Introduction
In 2019, World Health Organization (WHO) added Burnout Syndrome to the
11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases. People
who experience burnout may have symptoms like stress, exhaustion, energy
depletion, and feeling unaccomplished as a direct result of chronic
workplace stress \cite{organization2019}. A study in 2017 found that job burnout can
lead to many long-term health complications like heart disease, Type 2
diabetes, and major depressive disorder \cite{Salvagioni_2017}. Harvard Business Review estimated that job burnout has resulted
in $125 billion to $190 billion spent annually in healthcare costs
\cite{e2017}.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, many people have left their jobs and
careers, searching for ones that better fulfil their financial and
personal needs \cite{j2021}. Many news outlets and social media
discussions have described this as the “Great Resignation” \cite{j2021a}. Many organizations and businesses have yet to take responsibility
for this, as employers historically redirected blame to the employees.
However, several studies discovered some key factors that lead to
workplace burnout. Among the top five are an unreasonable workload, lack
of support from management, and unfair treatment \cite{Maslach_2016}.
Burnout has been heavily
researched in fields like healthcare and teaching, as these fields tend
to be the most physically and emotionally demanding, with long hours
\cite{Maslach_2001}. Nurses, doctors, veterinarians, and teachers are
also at risk of compassion fatigue. The American Psychological
Association \cite{a2020} explains that compassion fatigue happens when
people take on the suffering, stress, and trauma experienced by others.
Those working at zoos and aquariums might recognize the symptoms of
burnout and compassion fatigue. Research shows that similarly to
healthcare workers, animal care workers take on the stress and trauma
experienced by animals \cite{Hill_2020}. There has not been a lot of
research looking at burnout rates among zoo and aquarium professionals.
Many facilities have increased their diversity, inclusion, and equity
(DEI) initiatives in the last few years after a new accreditation
standard was added to AZA accreditation. However, burnout
and compassion fatigue might be perpetuating equity and justice issues.
A 2021 report from Women in the Workplace found that those who
identified as women were significantly more likely to experience burnout
than those who identified as men. The results from the survey
demonstrate that despite putting in more hours and effort, women,
specifically women of colour, were significantly less likely to advance
in their careers. This situation causes people to feel under
accomplished and underrecognized compared to their peers - a key factor
in burnout. research indicates that those who identify as women \cite{s2021}, LGBTQ+ \cite{Samuels_2021}, and/or Black, Indigenous, and people of colour \cite{Basma_2021} are more likely than their
peers to experience discrimination and mental health issues in the
workplace, which can also lead to burnout.
Organizations like zoos and aquariums can try new recruitment strategies
and training programs to increase the number of diverse employees.
However, facilities’ “diversity” numbers will not last if burnout
disproportionately affects specific groups. Organizations need to
understand who experiences burnout and how to support those individuals,
as this will help build their equity and justice initiatives.
This study aims to determine the rates of burnout within historically
marginalized groups working at zoos and aquariums. The study also
examines how various forms of harassment and discrimination lead to
burnout. Lastly, this study looks at individuals’ work experiences to
determine if they are more likely to have positive or negative
experiences while working at zoos and aquariums. Individuals from
historically marginalized groups and those who experience harassment and
discrimination are expected to have higher rates of burnout.
By surveying people who are working or have previously worked at zoos
and aquariums, we can answer the question, “Do people from historically
marginalized groups (race, gender, sexuality, disability) experience
higher rates of workplace burnout in zoo & aquarium careers than people
who identify as white, men, straight, and/or non-disabled?”