Emotional intelligence , areas of work life and Burnout Syndrome among selected university academic staffs in Ethiopia

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of burnout among university academicians in Ethiopia in relation with emotional intelligence and areas of work life factors. Descriptive survey study design, specifically cross-sectional survey was employed. 375 academic staffs were selected by using proportionate stratified random sampling method. Purposive sampling was followed to select 6 universities and two universities from each generation of universities. Maslach Burnout Inventory 22 items of Educators Survey, 28 items of the Areas of Work life Survey and 33 items of Brief Emotional Intelligence Scale (BEIS10) were used to collect information from respondents. Relationship of variables with burnout was tested using Pearson correlation coefficients and two sample t-test. The findings of the present study showed that there was moderate level of burnout on the university academicians. Emotional intelligence have significant association at 0.01 and the association is positive and very strongly with burnout. Work area life has positive and very strong association with burnout level among university academic staff which is significant at 0.01 Research, Society and Development, v. 9, n. 9, e709997765, 2020 (CC BY 4.0) | ISSN 2525-3409 | DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v9i9.7765 2 two tailed test. Finally the concerned bodies should consider different direction to prevent academicians from burnout and it is also recommended that administrators and the educationists utilize these findings to develop and improve teacher performance and prevent the on-set of burnout.

two tailed test. Finally the concerned bodies should consider different direction to prevent academicians from burnout and it is also recommended that administrators and the educationists utilize these findings to develop and improve teacher performance and prevent the on-set of burnout.

Introduction
Burnout is one in every of recognized job-related psychosocial issues that were outlined within the early 1970, once comparatively intensive social disruptions and powerful social commitments among numerous social teams (Farber, 2000). Despite the actual fact that many definitions of burnout are planned by totally different scholars; most have a tendency to consider Maslach and Jackson's (1981) description that delineates three central dimensions of burnout including: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization or "cynicism", and lack of nonpublic accomplishment (Farber, 2000). Emotional exhaustion refers to feeling emotionally drained by intense interactions; depersonalization refers to negative or uncaring attitudes toward others; and personal accomplishment applies to a decrease (or increase) in one's sense of proficiency in working with people (Maslach & Jackson, 1981;Reyes & Salovey, 2010). Research, Society and Development, v. 9, n. 9, e709997765, 2020 (CC BY 4.0) | ISSN 2525-3409 | DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v9i9.7765 4 The university education system has been affected by a number of factors coming from economic, political, social, cultural and technological changes, which have been taking place along the path of globalization (Luisa, Navarro, & Mas, 2010). Research indicates that academic staff continually faces increasing workloads, larger class size, minimal administrative support and decreasing resources to highlight a few (Hastings & Bham, 2003;Schaufeli & Enzmnn, 1998;Jackson, Schwab & Shuler, 1986).These days working hours are spread over every day of the week and every hour of the day, and many time schedules are characterized by flexible patterns. Moreover work situations in universities require academician to work on a regular basis due to tight deadlines, understaffing or emergency contingencies. Hence these changes in the education system contribute in psychosocial risk such as overstrain, chronic job stress and burnout for academician.
Teaching at higher institution level demands rigorous tasks like conducting scientific researches, providing advisory services, developing curriculum, providing community services, supervising students, engaging in consultancy services, arranging workshops and seminars, and delivering guidance and counseling services to their students and the community at large. This range of activities can lead academicians under great pressure and challenge. Therefore, for effective accomplishment of all these academic and extra-curricular activities, academicians need to be emotionally well-adjusted/organized and socioeconomically well-reinforced (Shukla & Trivedi, 2008).

Research Method and Instruments
Descriptive survey study design, specifically cross-sectional survey was employed.
This method was chosen because the samples were drawn from a population at one time and information was gathered from different respondents through a questionnaire at a single point in time (Cohen, Manion& Morrison, 2000). Purposive sampling was followed to select 6 universities from the total 32 universities of Ethiopia. Accordingly, two universities were selected from each generation of universities. From first generation Jimma university and Addis Abeba university, from second generation Ambo(Wolliso) university and Mizan-Tepi university, from third generation Metu university and Wolkite university.
To determine the sample size of the study, the researcher employed the technique suggested by pioneer researchers (Cohen, Manion& Morrison, 2000). Accordingly, from the estimate total population of 12,560 populations, they proposed a sample size of 370 to 375 participants, with a sampling error of 5% and a confidence level of 95%. Thus, 375 academic Research, Society and Development, v. 9, n. 9, e709997765, 2020 (CC BY 4.0) | ISSN 2525-3409 | DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v9i9.7765 5 staffs were selected as respondents of the study using proportionate stratified random sampling method. The inclusion criteria were (1) academicians in selected universities and (2) have a willing to participant. The instrument that used to gather data from the respondents was self-administered questionnaire. The items of the questionnaires were adopted from 22 items of the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Educators Survey, 28 items of the Areas of Work life Survey, 33 items of Brief Emotional Intelligence Scale (BEIS-10), and questions about demographic characteristics of participants.

