A path analysis study of relationships between long work hours, stress, burnout, job satisfaction and turnover intention among mine workers

• Date: 23 December 2024
• Pages: 86-100
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWHM-01-2024-0018
• Published date: 23 December 2024
• Subject Matter: Health & social care,Healthcare management,HR & organizational behaviour,Human resource policy,Employee welfare
• Author: Todd D. Smith,Charmaine Mullins-Jaime,Abdulrazak O. Balogun

A path analysis study of relationships

between long work hours, stress,

burnout, job satisfaction and turnover

intention among mine workers

Todd D. Smith

School of Public Health, Indiana University – Bloomington,

Bloomington, Indiana, USA

Charmaine Mullins-Jaime

Bailey College of Engineering and Technology, Indiana State University,

Terre Haute, Indiana, USA, and

Abdulrazak O. Balogun

Department of Safety and Occupational Health Applied Sciences,

Keene State College, Keene, New Hampshire, USA

Abstract

Purpose –Increased work hours can result in stress and burnout among mine workers. Research within stone,

sand and gravel mining operations is limited and has not explored whether health impairment, in this context,

influences job satisfaction and turnover intention among these workers.

Design/methodology/approach –A path analysis was completed using Mplus to assess a theoretical model and

hypotheses associated with model variables to include work hours, stress, burnout, job satisfaction and turnover

intention. Cross-sectional survey data from 419 stone, sand andgravel mine workers were used in the path analysis.

Findings –Model fit was good. Work hours were positively associated with stress, stress was positively

associated with burnout, stress and burnout were negatively associated with job satisfaction, stress and burnout

were positively associated with turnover intention and job satisfaction was negatively associated with turnover

intention. Burnout partially mediated the relationship between stress and both job satisfaction and turnover

intention. Job satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between stress and turnover intention and burnout

and turnover intention. An alternate model determined there was no direct relationship between work hours and

burnout and that this relationship was fully mediated by stress.

Originality/value –Findings illustrate the importance of managing work hours among mine workers to reduce

health impairment and to bolster job satisfaction and reduce turnover intention.

Keywords Stress, Burnout, Worker health, Job satisfaction, Turnover intention, Mining

Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction

Mining provides employment opportunities and products necessary for infrastructure and

economic growth (Agboola et al., 2020;Fan et al., 2017;National Mining Association, 2022;

Shen et al., 2015). Aggregates mining by stone, sand, and gravel mining (SSGM) operators is an

important sector within the mining industry, particularly in the midwestern United States. Stone,

sand and gravel are the most mined materials on Earth (Bendixen et al., 2021). This sector

accounts for 80% of active mining operations in the United States (NIOSH, 2022). Today, there

is a significant demand for aggregate products (National Mining Association, 2022;

IJWHM

18,1

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This study [AFC 719-34] was supported by the Alpha Foundation for the Improvement of Mine Safety and

Health, Inc. (Alpha Foundation). The views, opinions and recommendations expressed herein are solely

those of the authors and do not imply any endorsement by the Alpha Foundation, its directors and staff. The

authors would like to thank Dr Kevin Slates, the Vincennes University Mining Program and the Indiana

Mineral Aggregates Association for their assistance with recruiting study participants. The authors also thank

the many workers that participated in the survey to enhance mine worker safety and health.

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

https://www.emerald.com/insight/1753-8351.htm

Received 30 January 2024

Revised 17 May 2024

26 August 2024

6 November 2024

19 November 2024

Accepted 22 November 2024

InternationalJournal of Workplace

HealthManagement

Vol.18 No. 1, 2025

pp.86-100

©Emerald Publishing Limited

e-ISSN:1753-836X

p-ISSN:1753-8351

DOI10.1108/IJWHM-01-2024-0018