Job Demands as Antecedents of Burnout among University Academics in Tanzania

Abstract

Burnout among university academics is an increasingly important concern in higher education systems shaped by rapid expansion, intensified accountability, and persistent resource constraints. In Tanzania, these pressures are particularly consequential as universities seek to widen access, improve research productivity, and maintain quality under limited institutional support. Guided by Job Demands–Resources theory, this study examined whether three salient job demands—specifically teaching–research conflict, work–family conflict, and organisational constraints—predict burnout among academics in public universities. By focusing on these contextually relevant demands, the study provides evidence of how competing role expectations, blurred work–family boundaries, and institutional barriers are associated with academic burnout. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was employed, and data were collected from 662 university academics drawn from five public universities in Tanzania. The sample included full-time academic staff across different ranks and disciplinary areas. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling following preliminary data screening and an assessment of the measurement model that confirmed the reliability and validity of the study constructs. This approach made it possible to estimate the relative effects of each job demand on burnout within a single explanatory model. The results showed that all three job demands were positively and significantly associated with burnout. Teaching–research conflict emerged as the strongest predictor of burnout, followed closely by organisational constraints, while work–family conflict also demonstrated a significant positive effect. These findings indicate that burnout among university academics in Tanzania is closely linked to structurally demanding work conditions, including competing role expectations, the spillover of work into family life, and institutional barriers that hinder task accomplishment. The results further suggest that burnout is not merely an individual response to pressure but a consequence of broader features of the academic work environment. The study extends the applicability of Job Demands–Resources theory to an underrepresented African higher education context and provides context-specific evidence on factors that heighten burnout in Tanzanian universities. The study concludes that efforts to reduce burnout should move beyond individual coping strategies and instead address workload allocation, work–family boundary pressures, and institutional support conditions that shape everyday academic work.