Influencing factors of construction professionals’ burnout in China: a sequential mixed-method approach

Abstract

Purpose

The present study investigated how different factors interact and work in concert to influence construction professionals’ burnout (hereafter CPs’ burnout) in China.

Design/methodology/approach

A sequential mixed-method approach was chosen for this research. Twenty-two interviews were conducted and analysed, and we identified ten influencing factors associated with CPs’ burnout. Subsequently, a sample of 232 questionnaires was analysed using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to ascertain the eight configurations of CPs’ high and low burnout.

Findings

The key findings include the following: first, perceived workload, role ambiguity, role conflict, emotional demand, work-home interference, relationships with supervisors, autonomy, fairness of rewards, support from project team and self-efficacy are the ten factors influencing CPs’ burnout; second, experienced and less experienced construction professionals take different paths towards high or low burnout; and third, among construction professionals, perceived workload and burnout are not necessarily correlated. We found that autonomy plays a crucial role in this process.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies to adopt a configurational approach for understanding influencing factors of CPs’ burnout. The strength of the present study is its sequential mixed-method approach, which forms a loop between the qualitative and quantitative studies.

Citation

Sun, M., Zhu, F. and Sun, X. (2020), "Influencing factors of construction professionals’ burnout in China: a sequential mixed-method approach", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 27 No. 10, pp. 3215-3233. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-02-2020-0106