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Well-being among Black female managers in retail banking during COVID-19

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Well-being among Black female managers in retail banking during COVID-19

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Well-Being Among Black Female Managers in Retail Banking During COVID-19
by
Stephen Sang-Min Lee

Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
A dissertation submitted to the faculty
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education

December 2022

© Copyright by Stephen Sang-Min Lee 2022
All Rights Reserved

The Committee for Stephen Sang-Min Lee certifies the approval of this Dissertation

Bernadette Lucas
Kimberly Hirabayashi
Bryant Adibe, Committee Chair

Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
2022

iv
Abstract
This study examined how burnout affected perceptions of employee effectiveness during the
COVID-19 pandemic among Black female managers in the financial services industry. The study
also examined the perceived organizational and leadership actions that positively impacted
employee well-being. The study utilized social cognitive theory as described by Bandura. The
methodology was a qualitative design that included semistructured interviews. The study
findings show that Black female managers generally did not feel their effectiveness was
impacted by the heightened level of burnout felt during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results
also show that immediate managers had a significant impact on burnout. Based on the findings
and conceptual framework, this dissertation offers three recommendations for practice.
Limitations and delimitations of the study can better inform future studies, strategies, and
practices that will help organizations and leaders utilize resources for an equitable workplace.

v
Acknowledgments
I would first like to acknowledge my dissertation committee. My chair, Dr. Bryant Adibe,
thank you for your expertise and support in helping me push through the dissertation. I took a
class that you taught in four of my eight semesters at Rossier. I wish I had taken more classes
with you. To my committee members, Dr. Hirabayashi and Dr. Lucas, thank you for your
feedback, time, and expertise in finishing my dissertation. I also wanted to thank Dr. Regur for
the numerous times she reviewed my drafts and provided her expertise. Finally, to my Saturday
Breakfast Club, it has been a privilege to take all Saturday classes with you throughout the term.
I would like to acknowledge the eight brave Black female leaders who participated in this
study. They guided me in this journey and provided incredible insight into their work
experiences. Thank you for being vulnerable, cheerful, concerned, and honest throughout the
process. The information you provided has been invaluable.
I want to acknowledge my mom, dad, brother, and late grandma. It has been 35 years
since we first immigrated to the United States. We have been through Dad being shot, Mom
getting her nose broken, my brother being robbed at gunpoint, the Northridge earthquake, and
countless hours of work, but we prevailed. We lost everything multiple times, but we prevailed
because we stayed together as a family. I miss you, very much, Grandma. You walked me to
elementary school every day and waited for me when school concluded. You helped the family
succeed by caring for my brother and me while mom and dad worked three jobs, seven days a
week, to make ends meet. Also, to my brother’s wife, Helen, and kids, Nicholas, Justus, and
Evelyn, thank you for always putting a smile on my face. I would also like to thank my wife’s
family for cheering me on and attending my graduation ceremony. Thank you, Ain and Jain, for
supporting me.

vi
I wanted to thank my wife, son, and unborn son. To my wife, Jennie Lee, thank you for
your support through the GMAT, four investment licenses, an MBA, and a doctorate, and for
taking care of our son Maddux during the process. You were always in my corner, cheering me
on throughout this journey, and now we are expecting another son! To my son Maddux, thank
you for making everyone laugh in the room, no matter what the situation was at home. I will
always cherish the memories of you quietly sleeping in a Baby Bjorn while I was studying.
Somehow you knew to stay asleep when I was studying at night. Finally, to my unborn son
Hendrix, your family is waiting for you.
Finally, I wanted to thank God, the father almighty. I heard a joke among seminarians
preparing for a life of the priesthood. The joke reads as follows: “If you want to make God laugh,
tell him about your future plans.” I am not sure how I ended here, but I know I could not have
done any of it without your guidance. Everything I owe, I owe to you, God. Thank you, God, for
always providing me with a glimmer of hope to help me keep going when times were tough.

vii
Table of Contents
Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iv
Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................... v
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. ix
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. x
Chapter One: Introduction to the Study .......................................................................................... 1
Context and Background of the Problem ............................................................................ 1
Purpose of the Project ......................................................................................................... 3
Research Questions ............................................................................................................. 3
Importance of the Study ...................................................................................................... 4
Overview of Theoretical Framework and Methodology .................................................... 6
Definitions........................................................................................................................... 7
Organization of the Dissertation ......................................................................................... 8
Chapter Two: Literature Review .................................................................................................. 10
Historical Context of Well-Being ..................................................................................... 11
Well-Being in Organizations ............................................................................................ 16
Women in the Workplace During COVID-19 .................................................................. 30
The Financial Services Industry During COVID-19 ........................................................ 36
Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................................... 43
Summary ........................................................................................................................... 46
Chapter Three: Methodology ........................................................................................................ 47
Research Questions ........................................................................................................... 47
Overview of Design .......................................................................................................... 47
Research Setting................................................................................................................ 48
The Researcher.................................................................................................................. 49

viii
Data Sources ..................................................................................................................... 51
Validity and Reliability ..................................................................................................... 56
Ethics................................................................................................................................. 57
Chapter Four: Findings ................................................................................................................. 59
Research Question 1: How Has Burnout Affected Perceptions of Employee
Effectiveness During the COVID-19 Pandemic? ............................................................. 60
Research Question 2: What Specific Strategies Have Organizations and Leaders
Implemented That Support the Well-Being of Their Employees During the
COVID-19 Pandemic? ...................................................................................................... 77
Summary ........................................................................................................................... 89
Chapter Five: Recommendations .................................................................................................. 90
Discussion of Findings ...................................................................................................... 90
Recommendations for Practice ....................................................................................... 100
Limitations and Delimitations ......................................................................................... 105
Recommendations for Future Research .......................................................................... 107
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 109
References ................................................................................................................................... 110
Appendix A: Interview Questions .............................................................................................. 123
Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 123
Appendix B: Information Sheet for Exempt Research ............................................................... 126
Appendix C: Interview Invitation ............................................................................................... 129

ix
List of Tables
Table 1: Participant Names, Organization Names, and Role in Organization ...............................60

x
List of Figures
Figure 1: Mental and Physical Health Survey (Healthiest = 10) ...................................................38
Figure 2: Reactions of Burnout and Impact on Social Relationships ............................................39
Figure 3: Treatment of Junior Bankers ..........................................................................................40
Figure 4: Recommended Place to Work by Junior Bankers ..........................................................41
Figure 5: Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................................45

1

Chapter One: Introduction to the Study
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated occupational stress in organizations, negatively
impacting employee well-being. In addition, the burnout rates among women of color,
particularly Black women, were higher than those of their male and female colleagues. Before
the COVID-19 pandemic, a survey of 600 companies and 250,000 participants found that the
overall burnout and exhaustion rates for women were 32% and 37%, respectively (McKinsey &
Company, 2020b). In comparison, the burnout and exhaustion rates for Black women were 33%
and 40%, respectively. The higher burnout and exhaustion rates of Black women in the
workplace demonstrate that this is a problem (Lean In, 2020; McKinsey & Company, 2021b). In
addition, mental health concerns are substantially more significant for Black women than their
colleagues nationally (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health
[OMH], 2021).
The combination of high levels of occupational stress and the onset of COVID-19
exacerbated burnout among female employees, particularly Black women. The problem of
practice is that the COVID-19 pandemic created high levels of occupational stress in the
financial services industry, leading to a negative impact on employee well-being. This study
focused on the high levels of occupational stress among Black female bank managers, negatively
impacting their well-being.
Context and Background of the Problem
The COVID-19 pandemic increased job demands in the banking sector, particularly its
retail channels. Banking centers followed numerous federal, state, and municipal mandates while
keeping their distribution channels open for clients (Yousufani et al., 2020). Broad Bank
(pseudonym) is a large publicly traded bank in the United States. In addition, Broad Bank serves
2

a wide range of clients through its distribution channels, from those who live paycheck to
paycheck to those with a designated private banker to assist with their portfolios. As client needs
for complex financial instruments increase, clients are assigned different bankers based on assets
and complexity.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, closed branches, limited hours, and volatile staffing
forced many retail banks to open with limited capacity nationally (Yousufani et al., 2020). Broad
Bank still had many clients visiting its banking centers despite having a mobile banking
platform. Most clients visiting banks withdrew unemployment benefits deposited into their
Employment Development Department (EDD) accounts. The clients did not need an account
with Broad Bank to withdraw funds. Between March 2020 and January 2021, California’s EDD
processed 19.5 million unemployment claims totaling $500 billion (EDD, 2021). In contrast,
EDD processed 3.8 million claims during the Great Recession in 2008.
With a limited number of banking centers open, high-traffic centers faced even more foot
traffic than in the pre-COVID-19 era. Increased traffic triggered increased stress among female
bankers, particularly Black women. Besides the additional mental stressors, Black female
managers in the financial services industry experience heightened levels of burnout (McKinsey
& Company, 2021a). In addition, retail centers are generally in areas with high populations of
Black and Hispanic clients, and the employees generally match the ethnic background of the
community. As COVID-19 cases worsened throughout the United States, the number of
transactions from EDD cards increased substantially, particularly in marginalized communities.
In addition, frontline managers experienced threats, assaults, and verbal abuse from customers
due to bank closures and the wait times clients endured from the limited hours.
3

Broad Bank’s attempts to create a diverse and inclusive work environment had successes
and failures. Although 50% of its employees are minorities in the United States, Blacks and
Hispanics hold a higher percentage of frontline jobs than Whites and Asians overall in the
company (Broad Bank, 2022). Women hold more than 60% of manager jobs. In contrast, Black
women represent less than 10% of the total women managers in the company. Although the
trends have improved with the hiring and retention of Black female managers, the COVID-19
pandemic reversed its course with increased burnout and fatigue among Black female managers
(McKinsey & Company, 2020a).
Broad Bank directed many of its resources to serve underserved communities to hire and
promote minorities to banking center manager roles. However, much of the plan stops after
promoting Black women as banking center managers, partially due to the “broken rung” effect
(McKinsey & Company, 2021a). As a result, Black and Hispanic employees hold most frontline
jobs.
Purpose of the Project
Black female managers are underrepresented in the banking industry. Therefore, this
study explored the higher rates of burnout, emotional exhaustion, and occupational stress
experienced by Black female managers in banking. In addition, the study examined the perceived
positive organizational and leadership practices implemented by organizations during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Research Questions
1. How has burnout affected perceptions of employee effectiveness during the COVID-
19 pandemic?
4

2. What specific strategies have organizations and leaders implemented that support the
well-being of their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Importance of the Study
Financial concerns and job security were among the top 10 COVID-19-related stressors
in the workplace (Pike et al., 2020). The Black labor force in the United States was at a higher
risk of unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic (McKinsey & Company, 2020a).
Furthermore, McKinsey & Company estimated that 40% of Black workers were at risk of being
furloughed or permanently laid off. A partial reason for the higher risk of unemployment is the
overrepresentation of Black employees in low-wage jobs and a lack of representation in white-
collar jobs and financial systems (McKinsey & Company, 2020a). Black women, in particular,
are continuously underrepresented in the financial services industry. Although representation in
entry-level positions has improved, the representation of Black women fell by 80% when moving
up the corporate ladder (McKinsey & Company, 2020a).
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, data showed a ratio of 86 promotions for
women for every 100 men receiving promotions in the financial services industry. The
promotion rates for women of color were higher, at 93 for every 100 men. Although the signs
appear promising, the data differ when broken down by race. When broken down by women of
color, 100 to 125 Asian women received promotions for every 100 men. In addition, 50 to 75
Hispanic women received promotions for every 100 men. Finally, 25 to 50 Black women
received promotions for every 100 men (McKinsey & Company, 2020a). Black women are
significantly less likely to be promoted into entry-level manager positions in the financial
services industry (McKinsey & Company, 2021a). The “broken rung” of fewer promotions at
5

entry-level manager roles continues to create disadvantages in reaching senior-level roles in the
financial services industry for Black women.
Apart from the underrepresentation in the financial services industry, microaggressions
and bias further prevent Black women from receiving leadership positions (McKinsey &
Company, 2020b, 2021a, 2021b). In addition, the frequency of microaggressions leads victims to
suffer from traumatic stress symptoms, mental health issues, and lower self-esteem (Martins et
al., 2020; Moody & Lewis, 2019). Microaggression and biases have contributed toward a
“broken rung” for Black female leaders across industries, particularly the financial services
industry.
To improve experiences in the workplace for employees, particularly minoritized groups,
organizations across the country have publicly adopted diversity structures and an inclusive work
environment to alleviate some of the burnout experienced by employees. For example, from the
perspective of female employees, the financial services industry assisted employees with more
resources than other industries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whereas 47% of female
employees reported receiving increased support from other industries, 59% of women employed
in the financial services industry reported receiving increased support (McKinsey & Company,
2021a). However, the work demand for women continued to rise as they, particularly Black
women, engaged with extra work involving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI; McKinsey &
Company, 2021b).
The DEI efforts by organizations further contributed to burnout among Black women,
particularly Black female managers. The increased burnout was due to the substantial non-role-
affiliated DEI initiatives that women put time into apart from their daily responsibilities
(McKinsey & Company, 2021b). For example, 43% of women leaders of color spend substantial
6

