Why sales workers burn out? Subjective well-being, materialism, mindfulness: predictors of sales forceburnout (in Russian)

Abstract

Purpose. Studying the influence of personal resources (subjective well-being, dispositional materialism, and mindfulness) on trade workers’ professional burnout and identifying key predictors of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduction of professional achievement. Methodology. The research is based on the concept of professional burnout (C. Maslach, N. Vodopyanova) and personal resources (E. Diener, R. Belk, K. Karpinsky, D. Leontiev). The research methodology was based on the approaches of C. Maslach and N. Vodopyanova, who consider burnout as a complex multilevel process, including emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduction of professional achievements.The work also used E. Diener’s ideas about subjective well-being, and the influence of dispositional materialism was analyzed on the basis of theoretical approaches of R. Belk and K. Karpinsky. Awareness as an important resource in working with emotional exhaustion was considered in terms of the concepts of O. Mitina, D. Leontiev and L. Aleksandrova. Standardized questionnaires and quantitative methods of analysis (correlation, regression, Mann — Whitney) were used. Findings. The most significant predictors of trade workers’ burnout were determined. Among them greed and excessive focus on tasks have the greatest negative impact on the level of emotional exhaustion of employees. Practical implications. The results can be used by managers and psychologists to create burnout prevention programs. Recommendations were developed to reduce excessive fixation on material values and to form a conscious attitude to work. Value of results. The study for the first time empirically verifies the influence of materialism and mindfulness on sales workers’ burnout. The identified predictors allow for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization in sales.