Stress from work can often leave people feeling tired and overwhelmed, especially when compounded by anxiety in other areas of life. A recent study conducted by the University of Georgia highlights that financial stress may exacerbate these feelings.
Burnout is a well-known condition experienced by many individuals due to excessive strain at their workplace or because of external factors such as personal finances. To explore this further, researchers surveyed over 200 full-time employees in the United States and found that worries about managing money could increase burnout levels and reduce job satisfaction.
Camden Cusumano, a doctoral candidate from UGA’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences and lead author of the study, drew an analogy comparing stress to medical conditions. He said just as physical injury in one part of the body can cause pain elsewhere, financial stress can affect how someone performs their job.
There are three main signs of burnout: depersonalization (feeling detached from oneself or others), emotional exhaustion (leaving people feeling sluggish and unmotivated), and reduced personal accomplishment. These factors combine to create a disengaged state that can impact an employee’s performance at work, regardless of their workload or autonomy.
In the survey conducted by researchers, 217 full-time employees were asked about burnout levels and job satisfaction while also answering questions related to current financial stress and future financial security. The results indicated that those who experienced more money management-related stress had higher rates of burnout and consequently lower job satisfaction.
Financial concerns can affect different areas of life, or what researchers call “life domains,” such as work, family, etc. Issues in one domain could spill over into others; for example, financial stress might impact the way someone feels about their family life.
Predictive future financial security may also influence job satisfaction directly. A worker’s view of their job can improve if they feel optimistic about improving their current financial situation or believe that their job will contribute positively to future financial stability.
To manage burnout and increase job satisfaction, employees should stay mindful of the sources of stress in their lives and take steps to conserve “financial well-being,” which is likened by researchers to a resource. Employers can also assist in this effort by providing programs such as financial counseling or focusing on how an employee’s role contributes to future financial security.
The study, published in the Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, was co-authored with Dee Warmath from UGA’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