time on DEI work. In addition, the amount of work that Black female leaders put into DEI lacks
recognition and support from managers and leaders. Unfair treatment, a lack of reward, and a
lack of support, particularly from managers, are the three of the six leading causes of burnout
(Gallup, 2019; Maslach et al., 2001; McKinsey & Company, 2021a, 2021b).
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated burnout for Black women in the workplace. In
addition, the combination of negative work experiences, financial insecurities, and perceptions of
a continuous work environment further negatively impacted occupational stressors among Black
women (McKinsey & Company, 2020a). With an already low representation of Black female
managers in the financial services industry, further burnout due to the COVID-19 pandemic may
cause a lower representation of Black women.
Overview of Theoretical Framework and Methodology
The theoretical framework used for the problem of practice is Bandura’s social cognitive
theory (Bandura, 1989; Schunk & Usher, 2012). Reciprocal causation, or triadic reciprocity, is an
evolution of mechanical agency. Furthermore, mechanical agency focuses on external influences.
However, it does not have “any motivative, self-reflective, self-reactive, creative, or self-
directive properties” (Bandura, 1989, p. 1175). Social cognitive theory combines human agency,
self-efficacy, and individuals’ perceived beliefs that influence behavior and the environment
(Bandura, 2001).
The person, behavior, and environment influence one another. In addition, the framework
provided the basis for exploring the problem of practice. Furthermore, the framework informed
the collection of data regarding the relationship between the person—i.e., Black female bank
managers—and their environment and behaviors. The framework’s repeated self-regulatory
7

responses provided insight into how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the perceived
effectiveness of employees experiencing burnout, emotional exhaustion, and fatigue.
The study’s qualitative method included interviews and answers to interview questions as
the primary data source. The targeted interviewees were Black female bank managers in retail
banking.
Definitions
This section provides a list of terms and definitions utilized throughout this study of the
problem of practice. Defining the following terms is helpful because the terms are utilized in
multiple contexts.
Banks is used interchangeably with retail banks, national banks, and financial
institutions. The terms are used to describe a national financial institution located in multiple
states.
Bank manager refers to retail bank managers, banking center managers, frontline
managers, and all managers who manage associates at a banking center. In addition, the
complexities of banking evolved to necessitate specialists. Specialists include consumer bankers,
business bankers, investment advisors, mortgage bankers, and operations managers.
Furthermore, banking center managers do not necessarily manage all specialists. Specialist
managers cover a much larger area and visit centers biweekly.
Banking center is used in the same way as financial center or retail center. However,
banks have generally taken banking center and retail center out of the company vocabulary to
mitigate clients’ perceptions of banks as financial institutions that conduct simple transactions.
A Black woman is a woman who self-identifies as Black or African American.
8

Burnout is “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that
has not been successfully managed” (World Health Organization [WHO], 2019, para. 4).
Emotional exhaustion refers to an organization’s emotional demands on an employee that
they cannot manage, leading to an exhaustion of psychological resources (Chen et al., 2019). The
term emotional exhaustion is used interchangeably with exhaustion.
Female refers to cisgender female gender, “used to describe a person whose gender
identity and gender expression align with sex assigned at birth” (American Psychological
Association, 2015, p. 1).
Mental health refers to “the state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her
own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to
make a contribution to his or her community” (WHO, 2018, para. 2). It includes “our emotional,
psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act” (Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention [CDC], 2021, para.1).
Well-being is the state of feeling good and functioning well in life (Balica, 2021; Ruggeri
et al., 2020) and living a life that matches one’s ideals (Diener et al., 2009). The term
encompasses employee well-being and well-being in the workplace.
Workplace fatigue is reduced effectiveness and capacity to work due to prolonged mental
exertion and tiredness (Lerman et al., 2012; Magnan et al., 2015). In addition, the term
“workplace fatigue” applies to fatigue in the workplace. Furthermore, the term “fatigue”
generally applies to feelings of fatigue at work and in the employees’ personal lives.
Organization of the Dissertation
This study used a five-chapter dissertation model. This chapter provided the problem of
practice researched, background of the problem, research purpose, importance of the study, and
9

key definitions. The second chapter reviews the literature regarding the negative impact of
occupational stress on Black female bank managers during COVID-19, including definitions of
well-being, occupational stressors, workplace bias, and organizational actions. Chapter 3 focuses
on the methodology for the study and the choice of participants recruited. Chapter 4 discusses the
outcome of the methods and analyzes the findings. Finally, Chapter 5 provides recommendations
regarding strategies that organizations can employ to decrease occupational stress among Black
women managers.

10

Chapter Two: Literature Review
This literature review examines the historical context of well-being and its impact on the
psychological well-being of Black female bank managers. In addition, this chapter briefly
addresses different aspects of well-being as defined by the CDC. The literature review broadly
defines well-being and different occupational stressors that affect well-being (i.e., burnout,
emotional exhaustion, workplace fatigue). A limited number of resources focus on Black female
bank managers. Because studies on this topic are limited, the literature review focuses on
women’s workplace experiences, Black women, and banker burnout. The two experiences create
more stressors for Black women, intensifying negative work experiences. Finally, the literature
review focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on the Black community, exacerbating an already
stressful work environment.
Additionally, the literature review examines organizational responses to mental health,
including burnout, emotional exhaustion, and occupational stress. It also examines how the
COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated burnout, emotional exhaustion, and occupational stress for
women, particularly Black women in the workplace. Finally, this chapter introduces Bandura’s
social cognitive theory, focusing on triadic reciprocity.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, women suffered from higher harmful mental health
conditions, including stress, anxiety, and depression (Almeida et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2020).
Surveys by McKinsey & Company (2020a) concluded that women experienced higher stress
levels than men, partially due to current gender inequalities in the workplace. McKinsey &
Company (2020a) also found that women were about twice as likely as men to lose their jobs
during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings, along with other research, suggest that women
were more vulnerable to the psychological and economic impacts of COVID-19 (McKinsey &
11

Company, 2020a). Although women broadly experience greater gender inequality than men,
Black women experience a more comprehensive range of microaggressions and inequalities in
the workplace.
Black women face more negative work experiences than their colleagues (McKinsey &
Company, 2021b). Black women receive fewer managerial roles and endure higher scrutiny and
accountability when performance is below par (McKinsey & Company, 2021b; Rosette &
Livingston, 2012). This research examined organization and leader responses to the COVID-19
pandemic and its impact on marginalized groups, particularly Black women in the financial
services industry. Because research specific to Black women leaders in the financial services
industry is limited, a broader approach to the literature review was necessary. The topics of
research identified to support the research questions were (a) Black female managers in the
workplace, (b) being an “only” in the workplace, and (c) self-efficacy. The topics match the
framework of social cognitive theory introduced by Bandura (1989).
Historical Context of Well-Being
The well-being history dates back to significant Greek philosophers such as Socrates and
Aristotle (Diener, 2009; Huppert, 2009a; Ryff, 1989; Seligman, 2011b; Wilson, 1969). Estes and
Sirgy (2017) found that well-being characteristics are evident in philosophy, religion, cultures,
and traditions. Ancient Greece greatly influenced the progression of well-being (Estes & Sirgy,
2017, p. 31). Its aristocratic values suggest that the key to well-being is the experience of
pleasure. In contrast, early psychological studies focused on pathologies, mental illnesses, and
psychological disorders rather than positive psychology (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000).
Few early researchers generally focused on happiness (Huppert, 2009a; Ryff, 1989;
Seligman, 2011b; Wilson, 1969). Wilson’s (1969) study of avowed happiness implied that a
12

happy person is “a young, healthy, well-educated, well-paid, extroverted, optimistic, worry-free,
religious, married person with high self-esteem, high job morale, modest aspirations, of either
sex and of a wide range of intelligence” (p. 294). Although this was considered a significant
study regarding positive psychology, later studies showed a weak correlation between age and
happiness (Diener, 2009; Huppert, 2009a). The same was true between happiness and
educational attainment (Snyder et al., 2021, p. 261). In addition, men with high levels of
education were more likely to be depressed than men with less education (Chevalier & Feinstein,
2006; Huppert, 2009a). Researchers began to realize that happiness was more than a single
measurement (Diener, 2009).
Researchers widely regard Bradburn and Noll’s (1969) structures of psychological well-
being as the primary research that broke down happiness into elements (Bradburn & Noll, 1969;
Diener, 2009). Research on the distinction between positive and negative affect and
psychological well-being defined happiness as a multidimensional construct (Bradburn & Noll,
1969). Further research found conflicting evidence in determining well-being through happiness
and positive psychology. Seligman (2011b) argued that “how much life satisfaction people report
is itself determined by how good we feel at the very moment we asked the question” (para. 3).
These complexities suggest the importance of studying well-being if leaders plan to influence
their employees’ well-being in their respective organizations.
Mental Health and Well-Being
The CDC (2021) defined mental health as individuals’ emotional, psychological, and
social well-being. The WHO (2018) defined mental health as a “state of well-being in which an
individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work
productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community” (para. 2). Concepts of
13

mental health include but are not limited to an individual’s perceived self-efficacy, subjective
well-being, autonomy, competence, and potential (WHO, 2001). In addition, mental health
impacts physical health, and both are interdependent (WHO, 2001, 2018). For example, long-
term experiences of the negative aspects of mental health, such as depression and anxiety, can
hinder the ability to function physically and effectively (Huppert, 2009a). External influences
such as rapid social change, discrimination, stressful working conditions, and social exclusion
contribute to poor mental health (WHO, 2018).
Poor mental health concerns organizations and families across the United States. Roehrig
(2016) stated that mental health costs in the United States grew 254%, from $79 billion in 1996
to $201 billion in 2013. In addition, the estimated annual insurance premiums for employer-
sponsored health accounts increased from $11,482 in 2006 to $21,342 in 2020. The figures
represent an 86% increase in employer-sponsored health accounts and a 4% increase year-over-
year in annual family premiums (Claxton et al., 2020; Kaiser Family Foundation & Health
Research & Educational Trust, 2016). Therefore, understanding mental health is integral in the
workplace because of its interdependence on well-being. Improving mental health includes
improving the psychological well-being of employees (WHO, 2018). In addition, improving
employees’ psychological well-being includes not only the absence of illnesses but also positive
psychology and flourishing.
Well-Being, Positive Psychology, and Flourishing
Well-being is feeling good and functioning well in life (Balica, 2021; Huppert, 2009a;
Ruggeri et al., 2020) and living a life that matches one’s ideals (Diener et al., 2009). Multiple
attempts to define well-being evolved into constructs that share core concepts (Dodge et al.,
2012). For example, the CDC (2018) listed nine types of well-being: physical, economic, social,
14

development and activity, emotional, psychological, life satisfaction, domain-specific, and
engaging activities. Well-being is also synonymous with “subjective well-being” based on an
overall self-evaluation of individuals (Diener et al., 2009).
Although components of well-being in different studies have similarities, subtle
differences exist. The literature has classified well-being with various definitions based on its
psychological nature. For example, positive mental health and flourishing describe high levels of
positive mental functioning (CDC, 2018; Dodge et al., 2012). Other aspects of well-being, such
as physical well-being and wellness, refer to feeling healthy and possessing lots of energy (CDC,
2018; Tao et al., 2020). Social scientists achieved general consensus regarding well-being as
involving wealth, affect, and judgments (Diener, 2009). Well-being is an evolving science, and
recent studies have clarified the impact of mental health on well-being.
Well-being has five elements, including three mandatory properties (Seligman, 2011b).
Seligman’s (2011b) PERMA model includes five constructs: positive emotion, engagement,
relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. One construct does not individually define well-
being, but each acts as an element and when combined, defines well-being (Huppert, 2009a;
Seligman, 2011b). For example, happiness is a subset of positive emotions, which are part of
well-being constructs. Each construct must also include three properties to be a construct. Each
construct must contribute to well-being, be pursued for its own sake, and be measured
independently (Seligman, 2011b).
Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi (2000) stated that the early focus of psychology was to
cure or diminish mental illnesses, mainly among World War II veterans. In contrast, further
research found that there are “human strengths that act as buffers against mental illnesses”
(Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000, p. 7). Positive psychological beliefs improved mental and
15

physical health (Huppert, 2009a; Seligman, 2011b; Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Taylor
et al. (2000) found that HIV patients with unrealistic positive beliefs showed delayed symptoms
and survived longer than patients who were realistic about their current health situation. Further
studies found that psychology is not solely a science that may cure mental illnesses, substance
abuse, and other underlying psychological health issues (Huppert, 2009a; Seligman &
Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). The WHO (1946) described health as a “state of complete physical,
mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease” (para. 1). Improving well-
being is not only to address illnesses but also a way for people to flourish and enrich their current
life situations.
Flourishing describes the experiences of life going well through feeling good, having
high levels of mental health, and functioning effectively (Huppert, 2009b; Huppert & So, 2013;
Seligman, 2011b). Research regarding alcohol addiction led to studies on flourishing (Rose et al.,
2008). Until the turn of the 21st century, common psychological and addictive disorders such as
alcohol abuse lacked preventive measures that applied to a general population or community
(Huppert, 2009b; Rose et al., 2008). Rose et al. (2008) concluded that decreasing the mean
alcohol consumption among adults showed significant decreases in alcoholism. In addition,
studies concluded that small shifts in average scores significantly affect opposite ends of positive
and negative psychology (Huppert, 2009b). Researchers studied small shifts in positive
psychology in studies regarding flourishing to enhance well-being. Huppert (2009b) argued that
it might be more impactful to make minor improvements in the general population to increase
the number of people who function well.
A strategy to increase the psychological well-being of a general population is to increase
the amount of flourishing in their day-to-day lives (Diener et al., 2010; Huppert, 2009a, 2009b;
16

