Red tape, role conflict, and organisational injustice in bureaucracies: exploring the interplay of stressors and coping in public sector burnout

This study advances theory by highlighting the interplay of stressors and coping mechanisms and provides actionable strategies to mitigate burnout and strengthens resilience in complex bureaucratic organisations. Drawing on the job demands-resources model, conservation of resources theory, and other theories, the research employs a sequential mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative data with qualitative insights. The model demonstrates substantial explanatory power, underscoring the complexity of stressor interactions and coping dynamics in regulating burnout. Role conflict emerged as the strongest burnout predictor, associated with significant depletion of emotional and cognitive resources. Procedural injustice intensified burnout through dual pathways – directly increasing strain and indirectly eroding coping capacities. Distributive injustice undermined trust and motivation, fostering disengagement among employees. Red tape, entrenched in hierarchical cultures, reinforced prevention-focused coping while suppressing promotion-focused coping, reflecting systemic rigidity. Prevention-focused coping was associated with reduced burnout in high-demand environments.