Role Of Organisational Justice And Gender In Burnout Among Academic Staff Of Polytechnics In Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

This research examined the role of organisational justice and gender in burnout among academic staff of polytechnics in Southwest Nigeria. The population comprised all academic staff of government-owned polytechnics in Southwest Nigeria. The study involved 480 participants selected through multi-stage sampling procedure. The sample consists of 297 male and 183 female lecturers aged 22–65 years with a mean age of 33.84 (SD= 7.95). A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, employing a multi-stage sampling technique.  Data were collected using the Measure of Organisational Justice (MOJ) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and analysed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression and independent t-test methods via SPSS version 25. The results showed that organisational justice significantly contributed to burnout among the participants, with distributive justice and interpersonal justice showing significant negative correlations with burnout. Findings also revealed no significant differences in burnout levels between male and female polytechnic lecturers. The study recommends that government, regulatory body and institutions’ management, should actively promote fairness, equity, and equality in both resource allocation and interpersonal interactions as a strategic approach to reducing burnout among academic staff. Higher perceptions of fairness in resource allocation and interpersonal treatment would serve as buffers against burnout, thereby reduce its negative impact on lecturers’ well-being.