Huppert & So, 2013; Ryff, 1989; Seligman, 2011b). The consensus among researchers is that
individuals must have all the core features of well-being to be considered to be flourishing. The
core features are positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievements
(Seligman, 2011b). The additional flourishing features include self-acceptance, positive
relations, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life, and personal growth (Diener et al.,
2010; Huppert, 2009a, 2009b; Huppert & So, 2013; Ryff, 1989; Seligman, 2011b). Diener et al.
(2010) added two items to create the Flourishing Scale to account for possible misleading
information. Individuals may feel positive or negative without feeling emotions on previous
scales. The Flourishing Scale accounted for misleading information by giving different weights
to feelings (Diener et al., 2010).
Well-Being in Organizations
Organizations attempted to embed well-being into the workplace before the COVID-19
pandemic (Deloitte, 2020). Employee well-being is an organizational issue critical to the
organization’s performance and longevity (Moss, 2021; Sorensen et al., 2018; Suff, 2021). Both
Seligman’s and Diener’s concepts of well-being focused on a group of individuals and how
flourishing can increase the average number of people feeling good about their lives. In contrast,
Gallup’s and Deloitte’s studies focused on employee well-being in organizations. Gallup’s
(2019) five interdependent elements of well-being are career, social, financial, community, and
physical.
Whether models focus on individuals and groups or organizations, similarities exist
between well-being and flourishing. First, social relationships have a tremendous impact on well-
being. Relationships include family, colleagues at work, love, and the well-being of others
(Deloitte, 2020; Diener, 2010; Gallup, 2019; Seligman, 2011b). Second, positive self-esteem
17

impacts well-being through a sense of achievement and competence (Deloitte, 2020; Diener,
2010; Gallup, 2019; Seligman, 2011b). Next, the sense of community, including relationships
with neighbors, pride in the community, engagement with people in the community, and the
well-being of others, impacts individual well-being.
Growing Concern for Employee Well-Being
Lowe (2020) implied that workplace challenges in the current environment include
occupational stress, burnout, and work–life imbalance. Well-being is a growing concern for
organizations due to employee health issues, organizational performance, and longevity (Lowe,
2020). Organizations have attempted to deal with burnout through individual interventions rather
than changing organizational culture (Moss, 2021). One of the concerns organizations have for
employee well-being is burnout.
The WHO (2019) defined burnout as a “syndrome conceptualized as resulting from
chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed” (para. 4). In addition, the
WHO classified burnout as an occupational phenomenon containing three elements. The
combination of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy constitute
burnout in the workplace (Gallup, 2019; Maslach et al., 2001; Peoples, 2016). Burnout is a
syndrome much more significant than being stressed out or overwhelmed. A study by Gallup
(2019) concluded that 76% of employees experience burnout at least some time in their
workplace. In addition, 28% of employees experience burnout very often or constantly.
Peoples (2016) argued that organizations tend to believe burnout results from laziness
and poor work ethic. However, the employees most likely to suffer from burnout are high
achievers. In addition, a lack of engagement at work partially due to burnout costs organizations
between $150 billion and $300 billion in lost productivity, sick days, work-related accidents, and
18

a lack of engagement at work annually (Peoples, 2016). Therefore, addressing burnout in the
workplace is an organizational issue.
Previous and current solutions to well-being have similarities, including communication,
input, sustainable work, autonomy, flexibility, and meaningful performance reviews (Deloitte,
2020; Gallup, 2019; McKinsey & Company, 2020b; Pike et al., 2020). As a result, organizations
took several steps to increase their employees’ capacity and autonomy (Deloitte, 2020).
The COVID-19 pandemic created new stressors for employees while heightening existing
ones. Stressors experienced by employees before and during COVID-19 were unclear
expectations, heavy workload, changes in demands, and job stress and uncertainty (Pike et al.,
2020). Although burnout is the most common terminology when generalizing occupational
stress, it is essential to learn about the similarities and differences between various stressors in
the workplace.
Well-Being and Employee Effectiveness
Employees who experience burnout face a personal toll. Organizations also experience
demise due to decreased productivity (Gallup, 2019). Employees experiencing burnout have a
23% higher likelihood of visiting the emergency room and are 2.6 times more likely to seek a
different place of employment. According to an estimate by Pfeffer (2018), occupational stress
costs U.S. organizations upward of $200 billion annually when accounting for physical and
psychological health care costs.
Occupational Stress
A misalignment between work demands and employee skillsets is a primary determinant
of occupational stress (WHO, 2020). Occupational stress has organizational consequences and is
a priority for organizations and health systems (Alessandri et al., 2018; Almeida et al., 2020;
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Gallup, 2019; Huppert, 2009a; Pike et al., 2020; Ruggeri et al., 2020; Suff, 2021; Wang et al.,
2020; WHO, 2018, 2020). Workplace stress is unavoidable in a demanding job market and
economy. In addition, some stress is good when used as a healthy amount of pressure, which can
help performance (Bashir & Ramay, 2010; WHO, 2020). However, occupational stress is more
than healthy pressure to do better work. Occupational stress occurs when the stress becomes
excessive and unmanageable.
Occupational stress poses a significant threat to workers and their organizations as
behavioral outcomes include absenteeism, lack of performance, and lack of motivation (Prasada,
2020). The WHO (2020) defined two work hazards that lead to occupational stress. The first
hazard is work content, including repetitive and understimulating tasks, lack of participation and
control, and shift hours. The second hazard is work context, including career development,
compensation, unfair performance evaluations, lack of social relationships, and poor
organizational culture (WHO, 2020). In addition, occupational stress is one of the leading risk
factors for burnout in the workplace.
Burnout
The WHO (2019) defined burnout as a “syndrome conceptualized as resulting from
chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed” (para. 4). Employees
experiencing burnout are 63% more likely to call out sick, 23% more likely to visit emergency
rooms, and 13% less confident in their performance (Gallup, 2019). Managers experience
burnout at higher rates than their direct reports (Gallup, 2019). Multiple studies concluded that
burnout consists of at least three dimensions: feelings of exhaustion, interpersonal strains at
work, and cynicism (Alessandri et al., 2018; Gallup, 2019; Peoples, 2016). In addition, a Gallup
(2019) survey of 12,658 individuals showed that nearly 80% of full-time employees experience
20

burnout in the workplace and 28% of employees feel burned out at work “very often” or
“always.” Thus, burnout has continuously threatened organizations, and COVID-19 intensified
the threat (Moss, 2021). Furthermore, studies show a positive correlation between burnout and
psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and stress (Chiu et al., 2014; Mousavi et
al., 2017). For example, a study of 270 nurses in educational hospitals predicted 42% of
depression cases, 25% of anxiety cases, and 32% of stress cases among nurses when they
mentioned burnout at work (Mousavi et al., 2017). In a similar study of 77 clinically depressed
patients, Chiu et al. (2014) found a positive correlation between higher burnout and severe
depression. The risk of burnout in areas or fields with high occupational stress is much greater
than in those with low occupational stress (Hashemnia et al., 2014; Khalid et al., 2019).
Psychological symptoms such as burnout also have an impact on physical well-being.
Employees with untreated psychological health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and stress
have increased risk of physical health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes,
and Alzheimer’s disease (Gallup, 2019; Pike et al., 2020). In addition, emotional instability,
defined as the ability to deal with negative emotions, is highly correlated with burnout and
emotional exhaustion (Alessandri et al., 2018). Burnout also decreases the likelihood of
employees wanting to grow with the firm, spending most of their energy to survive rather than
thrive (Gallup, 2019).
A fixed list of the causes of burnout does not exist due to the complex number of
psychological issues that contribute to burnout. According to Gallup (2019), the top five causes
of burnout are unfair treatment, unmanageable workload, unclear communication from
managers, lack of support, and excessive time pressure. In addition, Peoples (2016) implied that
burnout is a more concerning phenomenon than stress. Burnout is a continuous ailment and if not
21

addressed with the proper resources, continuously deteriorates and depletes the person’s well-
being (Schaufeli et al., 2008). Diagnosing burnout properly depends on three elements:
emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced self-efficacy.
Emotional Exhaustion
Emotional exhaustion is the leading element of burnout. Emotional exhaustion refers to
an organization’s emotional pressure on employees that they cannot manage, leading to an
exhaustion of emotional resources (Chen et al., 2019; Maslach et al., 2001; Peoples, 2016).
Employee exhaustion is a state of physical and mental depletion that leads to high turnover rates
and employee effectiveness (Chen et al., 2019). Emotional exhaustion is distinct from stress. It
triggers employees to distance themselves cognitively to cope with work they cannot manage
(Gallup, 2019; Maslach et al., 2001; Peoples, 2016). Job demands and demands in personal lives
decrease the average time for rest (Peoples, 2016). Prolonged stress elevates stress hormones,
leading to various physical ailments, including “muscle tension, chronic pain, inflammation, and
a greater likelihood of developing serious medical conditions such as peptic ulcers, diabetes, and
heart disease” (Peoples, 2016, p. 58). Emotional exhaustion can lead to or be felt concurrently
with cynicism.
Cynicism
Maslach et al. (2001) argued that cynicism (depersonalization) involves attempts to
separate from customers and peers in the workplace by ignoring their qualitative traits.
Employees use depersonalization as a coping mechanism by treating clients as numbers and
peers as objects (R. T. Lee & Ashforth, 1990). In addition, employees begin to have a cynical
attitude toward their work, managers, and employers. Cynicism is a unique attribute of burnout
22

related to the objective nature of workplace entities (Peoples, 2016). Entities can include
customers, managers, peers, and workplace partners.
Reduced Self-Efficacy
The final diagnosis to determine burnout is reduced self-efficacy (Gallup, 2019; Maslach
et al., 2001; Peoples, 2016; Schaufeli et al., 2008; WHO, 2019). However, various studies
showed different results for reduced self-efficacy. Research by Leiter (1993) showed inefficacy
as a sequential experience with emotional exhaustion and cynicism. Furthermore, Leiter’s
research concluded that work demands contributing to exhaustion or cynicism would gradually
deteriorate effectiveness. In contrast, research by R. T. Lee and Ashforth (1990) found inefficacy
to be a concurrent experience with emotional exhaustion and cynicism. Their research concluded
that it is difficult to gain a sense of accomplishment when an individual feels exhausted or
indifferent.
Causes of Burnout in Organizations
Causes of burnout include mismatches that “arise when the process of establishing a
psychological contract leaves critical issues unresolved, or when the working relationship
changes to something that a worker finds unacceptable” (Maslach et al., 2001, p. 413). The six
areas that cause the mismatches are workload, control, reward, community, fairness, and values
(Maslach et al., 2001; Peoples, 2016). Burnout arises from “chronic mismatches between people
and their work setting in terms of some or all of these six areas” (Maslach et al., 2001, p. 414).
All six causes of burnout are directly related to emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced
self-efficacy. The evolution of burnout and suggested remedies have expanded various models
beyond the six causes of burnout. However, the expanded models generally share the same
premise introduced by Maslach and other researchers.
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Workload
Work overload occurs when work demands outpace an individual’s capacity to levels
beyond recovery (Gallup, 2019; Hills, 2018; Maslach et al., 2001; Peoples, 2016). Work
overload may result from an individual doing the wrong work or lacking the skills to perform
efficiently (Hills, 2018; Maslach et al., 2001). Growing concern about burnout through work
overload involves the negative impact experienced by ideal employees (Peoples, 2016). High-
performing employees tend to make up for deficiencies created by low-performing associates by
correcting mistakes. High-performing associates also feel the need to perform at a higher level to
make up for performance gaps (Hills, 2018). Work overload is generally related to emotional
exhaustion.
Lack of Control
Employees who experience a lack of control perceive a lack of influence in their work
environment (Gallup, 2019; Hills, 2018; Lowe, 2020; Maslach et al., 2001; Peoples, 2016; Pike
et al., 2020). Peoples (2016) implied that present-day employees generally possess unique
skillsets that are not easy to duplicate. These specialized skillsets create a sense of self-worth and
value for employees, creating an expectation of autonomy for their work. If this autonomy is
interrupted by micromanaging or the lack of ability to make relevant decisions, disengagement
occurs, resulting in burnout (Gallup, 2019; Peoples, 2016). However, autonomy should include
clear expectations for job performance, because too much autonomy can lead to burnout (Gallup,
2019). External influences, including organizational health, uncertainty, and job security,
increase the likelihood of burnout (Pike et al., 2020). A lack of control can reduce self-efficacy
(Maslach et al., 2001).
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Lack of Reward
A lack of reward includes financial, intrinsic, and social rewards (Gallup, 2019; Hills,
2018; Maslach et al., 2001; Peoples, 2016). For example, employees who cannot manage their
finances in their personal lives due to a lack of financial rewards from their organizations have a
higher tendency to burn out (Gallup, 2019; Maslach et al., 2001; Peoples, 2016). In addition,
intrinsic rewards, such as taking pride in work, can substantially impact self-efficacy (Gallup,
2019, Maslach et al., 2001). Having pride in work does not solely involve self-guided projects or
high performance from individual contributors. Allowing employees to collaborate with peers
and asking for input gives employees a sense of ownership, decreasing the likelihood of burnout
(Gallup, 2019). Social rewards include the recognition and appreciation of hard work. A lack of
social rewards leads to a higher likelihood of burnout. Studies by McKinsey & Company (2020b,
2021b) revealed that DEI work by female leaders is not recognized and rewarded by their
organizations. As a result, female managers burn out more than men. A lack of reward is closely
associated with the reduction of self-efficacy (Maslach et al., 2001).
Community
Traditional organizational structures generally focus on cost reduction and effectiveness
(Schaufeli et al., 2008). However, traditional organizational structures struggle in today’s
continuous and rapidly changing business environment. Employees are encouraged to be
proactive and prepared for constant change in their working environment and organization. The
changing business environment also has decreased tenure among U.S.-based employees.
Currently, employee tenure in the United States averages 4.1 years (Bureau of Labor Statistics,
2020). In addition, Generation X employee tenure averages 9.9 years, whereas Millennial
employee tenure averages 2.8 years. Given the likelihood of finding employment elsewhere,
25

