Burnout and Engagement at the Northernmost University in the World

Abstract

Few studies have looked at the relationship of job characteristics and worker well-being among Norwegian academics. The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between job demands, job resources, burnout, and engagement among Norwegian university staff. In total, 236 staff from one university in Norway answered the questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses identified job demands as the most important predictors for burnout. Autonomy was the most important job resource in the prediction of engagement and burnout. What constitutes a job resource or a job demand varies from occupation to occupation. The present study adds to the existing literature by examining factors that may protect or harm the individual workers’ health and well-being in a Norwegian university context.