Original Research Work engagement and burnout of academics at South African higher education institutions: A job demands and resources perspective

Mineshree Naidoo-Chetty, Marieta du Plessis, Jurgen Becker

About the author(s) Mineshree Naidoo-Chetty, Department of Industrial Psychology, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
Marieta du Plessis, Department of Industrial Psychology, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
Jurgen Becker, Department of Industrial Psychology, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

Orientation: The transformation of the academic landscape, exacerbated by COVID-19, creates an urgent need to understand escalating demands on academics and how resources could help overcome these challenges.
Research purpose: This study tested a structural model examining how job demands and resources directly and indirectly influence employee outcomes through burnout and work engagement in South African higher education institutions.
Motivation for the study: While evidence links work engagement, burnout, and job demands–resources (JD-R) across workplaces, these relationships remain under-explored in South African academia, particularly during COVID-19.
Research approach/design and method: Using a quantitative design, respondents (N = 309) from several South African universities completed six instruments assessing burnout, work engagement, job resources (autonomy, meaningful work, organisational support) and job demands (workload, online teaching, work-home interaction and publication pressure). Structural equation modelling evaluated model fit and tested hypothesised relationships.
Main findings: High job demands significantly increased burnout, while job resources promoted engagement and reduced burnout. Results highlight the need for institutional strategies to alleviate excessive demands while reinforcing key resources.
Practical/managerial implications: Institutions should develop targeted interventions enhancing job resources, clarifying roles, and creating supportive environments, especially during organisational change.
Contribution/value-add: This study advances understanding of burnout and engagement in South African higher education, challenging simplistic JD-R model applications and contributing to theoretical development and practical interventions tailored to South African academics.

Keywords

Job Demands–Resources model; academic burnout; work engagement; higher education; South African academics; structural equation modelling

JEL Codes

I23: Higher Education • Research Institutions

Sustainable Development Goal

Goal 10: Reduced inequalities

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