employees are hesitant to invest time in their current employment and develop an active
community with peers (Schaufeli et al., 2008). The lack of a workplace community diminishes
teamwork and social support, resulting in burnout (Gallup, 2019; Maslach et al., 2001). In
addition, dissatisfaction with personal living situations also elevates the likelihood of burnout.
Unfair Treatment
Unfair treatment is composed of various workplace issues, including but not limited to
bias, favoritism, mistreatment, microaggressions, workload, and inconsistent compensation
(Gallup, 2019; Lean In, 2020). Employees who perceive unfair treatment at work have the
highest likelihood of experiencing burnout (Gallup, 2019). Maslach et al. (2001) implied that this
exacerbates burnout for two reasons. First, a close correlation exists between unfair treatment
and cynicism (Maslach et al., 2001). In addition, studies have shown a close association between
unfair treatment and reduced self-efficacy. Managers play a significant role in ensuring
employees receive fair treatment in the workplace. Employees who believe their managers
support them are less likely to burn out. A Gallup (2019) survey found that employees are 70%
less likely to experience burnout when they feel their managers support them. Clear
communication is important when dealing with unfair treatment. Communication, including
transparent performance evaluations and listening to work-related problems, decreases burnout
by up to 62% (Gallup, 2019; Hills, 2018).
Conflicting Values
Employees who perceive that their values contradict their organization’s values become
disengaged, resulting in burnout (Hills, 2018; Peoples, 2016). When communicating change,
companies communicate their values or mission statement (Larkin & Larkin, 1996). When
companies do not put their mission statement to practical use, conflicting values arise between
26

employees and the organization (Maslach et al., 2001; Peoples, 2016). In addition, conflicting
values create cynicism among employees, further exacerbating burnout.
Fatigue
Fatigue is a “feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy,” resulting in decreased
energy and motivation (MedlinePlus, 2021, para. 1). Fatigue has overlapping conditions with
burnout but is not the same (Leone et al., 2007). In addition, studies involving burnout included
psychological diagnoses, whereas fatigue contributed to medical conditions. Another difference
between fatigue and burnout is that fatigue can occur inside and outside the workplace (Leone et
al., 2007). The leading causes of fatigue are “insufficient sleep, prolonged mental or physical
work, or extended periods of stress and anxiety” (Caldwell et al., 2019, p. 272). Continuous and
monotonous work can increase feelings of fatigue. Various frontline jobs, including health care,
transportation, food service, and other industries requiring shift work, can contribute to
insufficient sleep and monotonous tasks among employees. Hafner et al. (2016) found that the
United States suffers around $411 billion in economic losses annually due to fatigue from sleep
deprivation.
Frontline, nighttime, and shift workers have the highest risk of workplace fatigue
(Caldwell et al., 2019; Cavuoto & Megahed, 2017; Costa et al., 2010; Lerman et al., 2012;
Magnan et al., 2015). Workplace fatigue refers to reduced effectiveness and capacity at work due
to prolonged mental exertion and tiredness (Lerman et al., 2012; Magnan et al., 2015). Fatigue
continues to be a growing concern in the workplace for employees and their organizations
because it can impact the health, safety, effectiveness, and productivity of workers (Cavuoto &
Megahed, 2017; Lerman et al., 2012; Magnan et al., 2015). Risk factors that cause fatigue
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increased challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Some pandemic-related risk factors and
stressors affected the general population, but many primarily impacted women.
Pike et al. (2020) showed that employee well-being is an organizational concern rather
than an employee issue, partially due to workload and stressors causing emotional exhaustion,
burnout, and fatigue.
Strategies to Improve Burnout and Well-Being
Self-rated physical and mental health is essential to overall well-being. People who
believe in and report high well-being levels feel healthier and have the energy to do more (Office
of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion [ODPHP], 2022). The CDC (2018) defined well-
being through various subsets. However, when measuring well-being, the CDC considers
individuals’ self-judgment of their physical, mental, and social well-being to measure lives going
well. An individual’s physical well-being includes “vigor and vitality, feeling very healthy and
full of energy” (ODPHP, 2022, para. 15). In addition, mental well-being includes “being satisfied
in one’s life; balancing positive and negative emotions; accepting oneself; finding purpose and
meaning in one’s life seeking personal growth, autonomy, and competence; believing one’s life
and circumstances are under one’s control; and generally experiencing optimism” (ODPHP,
2022, para. 15). Finally, social well-being “involves providing and receiving quality support
from family, friends, and others” (ODPHP, 2022, para. 15). Self-efficacy thought processes
might impact positive well-being (Bandura, 1986).
Causes of burnout are mismatches that “arise when the process of establishing a
psychological contract leaves critical issues unresolved, or when the working relationship
changes to something that a worker finds unacceptable” (Maslach et al., 2001, p. 413). The
causes of burnout include six stressors:
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1. An unfeasible and unsustainable workload
2. An employee’s perceived lack of control over their work
3. Insufficient rewards and recognition for effort and work completed
4. Lack of support from work environments and supervisors
5. Lack of fairness
6. Conflicting values and mismatched skillsets
Moss (2021) argued that the six causes of burnout are organizational issues. The WHO (2019)
stated that burnout is an occupational phenomenon in its 11th revision of the International
Classification of Diseases. Although organizations attempted to address burnout, most
organizations focused on self-improvement as a solution (Moss, 2021; Pike et al., 2020;
Sorensen et al., 2018; Suff, 2021). Although self-efficacy and self-care are essential factors in
minimizing burnout, how employees manage burnout in the workplace varies (Moss, 2021).
Therefore, suggestions to improve burnout and well-being necessitate organizational and
individual approaches.
A foundation to improve burnout and employee well-being is to make well-being a part
of organizational culture (Gallup, 2019). Leaders and managers are essential in creating an open
line of communication with their teams (Gallup, 2019; Moss, 2021; Pike et al., 2020). Managers
should pay close attention to what their teams are talking about and practice listening effectively
(Moss, 2021; Pike et al., 2020). A survey of 2,000 adults found that on average, they reported
that they felt fine when asked but only meant it 19% of the time (Moss, 2021). Assuring
teammates that they have a safe space to communicate concerns can alleviate some of their
burnout and exhaustion (Moss, 2021). Unmanageable workloads have the strongest correlation to
burnout. Therefore, providing employees with purposeful work and reiterating their work’s
29

impact on the organization may prevent burnout. One way to help with an unmanageable
workload is to shorten or eliminate ineffective meetings.
Rogelberg (2019) estimated that U.S. organizations spent $1.4 trillion dollar on meetings
in 2014. In addition, his survey implied that ineffective meetings accounted for 18%, or $250
billion, of the total resources spent on meetings. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the number
of and amount of time spent on meetings. The National Bureau of Economic Research found that
meetings per employee increased by 12.9% (DeFilippis et al., 2020). In addition, the number of
attendees per meeting increased by 13.5%, whereas the average workday increased by 8.2%
(DeFilippis et al., 2020). Burnout broadly impacts mental health as untreated stress, and fatigue
at work carries over into employees’ personal lives.
Leaders and managers are essential in reducing burnout (Gallup, 2019; Moss, 2021; Pike
et al., 2020). Leading with empathy, positioning managers to focus on people, and limiting
monotonous tasks have reduced burnout and increased engagement (Gallup, 2019). In addition,
an open line of communication, which includes active listening, should make it more
comfortable for employees to discuss their mental health at work. Only about a third of
employees reported feeling comfortable discussing their mental health at work due to
organizations treating the COVID-19 work environment as business as usual (Moss, 2021).
Studies suggest self-efficacy, or psychological capital, can mediate occupational stress,
relieving burnout and emotional instability (Alessandri et al., 2018; Khalid et al., 2019). For
example, in their study of 416 cadets in Italy’s most prestigious military academy, Alessandri et
al. (2018) concluded that self-efficacy beliefs reduced burnout symptoms in high occupational
stress environments. Similarly, a study of 1,778 bank employees in Pakistan found a negative
correlation between psychological capital and emotional exhaustion, a leading cause of burnout
30

(Khalid et al., 2019). Teaching behaviors leading to stronger self-efficacy beliefs is a short-term
solution. While self-efficacy helps mitigate some burnout, it is not a long-term solution (Khalid
et al., 2019).
To address the needs of Black women, organizational leaders should address challenges
directly and foster purposeful support that values Black women (McKinsey & Company, 2020b).
The long-term impact of COVID-19 remains unknown, and current mental health coverage is
inadequate in organizations (Marsh & McLennan Companies, 2020). Quick and long-term
solutions include opening lines of communication virtually to conducting face-to-face meetings
to address mental illness (Marsh & McLennan Companies, 2020; Wang et al., 2020).
Implementing long-term solutions for any organization might be viewed as expensive. However,
listening and communicating more often is a simple, inexpensive, and long-term solution for all
to practice immediately.
Women in the Workplace During COVID-19
The impact of burnout weighs heavier on women (McKinsey & Company, 2020b).
Women, in particular, were negatively impacted by the onset and duration of COVID-19. One in
4 women has considered leaving the workforce to concentrate on familial duties and care for
loved ones (McKinsey & Company, 2020b). Some COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors
affected everyone, but many primarily impacted women (Almeida et al., 2020; McKinsey &
Company, 2020b). Due to the “always-on” effect and perceived 24-hour shifts at work and
home, women reported drastically increased anxiety, fear, stress, and depression (Almedia et al.,
2020; McKinsey & Company, 2020b; Wang et al., 2020). Women experienced a higher
likelihood of being laid off, and elevated stressors have increased mental illnesses (Almeida et
al., 2020; McKinsey & Company, 2020b; Pike et al., 2020). In September 2020, women
31

accounted for 80% of the 1.1 million workers who left the labor force (Ewing-Nelson, 2020). By
October 2020, only about half of the 12.1 million women who lost their jobs had returned to
work.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of parents juggled working from home,
educating their children, and caring for them concurrently (S. J. Lee & Ward, 2018). In addition,
the COVID-19 pandemic heightened stressors at home for working parents, particularly mothers
(Gallup, 2019; McKinsey & Company, 2020b). Mothers carried the bulk of childcare, household
labor, and educational duties for their children (Almeida et al., 2020; McKinsey & Company,
2020b). In addition, mothers constantly worked double shifts, transitioning from working to
parenting without much rest.
Women in leadership roles also experienced a heightened sense of pressure, burnout, and
stress at work and home compared to men. McKinsey & Company (2020b) found that women
leaders were burning out at a rate 10% higher than men. The study also showed a 13% higher
level of exhaustion among women than men. Apart from the impact of COVID-19, women often
face higher levels of accountability than men. Minority women, particularly Black women, faced
increased challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although Black women experienced the
same stressors as all women, they also experienced a heightened level of occupational stress
from existing stressors not felt by their colleagues (Lean In, 2020; McKinsey & Company,
2020b).
Black Women in the Workplace Before COVID-19
Historically, all aspects of the workplace have been worse for Black women due to
disparities in microaggressions, salary, opportunities, and job types (Lean In, 2020; McKinsey &
Company, 2020b). Before COVID-19, opportunities for Black women in executive roles were
32

generally in DEI roles. Harris (2013) confirmed that women and minorities held most DEI roles
in organizations, particularly Black women. In addition, Harris argued that multiple marginalities
exist when marginalized groups hold DEI positions. According to Harris (2013), organizations
appear to be interested in diversity as a way to be socially acceptable to the public. Besides the
limited number of senior executive roles Black women hold, they face barriers as lower-level
managers and frontline employees.
Managers rated Black women more harshly regarding performance. However, they
received similar praise as Black men and White women for organizational success (Rosette-
Livingston, 2012). Black women faced higher performance standards and steeper accountability
measures for low performance due to dual subordinate identities (Rosette-Livingston, 2012). A
study of 228 participant managers by Rosette-Livingston (2012) concluded that Black women
leaders suffered from double jeopardy when performing poorly at their work (Rosette-
Livingston, 2012).
Black women face day-to-day bias and microaggressions in their workplace (Lean In,
2020; McKinsey & Company, 2020b). People frequently connect affirmative action with Black
women’s accomplishments in the workplace (Lean In, 2020). Federal mandates such as
affirmative action intended to help Black men and women achieve leadership roles did not help
the Black community. Instead of assisting the Black community to achieve more leadership
positions, affirmative action provided many opportunities to White women. Kalev et al. (2006)
compared the number of White women, Black men, and Black women promoted into managerial
roles. Their study of 708 companies and 16,265 data points from 1971 to 2002 concluded that
manager roles increased for White women from 16% to 26%, Black men from 1% to 3.1%, and
33

