Work engagement and burnout syndrome of civil servants during and after the covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

There have been a number of changes in organizations in the context of anti-epidemic measures, so the authors aim to examine the level of engagement of civil servants before the pandemic and now and to examine the correlation between engagement and burnout syndrome. Based on a review and analysis of the available Czech and foreign literature, a questionnaire survey was prepared, and a survey was conducted on a sample of 984 respondents (civil servants) in the Czech Republic. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and a questionnaire assessing burnout syndrome were used. The data were processed using statistical methods. In addition, parametric paired t-test and one-way ANOVA were used. This study provides insight into the current state of the issue and possible changes caused by the covid-19 pandemic. For the observed sample of respondents, it was found that burnout syndrome had no impact on the engagement of civil servants; age had no impact on the burnout syndrome of civil servants, and the level of engagement of civil servants was higher in 2022 than before the pandemic. The novelty of the study is the focus on the measurements mentioned above, as similar research has not been conducted in the Czech Republic yet. The findings from this research may be useful for practitioners and the management of public institutions if a similar situation arises in the future.