Relationship between Burnout Syndrome and Accountants Tenure of Office, Level of Professional Education and Health

Abstract

Generally speaking, job burnout is a prolonged response to chronic emotional and interpersonal stressors on the job, and is defined by the three dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. Job burnout affects all professions including accountancy. But there are not enough studies about the relationship between burnout syndrome and accountant's tenure of office, level of professional education and health. In this point of view, this study examines the relationship between burnout syndrome and accountant's tenure of office, level of professional education and health. The research employed a descriptive cross-sectional study using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, General survey and the General Health Questionnaire were used in all the sections of the Finance Department within Main Campus, Colleges, Student Welfare Authority, University Health Services, and the University of Nairobi Entrepreneurial Services Ltd (UNES). The results indicated the existence of burnout syndrome among accountants at the University of Nairobi. There was statistical significance between level of education and emotional exhaustion. This implied that the professional education and health life of accountants may directly lead to burnout. Further, length of service had no statistical significance on job performance and burnout. Although the results indicate that there was no significant relationship between the length of service and burnout, the prevalence of burnout among accountants largely depend on the individual reaction to the environmental stressors.