Black women from 0.4% to 2% (Kalev et al., 2006). Earnings were also disproportionate for
Black women compared to their colleagues.
Studies have shown that Black women make roughly $1 million less in lifetime earnings
than White men (Lean In, 2020). The Institute for Women’s Policy Research concluded that
Black women made 65.3% of the earnings of White men in 2018 (Hegewisch & Hartmann,
2019). The inflated adjusted earnings of Black women fell by 2.8%, whereas those of others
increased (Hegewisch & Hartmann, 2019). Income inequality shares a positive correlation with
well-being and psychological disorders (Huppert, 2009a).
Black women tend to be an “only” in their respective field—e.g., the only Black women
in their team or department (Lean In, 2020). They are aware of their situation at work. They are
constantly concerned about whether their successes and failures will be viewed as representative
of their race among colleagues (Lean In, 2020; McKinsey & Company, 2020b).
The workplace is not the only place where Black women face microaggressions and
systemic racism. Societal norms, biases, stereotypes, and microaggressions have played a
constant role in Black women’s lives. The constant emotional trauma experienced in their
personal lives impacts emotional fatigue, increasing burnout at work. A difference between
fatigue and burnout is that fatigue can occur inside and outside the workplace (Leone et al.,
2007).
The Black community, particularly Black women, had a higher likelihood of contracting
COVID-19 due to the overrepresentation of Black women in high-contact essential services
(McKinsey & Company, 2020a). Black Americans overrepresented nine of the 10 lowest-wage
jobs considered high-contact essential services. Low-wage workers in high-contact essential
34

services could not afford to miss work during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving them highly
vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 (McKinsey & Company, 2020a).
Apart from the rigors of working in essential services, women tend to work double shifts,
one in the labor market and the second at home (McKinsey & Company, 2020a, 2020b). In
addition, Black mothers are twice as likely to be the sole earner for their families than White
women (McKinsey & Company, 2020b). Furthermore, they are twice as likely to be responsible
for childcare and household chores.
One of the most practical ways that White men and women leaders can support Black
women is to be their allies in the workplace. A survey of 7,406 people conducted by Lean In
(2020) through Survey Monkey concluded that 81% of White women and 82% of White men
viewed themselves as allies. However, only 26% of Black women concurred with this statement.
The frequency of microaggressions and racism toward Black women has impacted them
in the workplace and throughout their lives. Experiences of racism have harmed Black women’s
mental health, self-esteem, and personal health (Huppert, 2009a; Pieterse et al., 2013). Life
events and socioeconomic factors play a significant role in an individual’s psychological well-
being (Huppert, 2009a; McKinsey & Company, 2020b; Pieterse et al., 2013). They have
negatively impacted Black women, and COVID-19 only worsened their experiences.
Black Women in the Workplace During COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Black women experienced disproportionate challenges
compared to colleagues and people with different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Challenges
included trauma from racial violence across the United States and the loss of loved ones from
COVID-19 (McKinsey & Company, 2020b). In addition, Black women are 4 times more likely
to be a single head of household and single parent than White women (Gould & Wilson, 2020;
35

McKinsey & Company, 2020b). A study by the Economic Policy Institute using 2018 data from
the U.S. Census Bureau concluded that 26.4% of Black women were single household heads,
compared to 8.6% of White women (Gould & Wilson, 2020). In addition, 11% of Black women
lost their jobs between February and April 2020, the highest rate in the labor force (Gould &
Wilson, 2020). Besides job insecurities, Black women faced increased stressors at home and in
their communities.
Studies showed that the Black community was more than twice as likely to be
hospitalized during COVID-19 (Haywood et al., 2020; McKinsey & Company, 2020b). A study
of 3,626 patients who tested positive at the onset of COVID-19 concluded that 68% were Black,
28% were White, and 4% were of different racial and ethnic backgrounds (Haywood et al.,
2020). The mortality rate for Black Americans was also more than twice that of Whites and
Asians (APM, 2020; Chandler et al., 2021; Haywood et al., 2020). Apart from Indigenous
Americans, Black Americans suffered the highest mortality rate, at 179.8 per 100,000, from
February to April 2020 (APM, 2020). A part of the high mortality rate is the overrepresentation
of Blacks in frontline or essential employment industries.
A disproportionate percentage of Black women work in frontline or essential
employment. Essential employment, due to the nature of the work, increases the risk of exposure
to COVID-19, and minorities disproportionately work in essential employment (CDC, 2020;
Gould & Wilson, 2020; Rho et al., 2020). Thus, the risk of exposure to COVID-19 is higher for
minorities, particularly Black women, due to a high representation in essential employment. In
addition, numerous employees fit the characteristics of frontline or essential employees.
However, because each state and county has different definitions essential workers, many
employees working in frontline settings are unnoticed. For example, the Los Angeles County
36

Department of Public Health (2020) issued a safer-at-home order for control of COVID-19 on
March 19, 2020. The health officer of Los Angeles County identified more than 100 definitions
of essential businesses. Unfortunately, the complexities of state and local mandates made it
difficult to provide resources for many frontline workers. The financial services industry was
deemed one of the essential industries that kept the U.S. economy from further deterioration.
Women Leaders During COVID-19
Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the representation of women leaders improved
among corporations in 2020 (McKinsey & Company, 2021b). However, a disparity exists for
women on a path to leadership positions. Although women leaders have increased since 2016,
women are significantly underrepresented in all leadership positions (McKinsey & Company,
2021b). Most women promoted to C-suite and lower-level managerial roles were White.
McKinsey & Company (2021b) noted the existence of a “broken rung” in organizations,
particularly among Black women, that has resulted in a sharp decline in promotions, resulting in
underrepresentation in middle management.
Companies have focused on the well-being of their employees before and after the onset
of COVID-19. However, burnout is increasing, especially among women (McKinsey &
Company, 2020b, 2021b). Women are underrepresented in the financial services industry,
particularly in leadership positions. Black women account for the smallest population among
managers, and organizations should have planned to retain them in financial institutions.
The Financial Services Industry During COVID-19
The finance and insurance sector accounts for 6.5 million workers in the United States
(Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Federal Reserve
placed numerous banking and market controls to calm the economy (Federal Deposit Insurance
37

Corporation, 2020). Nevertheless, unemployment in the United States reached 13.3% in May
2020 (Tomar & Kane, 2020). Financial institutions, particularly retail banks, were pivotal to the
economic recovery. Retail banks kept their distribution channels open while adhering to safety
guidelines from numerous municipalities (Yousufani et al., 2020). In addition, banks gathered
what resources and full-time employees they had after employees with underlying health
conditions stayed home until further notice. Specialized bankers worked from home using video
technology to assist customers. However, retail bank employees could not work from home due
to the nature of their work (Yousufani et al., 2020.). Bank tellers, bankers, and managers
continued to help the U.S. economy recover by distributing monetary resources from the CARES
Act and other government mandates.
Burnout in the Financial Services Industry
Bankers suffered from role ambiguity, role conflict, role enhancements, and poor career
development, leading to burnout (Bashir & Ramay, 2010; Khalid et al., 2019). Retail banks, in
particular, kept their distribution channels open while adhering to safety guidelines from
numerous municipalities during the COVID-19 pandemic (Yousufani et al., 2020). However,
transacting in face-to-face situations, bankers risked exposure to COVID-19, which exacerbated
burnout. Managers reported a higher level of burnout and stress than individual contributors, at
32% and 27%, respectively (Gallup, 2019). In addition, the literature suggests that Black female
bank managers experienced a compounded number of stressors, leading to higher occupational
stress and ultimately harming their well-being.
Multiple studies exist on banker burnout and its impact on well-being. For example, Wall
Street’s “work-until-you-drop” culture exacerbated burnout among its bankers during the
COVID-19 pandemic (Gura, 2021). Investment bankers working 20-hour shifts reported
38

experiencing physical fatigue and mental breakdowns. Various media outlets reported on
numerous escalations of burnout and mental health issues. A work survey conducted on first-year
analysts at Goldman Sachs revealed that they were burning out and suffered from physical
ailments (Goldman Sachs, 2021). While bankers experienced numerous stressors due to
occupational stress, the overall stock market reached record levels during the COVID-19
pandemic (Gura, 2021). Figure 1 shows the self-rated scores of junior bankers at Goldman Sachs
a year into their employment.

Figure 1
Mental and Physical Health Survey (Healthiest = 10)

39

The impact of burnout includes but is not limited to feelings of exhaustion, interpersonal
strains at work, and cynicism (Alessandri et al., 2018; Gallup, 2019). Prolonged exposure to
adverse treatment at work from colleagues, supervisors, and even customers can cause workers
to deal with negative emotions less effectively, resulting in burnout (Alessandri et al., 2018;
Hakanen & Schaufeli, 2012). Emotional stability is a protective barrier that enables coping with
negative emotions during stressful situations (Alessandri et al., 2018). In their study of 416
cadets from Italy’s most prestigious military academies, Alessandri et al. (2018) concluded that
emotional instability was associated with burnout. In addition, the study concluded that
emotional instability had the highest association with emotional exhaustion. Goldman Sachs
(2021) also surveyed first-year analysts regarding how senior bankers and managers treated them
through their initial year of employment. Figure 2 outlines the reaction from participants of the
survey.

Figure 2
Reactions of Burnout and Impact on Social Relationships

40

Figure 3 and Figure 4 detail the treatment of junior bankers and cynicism toward their
firm, respectively. Cynicism is a common effect of burnout on workers. Much of the analysis
described here shows prolonged exposure to work-related stressors. It is evident that the
motivational aspect that junior bankers experienced at the beginning of their employment
diminished in a short timeframe. Investment banking is primarily a performance-based industry.
Prolonged occupational stress diminished the job performance of junior bankers (Bashir &
Ramay, 2010).

Figure 3
Treatment of Junior Bankers

41

Figure 4
Recommended Place to Work by Junior Bankers

Burnout Among Black Women in the Financial Services Industry
The financial services industry has witnessed significant growth in female employees.
However, women, particularly Black women, have been historically underrepresented in the
financial services industry. In addition, the representation of women of color falls 80% when
considering C-suite positions. A primary cause of the underrepresentation of women leaders is
the “broken rung” effect (McKinsey & Company, 2021a). As a result, fewer women are
promoted than men (McKinsey & Company, 2021a). Currently, for every 100 promotions for
men in the financial services industry, 86 women receive promotions (Lean In, 2021). In
addition, the representation of minority women in financial services has increased. For example,
in 2020, minority women received promotions at a higher rate than women overall (McKinsey &
Company, 2021a). When broken down by race, promotions showed a wide range of disparities.
For example, Asian women experienced a promotion rate exceeding 100 for every 100
42

promotions for men (Lean In, 2021; McKinsey & Company, 2021b). Promotions for Hispanic
women ranged from 50 to 75 and for Black women ranged from 25 to 50 for every 100
promotions for men (Lean In, 2021; McKinsey & Company, 2021b). The continuous lack of
promotions of Black women to entry-level managerial roles makes it challenging to increase the
number of Black women in senior leadership roles.
Women leaders in the financial services industry are 7.5 times more likely to have dual
household roles (McKinsey & Company, 2021a). Apart from their roles in the workplace and
home, women in the financial services sector take on more responsibilities that seldom go
noticed (Lean In, 2021; McKinsey & Company, 2021a, 2021b). Women in the financial services
sector feel obligated and hold a sense of responsibility to support DEI efforts. Moreover, their
increased support in their respective organizations diminishes the negative impact they
experienced as women working in financial services (McKinsey & Company, 2021a). Black
women, in particular, are more likely than men and women overall to provide emotional support
and hold team events (McKinsey & Company, 2021a). However, the increased workload,
volunteerism, and lack of recognition for their diversity and inclusion have exacerbated burnout
among Black female financial services leaders. As Maslach et al. (2001) noted, a lack of reward
is closely associated with reduced self-efficacy, contributing to burnout.
Various workplace stressors impact all employees, whereas some stressors only impact
women (McKinsey & Company, 2021b). In addition, Black female managers face more stressors
in the workplace than their female colleagues (Lean In, 2020, 2021; McKinsey & Company,
2020b, 2021a, 2021b). Furthermore, Black women suffer from perceived subordinate roles,
including being Black, a woman, and the only person of their race in their workplace (Harris,
2013; McKinsey & Company, 2021b). The bias characteristics described here often push Black
43

women into higher levels of burnout. Being an “only” also increases the likelihood of
microaggressions, stereotypes, bias, discrimination, and pressure to perform, further contributing
to higher levels of burnout (McKinsey & Company, 2021b).
The evolution and complexities of banker roles has caused workloads to become
unmanageable, ultimately triggering stressors constantly (Alessandri et al., 2018; Almeida et al.,
2020; Pike et al., 2020). Bankers suffer from role ambiguity and role conflict. Organizational
issues include aggressive and constant change in organizational structure, poor planning for
career development, and a lack of feedback from managers and executives (Bashir & Ramay,
2010; Khalid et al., 2019). The quantitative data suggest that during the COVID-19 pandemic,
Black women experienced a work structure that impacted their well-being through various
occupational stressors, including burnout (McKinsey & Company, 2020a, 2020b, 2021a, 2021b).
Conceptual Framework
The primary theoretical framework of this study was social cognitive theory, which
conceptualizes and evolves human behavior from mechanical agency (Bandura, 1989).
Mechanical agency, or behaviorism, posits that people learn from repeating a behavior through
external influences (Bandura, 1989; Schunk & Usher, 2012). On the other hand, social cognitive
theory argues that people are not solely autonomous or mechanical but work in conjunction with
the position of human agency (Bandura, 1986). Social cognitive theory posits that self-regulatory
systems mediate the “effect of most external influences, but provide the very basis for purposeful
action” (Bandura, 1991, p. 248). Therefore, self-regulatory systems regarding personal agency
can play an essential role in alleviating burnout.
Social cognitive theory includes self-generating influence as a significant factor. In
addition, social cognitive theory’s reciprocal causation, or triadic reciprocity, argues that the
44

