“Stressed Out”: The Conditional Effect of Organizational Belongingness on Burnout Among Street-Level Bureaucrats

Abstract

A substantial body of literature examines the determinants of burnout levels among street-level bureaucrats. However, one factor that has not been investigated in relation to the reported burnout levels among public employees is the perceived level of belonging within an agency. We develop a theoretical rationale linking an agency’s level of belongingness with the employee’s reported level of feeling burned-out, with the expectation that this relationship is conditioned by the employee’s gender. When analyzing the perceptions among local law enforcement officers, we find evidence to support our theoretical expectations. For women officers, we find that an increase in the perception that the agency has a culture of belongingness is associated with a decrease in feeling burned out. We find that organizational belongingness has a weaker effect among male officers. These findings contribute to our understanding of how organizational belongingness within a public agency can influence the workforce morale for certain employees.