J. A. (2013). Show me the money! Do financial rewards for performance enhance or undermine the satisfaction from emotional labor? Personnel Psychology, 66(3), 569–612.

  • Grandey, A. A., Foo, S. C., Groth, M., & Goodwin, R. E. (2012). Free to be you and me: a climate of authenticity alleviates burnout from emotional labor. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 17(1), 1–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Halbesleben, J. R. B., & Bowler, W. M. (2007). Emotional exhaustion and job performance: the mediating role of motivation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92, 93–106.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hochschild, A. R. (1983). The managed heart: Commercialization of human feelings. Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hojat, M. (2009). Ten approaches for enhancing empathy in health and human services cultures. Journal of Health and Human Services Administration, 31(4), 412–450.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hulsheger, U. R., & Schewe, A. F. (2011). On the cost and benefit of emotional labor: a meta-analysis of three decades of research. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 16(3), 361–389.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jack, K., & Miller, E. (2007). Exploring self-awareness in mental health practice. Mental Health Practice, 12(3), 31–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Blanc, P. M., Hox, J. J., Schaufeli, W. B., & Taris, T. W. (2007). Take care! The evaluation of a team-based burnout intervention program for oncology care providers. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92, 213–227.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lewandowski, C. A. (2003). Organizational factors contributing to worker frustration:the precursor to burnout. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 30(4), 175–185.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, P. (2005). Suppression or expression: an exploration of emotion management in a special care baby unit. Work, Employment & Society, 19, 565–581.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Linley, P. A., & Joseph, S. (2007). Therapy work and therapists’ positive and negative well-being. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 26, 385–403.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd, C., King, R., & Chenoweth, L. (2002). Social work, stress and burnout: a review. Journal of Mental Health, 11(3), 255–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mandell, D., Stalker, C., de Zeeuw Wright, M., Frensch, K., & Harvey, C. (2013). Sinking, swimming and sailing: experiences of job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion in child welfare employees. Child and Family Social Work, 18, 383–393.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mann, S. (2004). ‘People-work’: emotion management, stress and coping. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 32(2), 205–221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mann, S. (2005). A health care model of emotional labour: an evaluation of the literature and development of a model. Journal of Health Organisation and Management, 19, 304–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy, G., Almeida, S., & Ahrens, J. (2011). Understanding employee well-being practices in Australian organisations. International Journal of Health, Wellness & Society, 1(1), 181–198.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCray, L. W., Cronholm, P. F., Bogner, H. R., Gallo, J. J., & Neill, R. A. (2008). Resident physician burnout: is there hope? Family Medicine, 40, 626–632.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McLeod, T. (1997). Work stress among community psychiatric nurses. British Journal of Nursing, 6, 569–574.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McNulty, T., & Ferlie, E. (2002). Reengineering health care. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery, A., Panagopoulou, E., Kehoe, I., & Valkanos, E. (2011). Connecting organisational culture and quality of care in the hospital: is job burnout the missing link? Journal of Health Organization and Management, 25(1), 108–123. doi:10.1108/14777261111116851.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muraven, M., Shmueli, D., & Burkley, E. (2006). Conserving self-control strength. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91, 524–537.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Naring, G., Briet, M., & Brouwers, A. (2006). Beyond demand- control: emotional labor and symptoms of burnout in teachers. Work & Stress, 20(4), 303–315.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naring, G., Briet, M., & Brouwers, A. (2007). Validation of the dutch questionnaire on emotional labor (d-Qel) in nurses and teachers. In P. Richter, J. M. Peiro, & W. B. Schaufeli (Eds.), Psychosocial resources in human services work (pp. 135–145). Munchen: Hampp Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Naring, G., & Van Doffelaar, A. (2007). Incorporation of emotional labor in demand-control-support model: The relation with emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment in nurses. In C. Ashkanasy, C. Hartel, & W. J. Zerbe (Eds.), Research on emotion in organisations: functionality, intentionality and morality (Vol. 3, pp. 221–236).

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Naring, G., Vlerick, P., & Van de Ven, B. (2012). Emotion work and emotional exhaustion in teachers: the job and individual perspective. Educational Studies, 38(1), 63–72. doi:10.1080/03055698.2011.567026.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noblet, A. (2003). Building health promotion work settings: identifying the relationship between work characteristics and occupational stress in Australia. Health promotion international, 18(4), 351–359.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Donnell, M. (2009). Definition of health promotion 2.0: embracing passion, enhancing motivation, recognizing dynamic balance, and creating opportunities. American journal of health promotion, 24(1), iv.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parks, K., & Steelman, L. (2008). Organisational wellness: a meta-analysis. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 13(1), 58–68.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Perry, C. (2010). Work killing employee passion and belief in self. http://workplaceohs.com.au/workplace-culture/safety-attitudes/news/work-killing-employee-passion-and-belief-in-self-survey. Accessed 10 Oct 2014.

  • Pocock, B., Skinner, N., & Pianiello, S. (2010). How much should we work? Working hours, holidays and working life: the participation challenge. The Australian Work and Life Index 2010: Centre for Work + Life and The University of South Australia.

  • Shanafelt, T., Bradley, K., Wipf, J., & Back, A. (2002). Burnout and self-reported patient care in an internal medicine residency program. Annals of Internal Medicine, 136, 358–367.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shirom, A., & Melamed, S. (2006). A comparison of the construct validity of two burnout measures in two groups of professionals. International Journal of Stress Management, 13(2), 176–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sliter, M., Jex, S., Wolford, K., & McInnerney, J. (2010). How rude! Emotional labour as a mediator between customer incivility and employee outcomes. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 15, 468–481.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Trougakos, J. P., Beal, D. J., Green, S. G., & Weiss, H. M. (2008). Making the break count: an episodic examination of recovery activities, emotional experiences, and positive affective dispalys. Academy of Management Review, 51, 131–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Jaarsveld, D. D., Walker, D. D., & Skarlicki, D. P. (2010). The role of job demands and emotional exhaustion in the relationship between customer and employee incivility. Journal of Management, 36, 1486–1504.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, B., & Walsh, S. (2001). Is mental health work psychologically hazardous for staff? A critical review of the literature. Journal of Mental Health, 10(2), 121–129. doi:10.1080/09638230020023688.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wharton, A. S. (1993). The affective consequences of service work: managing emotions on the job. Work and Occupations, 20, 205–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, E. S., Manwell, L. B., Konrad, L. B., Konrad, T. R., & Mark, L. (2007). The relationship of organisational culture, stress, satisfaction, and burnout with physician-reported error and suboptimal patient care: results from the MEMO study. Healthcare Management Review, 32(3), 203–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zapf, D., Vogt, C., Seifert, C., Mertini, H., & Isic, A. (1999). Emotion work as a source of stress: the concept and development of an instrument. Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 8(3), 371–400.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Children and Young People’s Mental Health, Prevention, Promotion and Early Intervention, Central Coast Health District, Suite 1, Level 2, Gateway Centre, 237 Mann Street, Gosford, NSW, 2250, Australia

    Dominiek D. Coates & Deborah Howe

Authors
  1. Dominiek D. Coates
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Deborah Howe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dominiek D. Coates.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Coates, D.D., Howe, D. The Design and Development of Staff Wellbeing Initiatives: Staff Stressors, Burnout and Emotional Exhaustion at Children and Young People’s Mental Health in Australia. Adm Policy Ment Health 42, 655–663 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-014-0599-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-014-0599-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation