Examining the Prevalence of Burnout among Golf Operations Employees in Canada

Abstract

The burnout phenomenon has been explored in many industries. However, there has been minimal research among those who work in various sport occupations. This project examined the prevalence of burnout among golf operations employees across Canada and the effects of various predictors of the burnout phenomenon. The conservation of resource theory (COR) was utilized, as it has been widely employed in the study of burnout among employees. The sample included 112 golf operations employees, with a mean age of 38.12 years. A hierarchical linear regression analysis revealed positive significant relationships between burnout and the average number of hours worked, post-secondary education, and turnover intentions. Further, a negative significant relationship was found among burnout and age. The results of this study stress the importance of employers taking the time to understand the needs of their employees in this unique environment to ensure they have the proper resources to mitigate negative behavioural and organizational predictors of burnout.

Keywords:

• Burnout
• conservation of resource theory
• golf
• turnover intentions
• job satisfaction

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest has to be reported.

Notes

1 In Canada, a university degree typically signifies completion of a four-year post-secondary program from an accredited institution. A college diploma typically signifies the completion of a two-year post-secondary program.

2 Amrhein et al. (2019) stated that by only reporting findings that are deemed “statistically significant” the literature will become distorted and further bias the information being shared with the general public and practicing professionals (as cited in Wasserstein et al., 2019).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sheldon Fetter

Sheldon Fetter (MHK - Sport Management and Leadership Specialization, University of Windsor, Canada) is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Windsor, Canada. Her research interests lie in exploring how stress influences biopsychosocial outcomes in professional and family dynamics.

Jess C. Dixon

Jess C. Dixon (Ph.D., The University of Massachusetts at Amherst, U.S.) is a Professor of Sport Management and Leadership and Head of the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada. His primary research and scholarly interests are in strategic management and relative age effects in sport. Dr. Dixon’s secondary interests include executive leadership and human resource management in sport, and sport management pedagogy. He is an Associate Editor of Frontiers in Sports and Active Living: Sports Management, Marketing, and Economics, past Editor-in-Chief of Case Studies in Sport Management, and cofounder of The Sport Management Case Studies Repository (www.sportmanagementcasestudies.com). Dr. Dixon is also an award-winning teacher and student mentor, having received the North American Society for Sport Management’s Distinguished Sport Management Educator Award in 2024.