Matching Resources to People: Gender vs. Agency-Communion Fit in Burnout Reduction

Abstract: Burnout develops when job demands exceed employees’ coping capacity. However, job resources do not benefit all employees equally. From this perspective, burnout can also be understood as the outcome of role-value conflict, regarding how employees are expected to perform their roles and cope with job demands within organizational value systems. Organizational cultures emphasizing agency or communion shape normative expectations about effective performance and legitimate coping, such that misalignment between employee and organizational values may generate ongoing role-value-based conflict. Building on the Job Demands-Resources model, this research compares two explanations of person-organization fit: gender-based fit and orientation-based fit grounded in agency and communion. Across three studies conducted in heterogeneous, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), and HEED (Health, Education, Environment, and Domestic/Care) organizational contexts, the study examines how person-organization fit shapes the buffering effectiveness of social-emotional and structural resources. Data collection is ongoing, and results will be presented at the conference.

Keywords: Burnout; Job Demands-Resources; Person-Organization Fit; Agency and Communion; Gender.