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 fulfill 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 much 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 the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) added a new accreditation standard centered on these topics. However, burnout and compassion fatigue might be perpetuating equity and justice issues.
A 2021 Women in the Workplace report found that women were significantly more likely to experience burnout than men. The results from the survey demonstrate that despite putting in more hours and effort, women, specifically women of color, 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 aimed to determine the rates of burnout within historically marginalized groups working at zoos and aquariums. The study also examined how various forms of harassment and discrimination lead to burnout. Lastly, this study examined individuals’ work experiences to determine if they are more likely to have positive or negative experiences while working at zoos and aquariums. We expected individuals from historically marginalized groups and those who experience harassment and discrimination to have higher rates of burnout due to results from similar studies