Impact of social capital and perceived empowerment on burnout in health employees: A study in the shadow of the COVID-19

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Social capital is an important resource that enables employees to build trust-based relationships with other individuals and groups in the workplace. Although the evidence reveals the effect of employee empowerment on burnout, the moderator role of social capital in this relationship is still unexplored. However, considering the health employees who have mental health problems and increased dissatisfaction with the COVID-19 epidemic, the importance of determining the antecedent factors that may affect burnout plays an even more critical role. OBJECTIVE: The effect of the epidemic process on the burnout level of health employees was examined. In addition, the effect of employee empowerment on burnout was examined and the moderate role of social capital was evaluated. METHODS: A total of 492 health employee completed the measures of social capital, perceived empowerment, and burnout. Structural equation modelling was used to evaluate the moderate variable. Dawson slope were used to visualize the results. RESULTS: The burnout levels of health employees were low (2.00±1.34). Social capital had a moderating effect on the negative effect of employee empowerment on burnout (β= 0.191). Apart from that, employee empowerment (β= –0.192) and social capital (β= –0.508) were negatively associated with burnout level (p < 0.05). CONLUSION: These results are expected to provide useful recommendations to management in the health sector to reduce burnout among health employees by focusing on social capital and employee empowerment.