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Work engagement and burnout of academics at South African higher education institutions: A job demands and resources perspective

Mineshree Naidoo-Chetty et al.

South African Journal of Industrial Psychology2026https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v52i0.2382article
AJG 1
Weight
0.50

What the paper says

Orientation: The transformation of the academic landscape, exacerbated by COVID-19, creates an urgent need to understand escalating demands on academics and how resources could help overcome these challenges. Research purpose: This study tested a structural model examining how job demands and resources directly and indirectly influence employee outcomes through burnout and work engagement in South African higher education institutions. Motivation for the study: While evidence links work engagement, burnout, and job demands–resources (JD-R) across workplaces, these relationships remain under-explored in South African academia, particularly during COVID-19. Research approach/design and method: Using a quantitative design, respondents (N = 309) from several South African universities completed six instruments assessing burnout, work engagement, job resources (autonomy, meaningful work, organisational support) and job demands (workload, online teaching, work-home interaction and publication pressure). Structural equation modelling evaluated model fit and tested hypothesised relationships. Main findings: High job demands significantly increased burnout, while job resources promoted engagement and reduced burnout. Results highlight the need for institutional strategies to alleviate excessive demands while reinforcing key resources. Practical/managerial implications: Institutions should develop targeted interventions enhancing job resources, clarifying roles, and creating supportive environments, especially during organisational change. Contribution/value-add: This study advances understanding of burnout and engagement in South African higher education, challenging simplistic JD-R model applications and contributing to theoretical development and practical interventions tailored to South African academics.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v52i0.2382

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@article{mineshree2026,
  title        = {{Work engagement and burnout of academics at South African higher education institutions: A job demands and resources perspective}},
  author       = {Mineshree Naidoo-Chetty et al.},
  journal      = {South African Journal of Industrial Psychology},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v52i0.2382},
}

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.