Artificial intelligence, psychosocial work environment, and burnout among municipal employees: A cross-sectional study
Hjördís SigursteinsdóttirBackground
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being integrated into public sector workplaces, yet little is known about how employees’ perceptions of AI relate to psychosocial working conditions and burnout.
Objective
To examine associations between AI-related factors, psychosocial working conditions, and burnout among municipal employees, and whether psychosocial work environment characteristics mediate these associations.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among employees from 11 Icelandic municipalities. The final sample included 3488 employees. Burnout was measured using the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT). AI-related factors included AI use, organizational support, perceived benefits, AI-related concerns and insecurity, and trust in the ethical governance of AI. Hierarchical regression and mediation analyses were performed controlling for age and gender.
Results
Psychosocial working conditions showed the strongest associations with burnout. Higher quantitative job demands were associated with higher burnout, whereas supervisor support and an innovative and change-supportive climate were associated with lower burnout. AI-related concerns and insecurity were associated with higher burnout, while trust in the ethical governance of AI was associated with lower burnout. Unexpectedly, perceived benefits of AI were directly associated with higher burnout and indirectly associated with burnout through higher quantitative job demands. Mediation analyses showed that AI-related perceptions were linked to burnout primarily through established psychosocial work characteristics.
Conclusions
Burnout among municipal employees was primarily associated with psychosocial working conditions. AI-related perceptions provided additional explanatory value but appeared to influence burnout mainly through psychosocial job demands and organizational resources. These findings highlight the importance of employee-centred AI implementation, trustworthy governance, and healthy work environments.