person, environment, and behavior influence one another (Bandura, 1989). The constant
utilization of agency through the perception of self-efficacy can lead to cognitive processes that
can be helpful or harmful to positive well-being (Bandura, 1989). A positive outlook, optimism,
and control of negative emotions are essential for individuals to experience positive well-being.
Bandura (1989) argued that “self-efficacy beliefs function as an important set of proximal
determinants of human motivation, cognitive, and affective intervening processes” (p. 1175).
The theory’s reciprocal causation and interactive learning patterns provide insight into the
positive and negative work experiences of Black female bank managers. Therefore, self-efficacy
can reduce some levels of burnout among employees (Alessandri et al., 2018). In contrast, if
employees have a difficult time being self-efficacious, they can be inclined to experience higher
levels of burnout.
This research explored how burnout, emotional exhaustion, and fatigue impacted the
perceived effectiveness of Black female bank managers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In
addition, the research assessed the strategies that Black female bank managers perceived their
organizations implemented during the same timeframe. The conceptual framework for the
research includes the views of social constructivism. Creswell and Creswell (2018) stated that
“social constructivists believe that individuals seek understanding of the world which they live
and work” (p. 48). Because the goal of the research depended on examining the lived work
experiences of Black female bank managers, a constructivist paradigm of inquiry works well
with the learning processes of social cognitive theory.
The conceptual framework (see Figure 5) themes included women’s work experiences
during COVID-19, Black women in the financial services industry, well-being,
microaggressions, burnout, dual subordinate roles, and organizational actions regarding burnout
45

and COVID-19. This study explored the impact of work on well-being and evaluated the work
experiences of Black female bank managers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the
study evaluated the perceived burnout, emotional exhaustion, and occupational stress of a
minoritized group (Black women) compared to their peers. Furthermore, the study included
perceived organizational actions implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Figure 5
Conceptual Framework

Black Female Managers’
Cognitive Processes,
Perceptions, and Beliefs
5

Self-Regulation
Perceived Leadership and
Organizational Actions,
Perceived Workplace
Culture, and Job Demands
Black Female Managers’
Reactive Behavior
People
Behavior

Environment
46

Summary
The chapter provided a literature review regarding well-being, specifically the impact of
the workplace on well-being. In addition, the chapter explored a growing concern about how
burnout, emotional exhaustion, and fatigue impact well-being in the workplace. Furthermore, the
chapter explored the exacerbation of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for
Black women generally and in the financial services industry. The impact of microaggressions,
bias, and the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic on Black female bankers created a unique
and particularly negative work experience, leading to detrimental effects on mental health and
well-being.

47

Chapter Three: Methodology
The information in this chapter includes the methodology used to collect data. In
addition, the chapter includes the positionality, ethics, and validity and reliability regarding this
research. I collected data through a qualitative design, including semistructured interviews. The
purpose of the study was to examine organizational and leadership practices implemented during
the COVID-19 pandemic that positively impacted the well-being of employees. The following
research questions guided the research and relevant data collection to understand the
participants’ perceived organizational actions that impacted their well-being.
Research Questions
1. How have burnout, emotional exhaustion, and fatigue impacted employee
effectiveness throughout the COVID-19 pandemic?
2. What specific strategies have organizations and leaders implemented to support the
well-being of their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Overview of Design
The procedural design for this study was qualitative research through semistructured
interviews. The qualitative design allowed a deeper understanding of individual work
experiences among Black female managers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research
design supports social cognitive theory’s triadic reciprocity, wherein the person, environment,
and behavior influence one another. In addition, the components of the person’s self-regulation
system influence their behavior (Bandura, 1991). Components include self-efficacy, self-
influence, and emotions. Therefore, Black female bank managers discussed how burnout,
emotional exhaustion, and fatigue impacted their perceived effectiveness during the COVID-19
48

pandemic. Furthermore, the study examined the perceived organizational strategies leaders took
to support the well-being of employees during the same period.
Research Setting
The participants for this research were Black female managers from various financial
institutions in the United States. The participants worked for four financial institutions across the
United States. In addition, all four financial institutions are nationally recognized by the Office
of the Comptroller of the Currency, meaning they have a presence in multiple states. There are
783 national banks across the United States (Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 2022).
Thus, the participants represent less than 1% of all national financial institutions in the United
States. Initially, the intended approach was to interview Black female leaders from my
organization. However, finding interviewees solely in this organization proved to be
complicated. The organization’s human resources department did not have issues with me
interviewing current employees working in the company. However, the human resources
executive requested that I not use its intranetwork channels for communication.
Furthermore, all communication outside of the organization’s communication channels
was approved. Human resources colleagues sent invitations through personal emails, Facebook,
and LinkedIn as approved external communication channels. I also sent various invites through
my personal email and LinkedIn. Interviews took place virtually using the university’s Zoom
account.
Due to the confidentiality and sensitivity of the research, I assigned numbers to all
participants and pseudonyms to all organizations. All pseudonyms and descriptors are broad
because two participants advised me not to use their titles, which could be used to identify them.
49

The Researcher
I am a cisgender, middle-class, Catholic, and Korean American man. My race may have
hindered some participants from agreeing to an interview with me. I believe the relationships
between Blacks or African Americans and Korean Americans have improved. However, events
that created years of racial tensions, including the death of Latasha Harlins in 1992, still linger
today (Los Angeles Times, 2021). My family has also been the victim of violence by other
minoritized groups. My father suffered a life-threatening wound after being shot during a
botched robbery attempt by a Hispanic man in 1994. Although he survived the gunshot wound,
doctors could never find the bullet in his pelvis. My mother had her nose broken after being
punched by a Black man trying to steal beer when my parents owned a liquor store in the late
1980s. My brother was held at gunpoint while my parents emptied the register when they started
an aquarium business in 1995. These instances have not dictated my perceptions of an entire race
of great people with rich backgrounds living in our great country. In my 2-decade career in
banking, Black and Hispanic mentors have helped me grow in my career and as a person. In my
opinion, one way for race relations to improve is to listen to the stories of others first before
presenting mine.
My political views are generally conservative, not aligning with the general views
involving institutional racism, systemic racism, and social justice groups. However, I believe that
minorities struggle with institutional racism and systemic racism. I also believe that social justice
groups that fight for justice and equality have a place in today’s culture. I experienced
institutional racism and bias, preventing career growth to specific executive roles despite
performing in the top 1% of the company for years. At times, I believe that DEI initiatives
contradict their purpose. U.S. organizations overwhelmingly adopted diversity structures that
50

merely create an illusion of fairness (Kaiser et al., 2013). I believe retention and career-growth
resources should be distributed equitably rather than equally to marginalized employees. In
addition, I know the data involving Black female representation in banks; therefore, I hold biases
against financial institutions.
My assumptions are that burnout, emotional exhaustion, and fatigue impact marginalized
groups’ career growth and retention. I also assume that minorities did not benefit much from the
perceived organizational and leadership actions implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For example, biases toward Asian Americans include being workaholics or “robots” with no
regard for rest or time with family. Even though I muscled through and did not believe I needed
to seek help for my mental health during the pandemic, no one asked me if I needed support. In
addition, mental health and employee well-being are generally not regarded as necessary for
Asian Americans. I know that my organization is attempting to retain its Black employees,
particularly retail managers. Therefore, perceived actions that positively impact employee well-
being should benefit financial institutions. To ensure that my position with the bank did not force
participants to interview with me, I only selected managers at the same level or higher than my
position with the organization. Interviewees who participated from other organizations also fit
the same criteria. In addition, some participants were previous managers of mine and have
mentored me throughout my career.
I am currently considered a frontline manager in the banking industry. However, my
position and biases may have caused me to make unreasonable assumptions and interpretations
in the study. I attempted to identify my personal biases through several methods. Merriam and
Tisdell (2016) stated that attempting to identify biases rather than eliminate them using
theoretical frameworks enhances data interpretation. In addition, I mitigated bias through
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bracketing. Wadams and Park (2018) defined bracketing as setting aside previously held beliefs
at the beginning of the study. They stated that bringing implicit bias to the forefront and making
it explicit throughout the study can minimize researcher bias.
A constructivist paradigm holds that researchers find numerous ways to study subjective
views of life experiences among participants (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Thus, the
constructivist paradigm can inform the topic of research through various qualitative methods.
In light of the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, I started a call series that dealt
with race and social justice at work. I kept the titles of the calls confidential because people from
multiple organizations participated in the calls. The topics for discussion included stories from
multiple points of view. Though not intentional, I have discussed matters of social injustice in
the community and workplace that I believe provided me the tools necessary to mitigate some
biases.
Data Sources
Interviews were the primary sources of information used for data collection. After
collecting data from interviews, triangulation occurred between previous research on the topic
and the data collected from interviews (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). In addition, I used the
triangulation method, using multiple methods to compare and cross-check the eight participants
who interviewed with me (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Interviews
Interviews were the primary source of information used for data collection. In addition,
the interviews utilized a semistructured format. The semistructured format allowed me to ask a
broad set of fixed questions with the flexibility to obtain a deeper insight into the participants’
experiences in their professional and personal lives during the COVID-19 pandemic (Merriam &
52

Tisdell, 2016). In addition, the data collected during the interview, including perceptions of
burnout, emotional exhaustion, and fatigue during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowed me to
identify themes during the research.
In addition, the interviews allowed a much greater understanding of the experiences of
Black female banker managers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Not all data supported the
literature review data but did support the theoretical framework, particularly social cognitive
theory. The semistructured method allowed flexibility to record individual stories that were
unique to the participants while adhering to the research questions.
Participants
The criteria for participating in the research were self-identifying as Black female bank
managers employed in financial institutions. In addition, the participants were managers who
directly or indirectly managed employees in banking centers. An indirect manager either works
as an internal consultant or program manager to improve business processes in the banking
centers. In addition, working in banking centers from opening to closing hours was not
mandatory to account for specialist managers. Specialist managers lead various specialists in
banking centers, including mortgage loan officers, investment bankers, and small business
bankers. I initially attempted to recruit Black female managers employed with Broad Bank
(pseudonym). However, this task proved to be complicated. As a result, the minimum number of
participants in Broad Bank did not meet the threshold of participants needed to interview for the
study. Therefore, I recruited more participants through LinkedIn and peers from four different
financial institutions. Eight participants met the eligibility criteria: (a) self-identified Black
woman; (b) manager with at least 6 months of leadership experience; (c) directly or indirectly
53

managed banking center associates; and (d) currently worked in some capacity with a banking
center.
Instrumentation
The interview protocol used is the process presented by Creswell and Creswell (2018)
regarding qualitative research. The list of questions is provided in Appendix A. After brief
introductions, the interviews followed a semistructured format with two central research
questions. In addition, both research questions have a subset of subsequent questions that
participants answered related to the primary research questions. For example, the first set of
questions focused on their perceptions of employee effectiveness during the COVID-19
pandemic. In addition, to ensure participants knew the distinctions among burnout, emotional
exhaustion, and fatigue, the term “burnout” was clearly defined for all participants.
Furthermore, participants were made aware that burnout is a workplace phenomenon. To
ensure that participants were aware of burnout as a term used in the workplace, the initial
question of the interview included the definition of burnout used by the WHO (2019): “The
World Health Organization (2019) defined burnout as ‘a syndrome conceptualized as resulting
from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed’ (para. 4). How would you
describe your level of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic?”
The second set of questions focused on the perceived strategies that organizations and
leaders implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Questions included how the participants’
organization supported their well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. The interview
questions asked participants to elaborate on their experiences of occupational stress as Black
women compared to their peers. Finally, the interview questions asked participants to detail any
54

