Secondary research objective 2: What are the common cultural and institutional
factors that lead to low self-esteem, high burnout and employee turnover intentions?
Cultural and Institutional Factors that lead to High Burnout, Low Self-esteem and
Employee Turnover Intentions
Two major themes emerged from participant’s responses/narratives namely responsive factors
and generic factors. The table below elaborates the themes and subthemes.
Table:
Cultural and Institutional Factors
Themes and Subthemes Elaboration on Themes
Responsive Factors
Aspirations
Chronic Disease
Feedback
Norms
Rewards
Workplace issues
The theme of ‘responsive factors’ in this study referred to
those causes that involved reactions to eliciting issues.
Expressions and statements by the participants referring to
aspirations, chronic disease, feedback, norms, rewards and
benefits were included in this criterion.
Aspirations
The subtheme of ‘aspirations’ referred to responses that
mentioned cherished desires. Participant 11 shared this
subtheme.
Participant 11 stated: “The demand rate of the goals and
objectives in life.”
Chronic Disease
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The subtheme of ‘chronic disease’ referred to responses that
mentioned recurrent illness. Participant 4 shared this
subtheme.
Participant 4 stated: “Illnesses that are life threatening and
life long.”
Feedback
The subtheme of ‘feedback’ referred to responses that
depicted responses to behaviours and performance.
Participants 3 and 15 shared this subtheme.
Participant 3 mentioned: “Lack of appreciation, lack of
motivation.”
Participant 15 stated: “Negative self talk”
Norms
The subtheme of ‘norms’ was widely articulated. It was
derived from responses that touched on standards of
behaviour, patterns of behaviour or models of behaviour.
Participants 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16, 18 and 19 shared this
subtheme.
Participant 1 mentioned: “Male and female role
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differentiations”
Participant 2 stated: “Cultural stereotypes of “what is a
good person” versus who is a bad person.”
Participant 5 mentioned: “Harmful cultural practices, and
Stigmatisation.”
Participant 8 stated: “Common self cultural beliefs that can
hinder progression”
Participant 19 identified: “Fashion.”
Participant 12 alluded to: “Societal and institutional
expectations that can be unrealistic.”
Participant 9 reported: “Clash between tradition and
modernity.”
Participant 13 stated: “Expected cultural roles and
responsibilities.”
Participant 16 expressed: “Cultural defined expectations.”
Participant 18 expressed: “Belief system that contradict the
guidelines set out by relevant bodies.”
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Rewards
The subtheme of rewards refers to responses that mentioned
or articulated lack off or diminished payments or benefits in
return for actions or events. Participants 1, 14, 17, 18, 20, 21,
22 and 23 shared this subtheme.
Participant 1 narrated: “Lack of appreciation, inadequate
support and institutions giving poor rewards. Male and
female role differentiations”
Participant 20 reported: “Under payment.”
Participant 14 stated: “No motivation.”
Participant 17 stated: “Low pay.”
Participant 6 reported: “De-motivation.”
Participant 18 stated: “Lack of motivation”
Participant 21 stated: “Devalue of self and feeling of
worthlessness.”
Participant 22 reported: “Lack of recognition for efforts.”
Participant 23 stated: “Lack of appraisal, and assuming that
employees should not rest and should work nonstop for
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productivity to be high.”
Participant 22 reported: “Lack of self empowerment through
training, education and lack of balance.”
Participant 20 reported: “Under payment.”
Generic Factors
Demographics
Family Issues
Interpersonal Issues
Workplace Issues
Generic factors refer to those factors that touch on
contributions arising from Descriptives of the counsellors.
Expressions and statements referring to demographics,
family issues, interpersonal issues and workplace issues were
included in this criterion.
Demographics
Participant 10 stated: “Social status.”
Participants 4 and 20 stated: “Education.”
Family issues
Participants 7, 9 and 23 shared the subtheme of ‘family
issues’. It referred to causes attributed to kinship and primary
social group.
Participant 7 stated: “Family issues where disputes are not
resolved and relationships are strained.”
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Participant 9 stated: “Problems at home.”
Participant 23 stated: “Family problems especially in
marriage.”
Interpersonal Issues
The subtheme of ‘interpersonal issues’ was derived from
responses that depicted issues arising or involving
interactions with people. Participants 2, 13, 14, 16 and 17
shared this subtheme.
Participant 13 stated: “Lack of regard for others.”
Participant 14 reported: “Chauvinism.”
Participant 16 reported: “Perfectionist and boastful bosses.”
Participant 2 stated: “Peer pressure.”
Participant 17. “Workplace strife”
Workplace Issues
The subtheme of ‘workplace issues’ was derived from
responses that depicted factors arising or involving work
settings. Participants 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 15, and 17 shared
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this subtheme.
Participant 17 stated: “Workplace strife and overworking”
Participant 12 reported: “Institutional insecurity.”
Participant 15 reported: “Being put down by supervisors,
lack of recognition of efforts put into work performance.”
Participant 3 reported: “Poor succession planning in
institutions structure.”
Participant 6 stated: “Wide range of important issues to be
dealt with in the institutions without concomitant resources.”
Participant 10 reported: “Constant criticisms for not making
progress yet you don’t get the support required.”
Participant 8 stated: “Supervisors with burnout issues
themselves.”
Participant 11 reported: “Management and co-workers
making decisions without involving part of the team.”
