Examining Female Leaders’ Burnout Through the Lens of Personal Life Factors
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15170/MM.2025.59.03.04.Keywords:
burnout, female leaders, marital status, age, number of children, psychological capital, mentoring, HR strategyAbstract
THE AIM OF THE PAPER
The aim of the study is to examine burnout among female leaders in relation to three personal factors: marital status, age, and number of children.
METHODOLOGY
The research was based on a quantitative methodology involving 113 female leaders. Data were collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with IBM SPSS Statistics 27.0.
MOST IMPORTANT RESULTS
The risk of burnout is higher among younger, single, and childless female leaders, exacerbated by low self-confidence, lack of feedback, and societal expectations. In contrast, older leaders with children and in a marital relationship show greater psychological stability, partly due to skills developed through parenting. Younger leaders often overburden themselves out of fear of being perceived as incompetent. Social and organizational support, mentoring, and targeted development programs can significantly reduce the risk of burnout.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is crucial to strengthen the self-confidence of young female leaders through training and mentoring programs. Psychological counseling is recommended for single or divorced leaders. Coping strategies used by mothers—such as time management and flexibility—can be applied at the organizational level. Flexible work arrangements and personalized feedback also help reduce burnout. Developing psychological capital, such as optimism and resilience, contributes to long term well-being and retention of female leaders.
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