action the organization failed to take and should initiate. The interview protocol in Appendix A
includes all questions asked during interviews.
Data Collection Procedures
The data collection procedures included a questionnaire that introduced the study through
the research questions. On February 8, 2022, the Internal Review Board (IRB) approved all
primary research questions and subsequent questions before interviewing the participants. The
data collection from participants occurred between April 1 and 18, 2022. The interview protocol
and questionnaire are shown in Appendix A.
Interviews
The selection process was on a first-come, first-served basis and continued until the
number of interviews reached eight to 10 participants. Through peers in and outside of the
organization and social media outlets, 10 women agreed to participate in the research. I sent all
10 participants individual invitation emails. In addition, all invitations included an information
sheet describing the study. The information sheet outlined (a) the purpose of the research, (b)
participant involvement, (c) confidentiality, (d) contact information for the principal investigator,
and (e) contact information for the institutional review board (IRB). The information sheet for
exempt research is shown in Appendix B. The information sheet included a statement that the
recipients of invitations should identify as Black or African American female managers in the
financial services industry (Appendix B). When participants replied that they were interested in
participating in an interview, I emailed invitations with timeslots and dates to schedule the
interview (Appendix C). All calendar invites included an information sheet. I sent all calendar
invites via Google Calendar in 1-hour increments.
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Eight of the 10 participants who agreed to join the study indicated their availability for an
interview. All eight participated in the research. Interviews took between 30 minutes to an hour
and 10 minutes long. They took place via Zoom with cameras off for added confidentiality. All
interviews were recorded through Zoom’s transcription services to capture data for analysis,
coding, and possible themes that may arise. Finally, I utilized a printed copy of the interview
questions (Appendix A) for each participant during the interviews. Notetaking took place in all
interviews to capture any significant emotional responses. In addition, if a participant told a story
that needed further exploration, the time and follow-up questions were notated on the
questionnaire (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Using a semistructured interview format allowed the
participants and me to be flexible during the interview process. Next, during the initial review of
transcripts, I assigned each participant and organization a pseudonym. Finally, I reviewed all
transcripts for grammatical errors.
The research questions studied perceptions of employee effectiveness and organizational
actions that impacted well-being. Recognizing and mitigating biases during research is essential
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Therefore, as the researcher, I compared my documented personal
beliefs with the data collected to mitigate my biases. Merriam and Tisdell (2016) argued that
rather than attempting to eliminate biases, “it is important to identify them and monitor them in
relation to the theoretical framework” (p. 16).
Data Analysis
Data collection and coding of the interviews allowed me to identify themes and other
information during data analysis. I also sorted the data by selecting a limited number of relevant
themes that addressed the research questions (Guest et al., 2012). I also documented any
perceived emotions of the participants by writing down their tone of voice, pauses, and other
56

actions that I felt were different than the rest of the interview. Upon completing the interviews
and downloading the interview transcripts from Zoom, I checked for grammatical errors in the
documents. Next, I assigned numerical identifiers for all participants and pseudonyms for
organizations. The participant identification document was in my sole possession during the
entire research process.
Once the initial review process was complete, I initiated open coding using ATLAS.ti 22.
The initial open-coding phase identified answers to primary research questions and subset
questions asked during interviews. The next open-coding phase included any relevant themes
identified during data analysis. The themes were then grouped with all participants that talked
about an identified theme. I also generated and utilized a priori codes for the data analysis. The a
priori codes included (a) self-efficacy and mental health, (b) business processes, (c) Black
women in the workplace, and (d) Maslach’s six causes of burnout.
Validity and Reliability
I used various validity strategies to ensure the accuracy of the data collected from the
participants. Regarding validity, I used the data from interviews and triangulated the information
through multiple sources (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Another strategy conducted for the validity
of data was member checks. Several participants checked part of the preliminary data for
accuracy, helping validate the data collected (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). One member check
process verified participants’ stories of being an “only” in their workplace.
I created a qualitative codebook for reliability and defined relevant terms for participants.
For example, a section of the research questions referenced occupational stressors. Therefore,
explaining burnout as a workplace phenomenon defined by the WHO was needed to ensure that
participants answered the questions about their experiences in the workplace. In addition, an ad
57

hoc code was included in the codebook to prepare for unexpected stories. The following analysis
of transcripts included identifying the length of time participants took to answer each question.
After identifying which questions participants took the longest to answer, I compared the notes
taken from the interviews and notes written during analysis and looked for correlations between
the data.
Ethics
Protecting the privacy of each participant was an essential part of the research. Therefore,
I disclosed participants’ privacy rights during the initial introduction of interviews, as noted in
Appendix A. In addition, multiple privacy and confidentiality notices occurred during the
interview process. First, human resources colleagues received information sheets and sent
invitations through personal emails, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Next, the initial emails sent to
participants included information sheets notifying them of their right to cancel at any time during
the process. Finally, the calendar invites included an information sheet notifying all participants
of their rights, including the right to withdraw from the research. The research followed the
guidelines provided by the University of Southern California IRB, which approved the study for
exempt research. The information sheet for exempt research sent to participants and the IRB is
shown in Appendix B. In addition, the invitation email is provided in Appendix C.
The transcripts excluded all identifiable information regarding the participants. In
addition, I assigned numerical values for participants and pseudonyms for organizations.
Because the research involved a minority population with little representation in the financial
services industry, job descriptions for participants were broad to prevent identification of
participants. In addition, two participants informed me that their exact titles would give away
their identity. To ensure that the identities of all participants remained confidential, general terms
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such as sales manager, diversity manager, and operations manager replaced the participants’
titles. I did not disclose any city or state where the participants work. After the research process,
all data collected during interviews, including transcripts and printed materials, were destroyed.

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Chapter Four: Findings
The findings in the research were varied, with each participant reporting unique work
experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. The eight interviews bolstered evidence reported in
the literature review but only offered a glimpse of COVID-19’s impact on work effectiveness
and perceived organizational actions.
The first research question developed for the study explored how burnout impacted
perceptions of effectiveness in the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second
research question examined the perceived strategies that organizations and leaders implemented
to support the well-being of their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
All participants in the study received a numerical identifier to protect their identity. The
job descriptions of participants are broad, because two participants mentioned that their job titles
could be used to identify them. To ensure that the identities of all participants remained
confidential, general terms such as sales manager, diversity manager, and operations manager
were utilized. The work locations of all participants also are not disclosed here. Table 1 provides
an overview of the participants.

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Table 1
Participant Names, Organization Names, and Role in Organization
Participant Name Organization Role
1 Ester Broad Bank Diversity manager
2 Jennie Broad Bank Training manager
3 Jessica World Bank Assistant manager
4 Shawna Broad Bank Business manager
5 Liz National Bank Sales manager
6 Chloe National Bank Sales manager
7 Zoe Public Bank Service manager
8 Jamie Broad Bank Diversity manager

