| Abstract: | Abstract The population researched in this study were attendees at the Sixth International Conference & Trade Show for Keepers of the Inn-Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII) bi-annual conference. Attendees were asked to respond to a two-page survey designed to measure their personal levels of burnout across three realms. The survey utilized a well-known and well-validated instrument initially designed and revised by Christina Maslach in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) utilizes an ordinal seven-point scale to ascertain the degree of burnout exhibited by subjects across three realms, including Personal Accomplishment, Depersonalization, and Emotional Exhaustion. The MBI was supplemented with a series of demographic questions designed through a review of burnout literature. Results were far more positive than originally expected. Generally, Bed-and-Breakfast owner/operators demonstrated relatively low levels of burnout across two of the three realms. And when compared against seven other industries known to exhibit high burnout, the results remained quite similar. In the area of Personal Accomplishment, respondents scored “low” burnout-the lowest burnout exhibited across eight separate industries. For the Depersonalization subscale, respondents again scored “low” burn-out-this time the second lowest burnout exhibited across the eight industries. However, under the Emotional Exhaustion realm, findings were less positive. Respondent Bed-and-Breakfast owner/operators demonstrated “moderate” Emotional Exhaustion burnout, but it was the highest burnout found across the eight distinct industries. |
