Browsing by Author "Stemmet, Rushka"

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    How the distressed personality, job demands and resources relate to customer service agents' engagement and burnout
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04) Stemmet, Rushka; Boonzaier, William; Fontaine, Yolandi; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY: Using the Job-Demands Resources (JD-R) model as a theoretical framework, this study proposes a model that investigates the influence of the distressed personality type (Type D), job overload (i.e. a job demand), and perceived social support (i.e. a job resource) on the work engagement and burnout of customer service agents in the financial services sector. A cross-sectional research design was conducted, using a web-based questionnaire. The researcher collected data from N = 442 customer service agents working in the financial service industry in Gauteng, South Africa. An online questionnaire included a compilation of instruments, viz. the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale 9-item version; the Social Support Scale; the Maslach Burnout Inventory; the Type D Scale-14; and the Job Demands and Resources Scale, to assess work overload. The study evaluated the aforementioned relationships using partial least squares (PLS) analysis through structural equation modelling (SEM). The results of the study indicate that burnout has a direct and significant negative impact on work engagement; perceived social support has a direct positive relationship with work engagement; the Type D personality profile has a direct negative relationship with perceived social support; and work overload has a direct positive relationship with burnout. In addition, the results of PLS suggest that, when work overload is low, it functions as a mediator of perceived social support in engagement (but less so when work overload is high). Given the results of the current research, human resource professionals and customer service managers should take decisive steps to establish and maintain a socially supportive work environment and prioritise initiatives that foster job resources, even in an inherently demanding work environment. Furthermore, increasing job resources will enhance the experience of work engagement and buffer against the impact of job demands and burnout. The current study contributes to the existing knowledge base by including the Type D personality in the JD-R model and its effect on the perception of social support, and by testing work overload as a mediator between social support and engagement. This study concludes by providing practical interventions that focus on proactively enhancing work engagement and reducing burnout. Finally, ideas for future researchers to consider are proposed.