Iranian Journal of Ergonomics

The importance of human resources in the organization is such that they have been considered as the fourth pillar of organizations, without which the organization will not achieve its goals. One of the factors influencing the efficiency of the organization is the issue of job burnout in the organization [1].
Adriani Rezaei et al. showed that there was a significant relationship between ergonomic conditions, intensity and frequency of emotional fatigue, decreased personal-performance and metamorphosis of personality [7.] Sadra Abargouei and Jafarpour found out that there is a negative and significant relationship with job burnout and the variables in ergonomics, such as organizational support, organizational justice, and the physical and environmental conditions of the workplace [8]. Low welfare and comfort of employees and lack of friendly and warm relations between supervisors and staff, causes the personnel to be more exposed to job burnout [14]. Occupational justice, distributional justice, and job control are negatively related to job burnout [16]. Also another study shows that job control protects a person from the adverse effects of the work environment and has a significant relationship with job burnout.
Numerous studies on employee burnout have been performed using descriptive-analytical methods, but we need a model that comprehensively identifies the factors affecting employee burnout and the relationships between the factors involved in it.
Block and Pick have described the system's dynamics method as the black box for managing human factors, concluding that motivation, ability, and commitment have a significant impact on employees' job performance, and that job performance has a positive effect on job satisfaction. [20].
Sterman has proposed a five-step model for solving complex systems with the help of system dynamics: problem statement, dynamic hypothesis, formulation, model testing, and design and policy (scenario). Modeling in this approach is not a linear sequence of steps, but a feedback process [26].
Therefore, for Ardabil Regional Water Company to benefit from healthy, passionate and high-spirited employees, in order to provide quality services to customers, it is necessary to identify the factors affecting employees' burnout and employment using system dynamics.

 

Occupational burnout is a complex system in which appropriate methods must be used to achieve the relationships between them and to analyze other factors affecting them. Therefore, due to the complexity of the burnout system, the system dynamics analysis method was used to explain quantitative relationships between the factors affecting employee burnout, evaluation and simulation.
The method of system dynamics was founded in the late 1950s by J. Forrester at MIT [27]. This science is used to identify, understand, and analyze the behavior and movements of system components. The ability of this science is such that it can be used to model various problems and examine the changes caused by the interaction of variables and the identification of their future behavior [29].
The basis for preparing and drawing a cause-and-effect diagram in dynamic systems is based on information obtained from expert interviews, so during the interview with experts, the initial mental model was explained about the causes of the problem. And based on Figure 1, three factors, fatigue, error, and rework, were selected as dynamic hypotheses for model construction (positive, reinforcing, or R1 ring formation). With the development of the hypothesis, Figure 2 was designed (negative, equilibrium or B1 ring formation). Finally, Figure 2 was developed using cause-and-effect relationships; the result is illustrated in Figure 3. And in order for the cause and effect loops to be quantifiable and formulated in VENSIM software, they became the stock or flow diagram. Then, the validity of the model was checked through VENSIM software and using the conditional test method. Finally, options were selected as the scenario for simulation. And the simulation horizon was 52 weeks.

Figure 3: Cause and effect diagram
 

Prior to simulation, the mathematical relationships between the variables and the input and output rates of each accumulation were identified and verified through Vensim software. And according to the results of this test, the simulation capability of the model in the production of logical behavior is confirmed. In order to implement the following scenarios in the model, the values of the model parameters have been changed according to Table 1.

Table 1. How to apply different decision scenarios in the model

Current situation scenario;
Job satisfaction;
Job control;
Workers' Welfare;
Scenario 1: Continuation of the current situation: In this scenario, no changes have been made in the values ​​of the parameters and it is only based on the predictive model that the continuation of the current situation will have consequences for the company.
Scenario 2: Improving Job Satisfaction: In this scenario, the effect of increasing the amount of performance reward and reducing the level of performance expected from employees is assessed on employee burnout.
Scenario 3: Job Control: In this scenario, the factors of skill, learning opportunity and creativity, which are the parameters of job control, increase, which is effective on job burnout.
Scenario 4: Welfare parameters: In this scenario, the effect of increasing the welfare parameters and employee rest is examined. Which is effective in staff burnout.

By completing the simulation and entering the connection between the variables into the VENSIM software and simulating the results of the above scenarios, the output of the model was obtained as Figure 4.
The implementation of the first scenario showed that with the reduction of the accumulated volume of work, the burnout is increasing. In the second scenario, with increasing job satisfaction, employee productivity increases, but productivity further leads to a lack of change in job burnout and there is no significant difference in job burnout with the implementation of this policy. In the third scenario, an increase in occupational control variables led to a slowdown in employee growth and burnout. And in the fourth scenario, the effect of increasing the welfare parameters and the rest of the employees on job burnout is more than other strategies and its effectiveness is more.

Figure 4. The state of burnout, employment under four scenarios

Factors affecting occupational burnout were identified using the system dynamics method and among many identified variables, job satisfaction, occupational control and welfare and rest scenarios were extracted through simulation and VENSIM software. In this study, the job control variable slows down the growth rate of burnout, which is consistent with studies by Sholi et al. and Fernet et al. [16,18]. Also, one of the most important variables in this study, which shows the greatest decrease in occupational burnout, is well-being and rest, which is most effective and is consistent with Soltani’s study [14].

 

Using the results of the simulation model, it can be said that the development of employee welfare parameters and the development of job control are the most efficient strategies for managing the issue of burnout and employment of employees of Ardabil Regional Water Company, respectively. This research offers suggestions for company executives as follows.

• Development of employee welfare and leisure programs, gaining a clear understanding of employee expectations in creating new jobs that can help reduce the problem of burnout.

• Job satisfaction does not directly have a significant effect on burnout, but it does affect other variables such as performance, cracking, stress, error, and rework. Therefore, it is suggested that the reward system of the organization be based on the performance of employees in the company to create job satisfaction along with job justice.

The authors thank all those who helped them writing this article.

 

The authors declared no conflict of interest.