How Workplace Support of Religion and Spirituality Buffered Burnout During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing resource gaps, particularly in the workplace, often leading to burnout. Research shows that religious and spiritual resources buffer workplace burnout, but little research examines the impact of workplace support for religion and spirituality (R/S) on workplace burnout. Using a nationally representative survey of U.S. workers during the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 1,492), we analyze the association of workplace support for R/S with workers’ frequency of burnout and how this association differs between essential and nonessential workers. We find that greater workplace support for R/S was associated with less frequent burnout, net of personal religiosity, support of a faith community, and general workplace support during the pandemic. We also find a greater buffering effect for essential workers, compared to nonessential workers. These findings underscore the importance of workplace support for R/S in mitigating burnout, particularly for those most vulnerable to crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

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