Results and Discussion
The present study focused on investigating the emotional intelligence, work areas of life and burnout on academic staff of selected universities in Ethiopia. Self-administered questionnaires were administered to 375 university academician and 352(93.86%) of them were filled in and returned the questionnaire, the response rate was about 93.86 percent.
Under this section of the study finding on the correlation of emotional intelligence and burnout and discussion presented on Table 1 below.  (2011) emotional intelligence is also significantly correlated to burnout. In reality, the emotional intelligence demonstrate the knowledge almost feelings and how this knowledge impacts interpersonal relationship, and on the other hand, assessment and passionate expression in appropriate and competence disposition are as an pointer of the capacity to acknowledgment (Lyusin, 2006). So, it can be accepted that the solidarity of these competencies may reduce the sum of instructors defenselessness against burnout syndrome. In other words, those instructors who are less helpless against burnout syndrome possibly are among those who appreciate of higher emotional intelligence. May be these people are in a much better circumstance with respect to their get to the substantial information additionally their demeanor toward an activity which is concealed in feelings and in utilizing these information for bearing a meaning to their responses against upsetting elements (Chan, 2006).
Emotional intelligence has an important role in forming the person. Goleman (2004), states that emotional intelligence develops a kind of enthusiasm, confidence, friendship, motivation, and energy in the person. People with high emotional intelligence can transfer these feelings to the others. Researchers stated that people with high emotional intelligence are more successful in reaching their goals (Cooper, 2001).
When we have a good feeling, we will have an optimistic perspective and vice versa, emotional operation affects the neurotic-psychological function. When you are in a good mood, you remember good moments of your life and when you are upset, automatically you will remember bad events. So we can say that good mood makes us forget bad memories of that job. Emotional intelligence represents the ability of cognition, assessment and expressing emotion in a good way and ease cognition activities and emotion regulation in the individual and in the others (Gardner, 2005). (2007), describes emotional intelligence as it is not only a positive characteristic, but a collection of distinct emotional and reasoning abilities and compared with social intelligence has a more attention towards fundamental emotional issues and solving personal and social problems of the individuals. Individuals with high emotional intelligence are different from others in having more life satisfaction, enjoying family environment and participating in others feelings and are usually ordered kind, successful, motivated and optimistic (Salaski M, Gartwright S., 2002).

Mayer and Salovey
The other variable investigated under this study was correlations of areas of work life with burnout among selected university academicians. Table 2 below revealed the correlation output of work areas of life with burnout. Similarly, Job-Demand-Resource model of burnout (Bakker and Demerouti, 2007;Demeroutiet al., 2001;Schaufeli et al., 2009) disclosed that when workload level is high, it becomes difficult for employees to allocate their attention and energy efficiently. Although all sets of factors are important to consider; it has been shown that organizational factors have greater impact on burnout than another factors (Suresh et al., 2013). Work-life balance is the equilibrium state in which a person's professional and family life is equally balanced (Lockwood, 2003). Balance in work-life and family life enhances the performance of an employee and productivity is positively correlated with performance and increases satisfaction levels. Tall execution frequently reflects worker commitment to the organization.
This commitment and devotion toward the organization is expanded by the favorable polices embraced by the firm. These arrangements not as it were quicken execution but they too diminish the turnover deliberate of employee (Elton, 2001).The current studies finding is also in line with the above explanations that when employees have confortable with their work area of life, they less experience burnout so that can perform their outmost to bring tangible output of their job.

Conclusion and Recommendation
The general purpose of this study was to assess the correlation of emotional intelligence, areas of work life and burnout syndrome among selected university academicians in Ethiopia. Both emotional intelligence and work areas of life has positive and very strong association with burnout level among university academic staff which is significant at 0.01 two tailed test. As a teacher occupies an important place in the educational process and the influence of teachers on students cannot be fathomed. So the higher education system should deal with burnout provoking situation to make academicians free of it. A teacher who is undergoing burnout could be depersonalized, emotionally exhausted or perceive a lack of personal accomplishment. Consequently, an individual who is undergoing burnout may not be able to execute the role of teacher effectively. It is recommended that the concerned bodies should consider different direction that can facilitate academicians to develop emotional intelligence like life skill training, problem solving training to prevent academicians from burnout. In addition it is also recommended that the University should take initiation to decrease work related loads or make an adjustment in the way that helps the staff to prevent them from burnout. Finally there is a need for future investigation to find detailed explanation about burnout on academicians in relation to emotional intelligence, work areas of life and related factors. So it is suggested that the researcher interested on this area can use these findings as stepping stone.