Toward an understanding of occupational burnout among employees with autism – the Job Demands-Resources theory perspective

Bibliographic Data

ID21622400
AuthorsMichał T Tomczak (0000-0002-2916-5015, Gdańsk University of Technology, corresponding author), Konrad Kulikowski (0000-0001-5117-6397, Społeczna Akademia Nauk)
Year2024
Volume43
Issue2
Pages1582-1594
Publication date2024-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCurrent Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1046-1310 • E-ISSN: 1936-4733
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s12144-023-04428-0
PMID37359683
OpenAlexW4322008554
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited89

This article aims to gain insight into the phenomenon of occupational burnout among employees with autism based on the theoretical framework of the Job Demands-Resources theory and the literature on employees with autism in the workplace. Firstly, we argue that although the resources and demands of the neurotypical and neurodivergent employees might be different, the theoretical mechanism of occupational burnout formation remains similar among the neurotypical and neurodivergent employees, leading to the similar burnout experience. Next, we distinguish key demands that might drain neurodiverse employees’ energy, and spark burnout, and propose a set of resources that might foster their achievement of work goals and mitigate demanding working conditions. We emphasise that the nature of job demands/resources that may cause burnout is not universal but might depend on how employees evaluate them, thus neurotypical and neurodiverse workers who evaluate the same work characteristics differently might complement each other, increasing organisational diversity without losing productivity. Our conceptual elaboration contributes to the theory and practice of healthier workplaces by providing tools and inspiration to managers, policymakers, and all stakeholders interested in creating a diverse and productive workplace. Moreover, our work might spark a much needed debate on occupational burnout among employees with autism and encourage conducting further empirical studies

Autism · Autism spectrum disorder · Burnout · Developmental psychology · Emotional exhaustion · Neurotypical · Occupational burnout · Occupational stress · Sociology · Applied Psychology · Clinical Psychology · Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout · Perfectionism, Procrastination, Anxiety Studies · Psychology · Social Psychology · Workplace Health and Well-being

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access