Exploring the relationship between wellness behaviors and burnout amongst university faculty and staff

Abstract Higher education has recently experienced unprecedented faculty exodus, largely due to burnout. Burnout is associated with poor health outcomes. Active lifestyles contribute to health and reduced burnout, but research investigating wellness behaviors and burnout amongst university faculty and staff is lacking. The purpose of this study was to assess wellness behaviors including physical activity, nutrition and sleep in university faculty and staff and their associations with burnout.  This mixed methods study included two phases. First phase was a quantitative survey assessing burnout total burnout, self-reported physical activity, nutrition and sleep behaviors. Phase II was a qualitative open-ended questionnaire assessing perceptions of workplace factors associated with burnout and campus resources to support wellness. A total of 294 faculty and staff participated in phase I. The majority of respondents identified as female (n= 158, 53.7%) and in faculty roles, n=150 (53.6%). The majority of participants, n=169 (57.5%) reported moderate or high levels of burnout. The majority of participants were inactive or minimally active, n=174 (59.2%). There was a statistically significant, positive, correlation between physical activity status and personal burnout,  r(252)=0.21, p <0.001. Of 48 participants in phase II, access to wellness resources and organizational factors emerged as factors associated with burnout. Participants expressed desires for improved access to exercise and wellness resources and described disparities between student resources and those for faculty. This research might be used to inform practice through the development of support programs, wellness initiatives, or facilities for physical activity on campus for faculty and staff.