Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Margeret Klein

Second Advisor

Phillip Pendley

Third Advisor

Rayond Hanna

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this sequential exploratory mixed-methods study was to identify key job demands and resources experienced by electric reliability compliance professionals, examine their relationships with burnout and work engagement, and interpret the findings using the Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) framework. Methodology: The study used a three-round Job Demands–Resources Secure Delphi (JSD) mixed-methods design. Round 1 reviewed, refined, and expanded a preliminary inventory of job demands and resources. Round 2 prioritized the resulting constructs through importance ratings and participant feedback. Round 3 surveyed 48 electric reliability compliance professionals using the finalized 10 job demands and 10 job resources, the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory–Short Form (OLBI–SF), and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale–9 (UWES–9). Analyses included descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson correlations, multiple regression, and integration of qualitative and quantitative findings.

Findings: Job resources demonstrated stronger and more consistent relationships with employee outcomes than overall job demands. Resources were negatively correlated with burnout (r = –.59, p < .001) and positively correlated with engagement (r = .50, p < .001). Job demands were positively related to burnout (r = .37, p < .01) but were not significantly related to engagement. Regression models explained approximately 35% of the variance in burnout and 27% of the variance in engagement. Job resources remained significant predictors in both models, whereas demands did not contribute significant unique variance. Supervisor support, peer support, recognition and compensation, and training opportunities showed particularly meaningful relationships with lower burnout or higher engagement. Inadequate tools and systems were associated with both greater burnout and lower engagement.

Conclusions: The findings support application of the JD–R model to electric reliability compliance work and suggest that resources may provide the strongest organizational leverage for improving workforce sustainability. Demands remained important, particularly regarding exhaustion, but strong relational and organizational resources appeared to help professionals stay engaged despite substantial workplace pressures. Supporting this workforce's well-being and effectiveness may therefore contribute not only to employee outcomes but also to the long-term effectiveness of electric reliability compliance functions.

Recommendations: Organizations should strengthen supportive supervision, peer networks, recognition, training and development, and access to adequate tools and systems while also reducing unnecessary process and documentation burdens. Leaders should protect employee time, clarify priorities during periods of regulatory change, and intentionally preserve professional relationships in remote and hybrid environments. Future research should examine larger and more geographically diverse samples, personal resources, longitudinal outcomes, and the specific workplace practices that most effectively reduce burnout and sustain engagement.

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