THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF RESEARCHING EMOTIONAL BURNOUT OF SERVICE WORKERS

Abstract

The article presents a theoretical and empirical analysis of the problem of emotional burnout of service sector workers. It is stated that the service sector is a set of industries that are engaged in the implementation of intangible products. Services are a unique product, since they rarely have a tangible nature and their quality depends on the personality of the person providing them. This area is more labor-intensive compared to others, and the performance of professional tasks requires not only technical skills, but also emotional involvement. Triggers in service workers are often repeated and cause emotional burnout or a state of physiological, sensory and cognitive exhaustion in situations of prolonged emotional stress. Any activity in the service sector is a continuous stress and exhaustion. Service workers are often in direct interaction, communication with customers. This requires the skills of possessing a high level of emotional response, but also puts them at risk of emotional burnout. Emotional burnout develops in three directions: psychophysical, socio-psychological, behavioral. It has been established that the behavioral sphere of manifestation of symptoms of emotional burnout is amenable to research and analysis even through observation. The article presents the main results of an empirical study using various methods: “Diagnosis of Professional Burnout” by K. Maslach, S. Jackson adapted by N. Vodopyanova, “Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)” by Sh. Cohen, “Methodology for Diagnosing the Level of Emotional Burnout” by V. Boyko), author’s questionnaire. The sample of service sector workers studied is 64 respondents, of whom 32 are female and 32 are male, aged 17 to 50 years from various service sectors. Conclusions are formulated regarding the results of an empirical study of the problem of emotional burnout among service sector workers.