Burnout in healthcare: can job autonomy heal, or does context hold the key?

Purpose This study investigates the relationship between job autonomy and burnout among healthcare professionals, focusing on two key contextual elements that moderate this relationship: role ambiguity and workers’ age. Design/methodology/approach Employing an integrative approach, this research combines the Job Demands-Resources model with the lifespan developmental framework. A multilevel analysis was conducted on a sample of 1,232 hospital workers, nested within 74 units, to examine the relationships between job autonomy and burnout across teams with varying levels of aggregated role ambiguity, incorporating the factor of workers’ age. Findings The results indicate significant interaction effects between job autonomy, age and role ambiguity in relation to burnout. Job autonomy is associated with lower levels of burnout in contexts of moderate role ambiguity. In contrast, in highly uncertain contexts, job autonomy proves more beneficial for older workers, while it appears to have negative effects on younger workers. Originality/value This study enhances our understanding of the complex dynamics between job autonomy and burnout among healthcare professionals by utilizing a multilevel approach to examine the impact of contextual role ambiguity and workers’ age. The multilevel analysis offers original insights into the role of ambiguity, while the integration of two robust theoretical frameworks (i.e. JD-R model and Lifespan framework) provides a solid foundation for contributing to the discussion.