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Publication Date

Spring 2023

Degree Type

Thesis - Campus Access Only

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Psychology

Advisor

Howard Tokunaga

Subject Areas

Psychology

Abstract

Numerous studies have confirmed that a heavy workload can increase risk for burnout. However, studies supporting the workload-burnout link have been conducted mainly with permanent employees, not temporary workers. This limitation leaves room to question how temporary workers experience workload and burnout. The current paper sought to examinethe relationship between workload and burnout among temporary workers. This paper took it a step further by assessing whether the impact of workload on burnout is moderated by the desire for permanent employment. Scholars have suggested that temporary workers purposely take on a greater workload (and subsequently burn themselves out) to showcase their capabilities and prove they are worth converting into permanent employees. This hypothesis was tested using 97 temporary workers. Although the results of this study did not find evidence that the desire for permanent employment moderated the workload-burnout association, they revealed that workload and professional self-efficacy (a dimension of burnout) were significantly related to motives for regular, full-time employment. Temporary workers who had more confidence in their abilities as well as a greater willingness to carry heavy workloads showed stronger desires for permanent employment. Organizational strategies to pipeline temporary workers to permanent employees are discussed.

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