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Factors Associated with Providers’ Work Engagement and Burnout in Homeless Services: A Cross‐national Study
Author(s) -
Lenzi Michela,
Santinello Massimo,
Gaboardi Marta,
Disperati Francesca,
Vieno Alessio,
Calcagnì Antonio,
Greenwood Ronni Michelle,
Rogowska Aleksandra M.,
Wolf Judith R.,
Loubière Sandrine,
Beijer Ulla,
Bernad Roberto,
VargasMoniz Maria J.,
Ornelas José,
Spinnewijn Freek,
Shinn Marybeth
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1002/ajcp.12470
Subject(s) - burnout , service provider , work engagement , health psychology , social work , multilevel model , service (business) , psychology , work (physics) , nursing , applied psychology , public health , business , medicine , clinical psychology , marketing , political science , computer science , mechanical engineering , machine learning , law , engineering
The complexity of homeless service users’ characteristics and the contextual challenges faced by services can make the experience of working with people in homelessness stressful and can put providers’ well‐being at risk. In the current study, we investigated the association between service characteristics (i.e., the availability of training and supervision and the capability‐fostering approach) and social service providers’ work engagement and burnout. The study involved 497 social service providers working in homeless services in eight different European countries (62% women; mean age = 40.73, SD = 10.45) and was part of the Horizon 2020 European study “Homelessness as Unfairness (HOME_EU).” Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), findings showed that the availability of training and supervision were positively associated with providers’ work engagement and negatively associated with burnout. However, results varied based on the perceived usefulness of the training and supervision provided within the service and the specific outcome considered. The most consistent finding was the association between the degree to which a service promotes users’ capabilities and all the aspects of providers’ well‐being analyzed. Results are discussed in relation to their implications for how configuration of homeless services can promote social service providers’ well‐being and high‐quality care.