ATHENS, GA — A recent study by the University of Georgia, Ohio State University, and Washington University found that public service employees who find their work meaningful may be less likely to experience burnout.
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The study, which surveyed over 650 police officers in 2019 and 2021, highlights the importance of finding meaning in work, especially during times of crisis, to prevent emotional exhaustion and burnout.
“The idea is that, for the most part, people who work for the government want to do things that help other people and benefit society,” said Bradley Wright, lead author of the study and a professor in the UGA School of Public and International Affairs.
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According to other findings in the study, frontline public service workers often face high stress due to being overworked, underpaid and underappreciated, which can lead to high turnover rates, particularly during crises.
The study found that having a supervisor reaffirm the value of an employee’s work can help prevent burnout by keeping employees more engaged.
In addition to finding work meaningful, supervisor support was shown to reduce the likelihood of employees quitting.
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