The impact of hospital customer orientation on burnout of public hospital service workers in New Zealand

Abstract

Using data from frontline hospital employees (FHEs) in a major New Zealand public hospital, this study expands previous research on the relationship between job demand stressors and burnout, and examines the role of customer orientation (CO) as an organisational level variable in the burnout process. The study results show that burnout symptoms partially mediate the effects of job demand stressors on FHEs self-evaluation of their ability to do their job. Besides having a direct negative impact on depersonalisation and reduced personal accomplishment, CO also buffers the dysfunctional effects of job demand stressors on reduced personal accomplishment as well as the dysfunctional effects of emotional exhaustion on depersonalisation. Implications of the results are discussed and future research avenues are offered.

Keywords::

• job demand stressors
• burnout
• organisational customer orientation
• healthcare
• frontline hospital employee

Notes

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