BURNOUT, ENGAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR OF BUSINESS MANAGERS

The article is devoted to the analysis of the leading symptoms of burnout, caused by the specifics of managerial activity in the business environment. A survey of 149 managers and owners of commercial organizations was conducted using the "Professional burnout" method, the Utrecht Scale of Work Engagement, and the "Work-related Behavior and Experiences" questionnaire. The obtained results reveal the prevalence and internal structure of burnout of business managers in Ukraine, which is characterized by manifestations of exhaustion and depersonalisation along with high self-esteem of personal achievements and involvement in work. Among the manifestations of burnout, signs of exhaustion turned out to be the most common: almost half of managers constantly or often experience a state of exhaustion of emotional, motivational, and physical resources. Depersonalisation of managers is not a natural consequence of exhaustion and not the reason for the reduction of personal achievements; it is accompanied by energy, initiative, absorption in activity. We observed many "highly cynical" respondents with the highest scores on the scales of professional efficiency and involvement in work. The intercorrelations of the burnout scales contradict the theoretical causal model: there is no significant relationship between the indicators of exhaustion and depersonalization, while there is a strong direct correlation of the scales of depersonalization and professional effectiveness. These data expand knowledge about the professionally important qualities of managers and clarify the three-component theoretical model of burnout. A well-founded view of professional cynicism as a protective strategy of self-preservation, which is related to the manifestations of burnout, but is not an unambiguously negative symptom. Depersonalisation contributes to the saving of internal resources of managers at a high level of energy costs and involvement in activities. The optimal level of psychological distancing from work and some objectification of employees ensures the effective performance of managerial functions in a business environment. This is a kind of personal adaptation to professional challenges, which has both favorable and destructive sides.