Research Question 1: How Has Burnout Affected Perceptions of Employee Effectiveness
During the COVID-19 Pandemic?
The first research question focused on how burnout impacted the perceived effectiveness
of Black female managers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the first research
question explored the work experiences of Black female managers in financial institutions during
the COVID-19 pandemic. The WHO (2018) defined mental health as “the state of well-being in
which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life,
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can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community” (para. 2). In
addition, mental health includes “our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects
how we think, feel, and act” (CDC, 2021, para. 1).
The participants used the term mental health in various ways. For example, although they
used it in line with the definition of the WHO, participants also used mental health to address
self-efficacy, stress, mental toughness, pride, and burnout. The study’s interview protocol
ensured that participants knew about different occupational stressors experienced in the
workplace. However, it was clear from the start that the participants used terms that describe
occupational stressors interchangeably. The data needed constant analysis to determine which
occupational stressors participants talked about during the interviews.
The themes that emerged in conjunction with the conceptual framework and literature
review reflected Black female managers’ work experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They were (a) Black female managers in the workplace, (b) being an “only” in the workplace,
and (c) self-efficacy. The study found similar overarching themes that supported the three themes
mentioned in the literature review. The following section describes the impact of burnout on the
interviewees’ effectiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Level of Burnout During the COVID-19 Pandemic
One desired outcome of this study was assessing the participants’ levels of burnout. The
first question involved determining the level of burnout experienced by participants during the
COVID-19 pandemic. All eight interviewees shared their experiences of burnout during the
pandemic. In addition, to ensure that participants were aware of burnout as a term used in the
workplace, the initial question of the interview included the definition of burnout from the WHO
(2019): “The World Health Organization (2019) defined burnout as ‘a syndrome conceptualized
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as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed’ (para. 4).
How would you describe your level of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic?”
A challenge that emerged during the onset of the interviews was collecting consistent
levels of burnout because of subjectivity. Some participants asked if it was on a scale of 1 to 10,
whereas others asked for a description of the different levels of burnout.
The findings indicate no clear connection between levels of burnout and perceived
effectiveness at work. Six participants described their burnout as the same or higher during the
COVID-19 pandemic compared to prepandemic levels. Three of the participants, namely
Shawna, Liz, and Zoe, described their burnout as unmanageable at times. However, these three
participants still reported being highly effective at work. Furthermore, they said their
effectiveness was significantly higher compared to prepandemic levels. Although they said
burnout did not impact their effectiveness, participants discussed concerns for their mental health
and fatigue after work. Ongoing fatigue at home and burnout at work appeared to stem from
being an “only” at work.
It was evident that the participants were aware of their minimal representation in the
financial services industry, and they wanted to do well regarding performance and mental
toughness. Liz discussed this in detail on several occasions. “Being a woman of color and a
leader of color, I am always focused on ensuring that I show up and never drop below my peers.”
In addition, Liz reported being aware of the benefits her company offered involving therapy
sessions that assist with mental wellness. However, she decided not to take advantage of the
benefits. Liz mentioned the reasons why she did not take advantage of the benefits:
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You know, I was so focused on my team that I did not really take advantage or leverage
the benefits. I leaned on making sure my team was aware of what they were. I think that
was a miss on my behalf that I should have taken more advantage of.
Seven participants discussed their awareness of the mental wellness sessions provided by
their company, yet none decided to take advantage of the benefit. While the participants did not
take advantage of therapy sessions, some participants took time off to mitigate their burnout.
Jennie discussed taking a day or two to just reflect or taking time for herself because these were
tough times and times of uncertainty.
Six participants described their burnout experiences as the same or higher during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Jessica, Shawna, Liz, Chloe, Zoe, and Jamie all mentioned that their
burnout was equal to or higher during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, Shawna described
her level of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic:
There was quite a bit last year and during the onset of COVID. If I think about it, I went
through three job changes during COVID, and they were all very stressful for me. It was
very stressful because there was a very high expectation to perform. Nevertheless, I still
had to deliver despite all the obstacles. Some of the obstacles were created by COVID,
but metrics still had to be delivered. So, there was always that ongoing challenge to
deliver, no matter what. Then there were so many meeting routines that we used to have
in person that they switched to virtually. Man, for the ongoing meeting routines, it’s just a
lot. You were trying to adjust to the pandemic circumstances, and many people, including
myself, had to take on additional caregiving responsibilities, so it was a challenge.
Zoe described an interesting experience related to her burnout during the pandemic. Zoe
articulated her burnout experiences in a multilayered structure that included experiences of being
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an “only” in the workplace. In addition, she discussed the impact of social injustice at work and
reactions from colleagues. Furthermore, her answer aligned with the literature review regarding
the perception of colleagues being allies:
How would I describe it? I would say it was so unexpected, multilayered, and
multifaceted. There was too much going on, and being in a leadership role, there is a
sense of responsibility for others first, but it took a toll on me. We had a job to do, and we
had to learn new processes quickly, while social and racial injustice is a huge issue all
over the place. So, it just really exhausts you. It’s incredibly exhausting for two reasons.
First, it is exhausting because things continue not to go well. It feels like our world is
based on insecurity and hate, so it affects you and me personally. Second, folks have
good intentions and want to be allies. They ask a lot of questions, and they tip-toe. So
now you have this interesting situation where people do not know how to treat you or
speak to you or go overboard when trying to be an ally.
Five participants described their experiences as the only Black woman in their department. The
participants described being an “only” but were unaware of the term. When participants
concluded talking about their experiences of being an “only,” I introduced the term to the
participants. The participants were unaware of the term but appreciated my explanation.
Not all participants experienced more burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic than
before the outbreak. Two participants said their burnout did not change or decreased during the
COVID-19 pandemic. During the initial two interviews, Ester and Jaime unexpectedly reported
experiencing less burnout. Ester described her level of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic
as follows:
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For me it was pretty low. It was certainly stressful because of what was going on around
me, but it was minimized because I could work from home. People initially said that the
pandemic and lockdown would last a week or two, so I practiced new recipes and
organized the closet. So, our workload decreased, which was nice. So, I would say that
my stress levels probably decreased during the pandemic.
Jennie discussed a similar experience of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic:
You know, I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as burnout. For me personally, I’d say that
the pandemic in itself definitely revealed deeply seated things that, you know, we all
needed to address within communities as well as within our social and economic factors.
I think that it certainly brought to the forefront many different disproportionate impacts to
the community. It also certainly did bring awareness of being able to address conscious
and unconscious biases that we may or may not even be aware of within ourselves.
Ester and Jennie both exclusively worked from home during the onset of the COVID-19
outbreak. Ester worked from home and did not have to visit banking centers. Jennie set up an
office in her home and stayed at home for some time. Being home and away from others
appeared to have decreased burnout for Ester and Jennie. Both participants no longer
experienced general interactions in the workplace that involved microaggressions and other types
of biases.
The level of burnout appeared to be an occupational stressor independent of perceived
effectiveness at work. Indeed, most participants discussed their burnout as stemming from biases
inside and outside their organization. The participants also discussed how their personal or
familial experiences of racism and discrimination contributed to their burnout. Zoe discussed her
perceived effectiveness at work: “I think I was more effective. We rise to the occasion; therefore,
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when there is more work to do, you just do more. There was so much more to do during the
pandemic.” Zoe also discussed the impact that experiences of racism had on her mental well-
being:
Social injustice and racial injustice are huge issues and just exhaust you. It is exhausting
for two reasons. One is because it is exhausting to see things not go well, and our world is
based on insecurity and hate, which affects me personally. It is also exhausting because
people, while they have good intentions, ask many questions and tip-toe around a topic.
So now you have this interesting situation where people do not know how to treat you or
speak to you and end up going overboard because they are trying to be allies.
The impact of personal experiences outside of the workplace appeared to have a higher impact
on burnout for participants. Apart from discrimination, several participants discussed personal
experiences that impacted their burnout. Shawna discussed the extra duties she had during the
pandemic:
For me, my unusual circumstance was my grandmother. I had a grandmother, and she
was 104 years old at the time. She lived in Northern California, and one day I received a
call from family members telling me to travel up north so I could pick her up and take
care of her. My grandmother’s health was declining rapidly. My father was her only
child, and being the elder of her two grandchildren, I had to make a quick decision. I was
working full-time, and I had to make modifications to my home to take care of her. Her
health was fragile, so I had to enroll her in in-home hospice care. I had to get a caregiver
to help me during the day because I was working full-time, and then I had to take care of
her in the evenings. There was much working through three different positions, and I had
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to take more than my original routines at home unexpectedly. I had her with me until she
passed in September 2022 at 105.
Jessica, Shawna, Liz, Chloe, Zoe, and Jamie described their burnout as the same or higher during
the COVID-19 pandemic relative to before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, all eight
participants described high levels of fatigue impacted by numerous microaggressions and
awareness of being a Black woman in society. Ester, one participant who mentioned
experiencing less burnout, credited a part of her improved well-being to the lack of social
functions she needed to attend:
Before the pandemic, there were certain expectations that you would go out for drinks
with the guys. People would touch your hair and all those things you usually have to deal
with when you are in the office no longer happened during COVID. You are just working
from home, and people see you through Zoom from the waist up, and nobody is trying to
touch your hair.
Many participants discussed learning new processes quickly, working with fewer people on their
teams, and ensuring the well-being of their direct reports. Jessica talked about how most of her
teammates initially left the office to work from home, leaving Jessica with a limited team. In
addition, she talked about how the amount of work never decreased. Instead, she and her team
had to make up for the work of others. Furthermore, Jessica talked about her burnout being a
“major and heavy burden.”
Factors Attributing to Burnout
The following section describes the causes of burnout experienced by participants during
the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Being the Only Black Female Leader in Their Department
Being the only Black female leader appeared to increase burnout. In addition, their
anxiety about possibly failing in their roles appears to heighten their burnout experiences.
Shawna described how she had to “go to the extra mile” to prove herself:
You just gave me a thought about something in this role. Sometimes I found it hard, and I
have had to go more and extra because being moved into this role that I am in, I am
working with new leaders, and they were reluctant. I cannot tell if this was because I am
a Black woman or if I was just brought to this role and I was engaging with them. So, I
always feel like I have to go the extra to prove myself to gain their respect.
Other factors that contributed to burnout at work were the pressure to perform at all times and
upholding stereotypical brands of being tough women. Liz articulated the pressure to perform
and not falter compared to her peers when promoted to sales manager. In addition, she discussed
being the only Black female manager in the department:
I think as a woman of color and as a leader of color, I am very focused on making sure I
am showing well. I am making sure that I am not dropping below my peers because I was
new to the role. I constantly felt like I had something to prove because no one had ever
had the role that looked like me.
Jamie provided an interesting outlook because she served the community’s needs as a diversity
officer. Because she was the only Black woman on her team, she felt that she had a responsibility
to be the spokesperson for her race:
I am the only Black woman on my team. We know that we had social unrest and
injustices that have really come to the forefront throughout the last several years. Since I
am the only Black woman on my team, I am the face of representing how we move
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forward under these kinds of situations that emerged. … I am the person that folks call
upon for opinions or sentiments on how others like me are feeling right now. I am there
to shed light or relay information from others who look like me and in my community on
how they may be feeling, and I am responsible for relaying all the information. I do not
want to speak for everybody, but I have been forced into it by the current environment.
The data indicate that all participants did not wish to display weaknesses in their confidence and
leadership. The data suggest that some burnout was caused by upholding a brand of perpetual
leadership with resilience and mental toughness. Displaying any concern for their mental health
appeared as a significant weakness among the participants. Zoe talked about coming to work as
if nothing bothered her:
It is called PTSD. You are more prone to suffering from PTSD if you grew up as I did in
a home that did not have a lot of money in a very poor city during the crack epidemic.
With all that went on in my life, I was supposed to treat it like it was normal and compete
in the workplace while everyone else was in school and receiving work training. Nobody
ever thought about making concessions for me because I did not ask for it, thinking it
would jeopardize my career. As a matter of fact, I always worked harder.
Chloe and Jennie’s thought processes and behavior during the interview led to interesting
findings. Chloe talked about how the stress she felt was average and that she was a balanced
person who finds activities and coping mechanisms to manage the level of stress she
experiences. Chloe mentioned that her stress level was a 5 but jumped to 8 on a 10-point scale at
times during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was evident during the interview that Chloe
experienced burnout and heightened stress levels from the increased diversity work she dealt
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with during times of civil unrest. She discussed being on countless panels and diversity work,
which was sometimes overwhelming.
Jennie mentioned that she would not necessarily call her experiences at work burnout.
Instead, to Jennie, they were issues that brought up conscious and unconscious biases involving
the Black community. To Jennie, the various emotions she felt at work were not occupational
stressors but rather a realization of biases rooted deep in society. Jennie presented high levels of
confidence throughout the interview. She refused to let outside situations she could not control or
her racial and ethnic background prevent her from being proud of being one of a few Black
women in her field. When asked about being among the few Black female financial service
leaders, Jennie thought it lived up to her work ethic and confidence. She also discussed how she
takes all negative situations with a positive approach. She explained what it meant to be among
the only Black women in her field:
I do not think you can necessarily tie burnout and fatigue to my ethnicity. All of these
things, such as burnout, fatigue, and other things, have to do with mental health. As a
Black woman in this profession just speaks volumes, and I do not necessarily associate
this to my ethnicity. My ability to control my mental wellness and thought processes have
nothing to do with my ethnicity or who I am.
Another concern mentioned by some participants included the lack of advocates, partially due to
the lack of Black women in the financial services industry. Chloe discussed lacking advocates
during her interview:
There were some people that constantly came to you with the same questions over and
over again and you are like wait a minute, you are not doing any of the work so you don’t
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really care about our plight, so you are not really an advocate. You are just pretending to
be one.
Shawna discussed the lack of Black leadership in her department and the overall workplace:
I am thinking about the number of advancements I had throughout my career and
throughout the pandemic. I did not see an increase in the number of Black employees,
particularly African American women. You see other cultures and it feels like they are
thriving and excelling in whatever they do, and their advancements show that. I do not
see that for African American women in the workplace. The lack of African American
leaders is not helping us grow in our careers.
Fatigue From External Environments
Apart from being an “only” in their work environment, experiences of fatigue in their
unique personal environment added to occupational stressors at work. Additionally, the
participants said they found it difficult to separate events at work and their personal life due to
numerous events that resulted in the deaths of Black men and women by law enforcement.
Furthermore, six participants discussed issues concerning social injustices during the COVID-19
pandemic. Chloe discussed how burnout progressed over time for her. She explained how fatigue
caused by issues concerning social injustices in her personal life added to her burnout
experiences.
When we got to the six-month point with the pandemic and thought that this was getting
worse and then hit a year and then moved on to the social climate, it was heightened. So,
for the first several months, I was just managing it, and the burnout was heightened
during civil and social unrest. So, therefore, during the July to September timeframe, it
was heightened.
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Zoe discussed her experiences of social injustice and overheard conversations of non-Black
colleagues discussing actions to take when stopped by a police officer. In addition, Zoe talked
about constantly listening to concerns of social injustice at work without any support:
I have been pulled over a couple of times, but I swear to you, I cried one time because the
cop was extremely rude, and I hear people say just to comply. Oh, shut up. You are not in
my shoes. You don’t comply with someone whom you know can stretch the laws to the
fullest extent and be covered and I learned not to trust them. They even investigate
themselves if something is reported regarding social injustices. … So, all the things going
on in my personal life is adding to the burnout. My company talks about it, but they talk
about it like I am not present. … Imagine you as a Korean American have 25 executives
around you, and they are talking about how bad people are treating Koreans and never
ask what your experience is. They are talking about the Black community in front of me
and do not realize they are talking about me. They never asked me how I felt.
Regulating and Mitigating Burnout
There was a connection between being an “only” in the workplace and experiences of
burnout. However, two participants said that their burnout was less than prepandemic levels.
Being away from the center of attention regarding constant questions about law enforcement,
microaggressions, and the Black community also decreased burnout. For example, two
participants discussed how their burnout seemed to have decreased during the pandemic.
One question asked of all participants involved their perceived level of burnout,
emotional exhaustion, and fatigue compared to colleagues. Ester discussed how being away from
the office and working from home decreased occupational stressors. Furthermore, she made an
interesting point about occupational stressors related to burnout:
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Interesting question. I think intuitively you would say more, but no, not as much because
when you are not in a corporate environment, there are no microaggressions and the
politics that come with a corporate work environment. So, it was less stressful in that
respect. … I think there were fewer expectations to go out for drinks, and people you
knew tried to touch your hair. So, during COVID, you are just working from home, and
no one is trying to touch your hair.
Jessica talked about how her colleagues were primarily Black women and therefore, she felt that
all her teammates were going through the same level of burnout:
I will say that I do not feel more burnout in the place I work. I think the level of burnout
was the same, and we went through the same thing. I have friends that had it worse. I
think it was the same for me because most of us are Black females.
Self-Control, Self-Efficacy, and Self-Regulation
A recurring theme during interviews was regulating burnout through self-control. During
interviews, participants discussed self-regulating burnout through self-control and various
thought mechanisms. It was unclear if the participants utilized regulating processes to control
burnout for their well-being. However, it was apparent that Jennie had consistent processes to
regulate burnout. The data from Jennie’s interview suggest she did not experience much burnout.
Jennie shared her story about how she approached occupational stressors in the workplace:
From my observation in my personal life, I was not personally impacted in that manner
because I chose to take a positive approach. I chose to take the negative energy that was
present and certainly impacted all of us and reverted that into how you get better as a
person. How do you move forward and think positively? How do you move forward as a
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person to think positively about things? How do you turn a negative into a positive, and
how do you embrace that very simply? This is another page in your chapter of life.
Jennie mentioned that maintaining a strong mental focus was vital in ensuring that she did not
experience burnout like some of her colleagues at different companies. She said that burnout did
not impact her effectiveness at work. She reported being very effective at work during COVID-
19. In addition, Jennie had to transition her work from the office to home due to COVID-19. The
following story describes her “office routine” at home:
Very, very effective. I think when the pandemic first came upon me, it took some
adjusting. … You still have to get up and do everything you need to do with the same
time schedule. For me, instead of the 30-minute drive that it takes to get to the office, I
use that extra 30 minutes to get up and prepare my mental thoughts by praying or reading
or listening to calming music. I use the “30-minute” drive time to incorporate one-on-one
time with God. … I make it a point to get up and get dressed, and I get my meetings done
downstairs, and I do not go back upstairs until 5 o’clock.
Although burnout was high or higher during the COVID-19 pandemic, it did not appear to
impact effectiveness at work. In addition, seven participants perceived that their effectiveness
increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jennie was the only participant who mentioned God
and the Bible multiple times during the interview. Reading the Bible and taking moments to pray
during breaks helped her stay positive consistently throughout the pandemic.
The participants used the term mental health to describe mental toughness when
answering questions about work effectiveness. In addition, the participants used mental health as
a coping mechanism to defend against burnout throughout the workday. For example, Jessica
discussed how she used her mental health as a coping mechanism. She stated, “It became the
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norm because you did not see a change for a while. So, it became the norm to have burnout, and
it was routine to have burnout.” In addition, Jessica discussed some ways that she used her
mental strength to cope with burnout:
I think of other things to cope with burnout. I like to make light of the situation to things
like thinking about my next vacation. I will think about what I will do during my next
vacation to relax. Of course, the thoughts are in my mind, but knowing that I can take a
vacation and that vacation is coming makes me feel good and helps me cope with the
burnout.
The participants also used the term angry Black woman to describe the perceived biases of
colleagues and society. Zoe discussed being the angry Black woman at work. She mentioned that
Black women received a bad reputation, including the perception of being constantly angry. She
also described the “angry Black woman” as a biased perception that her workplace and society
have of her and other Black female leaders. She described how growing up during the crack
epidemic helped her be direct and not angry:
You know, we got a bad reputation for certain things. The one that people always think
about is that people think that we are always angry. People do not realize that
microaggressions and unfairness from them are the reason why we have to be so direct.
My life requires me to stand my ground and be direct.
Intersectionality emerged between Zoe’s story of growing up and her direct leadership style. She
could not “turn off” the angry Black woman persona that she perceived people had of her.
Although she did not define the term directly, she described being an “angry Black woman” as a
tough and resilient leader. Zoe used a direct and fast-acting leadership style to keep her team
from experiencing further burnout. Zoe’s remarks made it evident that her team came first. She
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talked about learning new tasks quickly before her team to answer any questions the team may
have after going through their training. Putting her team first while dealing with the perception of
being the “angry Black woman,” which she perceived as being direct with colleagues, caused a
high level of burnout for Zoe.
In summary, whether the burnout experienced by participants was the same or higher
during the COVID-19 pandemic, their effectiveness at work was not impacted. Participants
described the perceived causes of burnout. Furthermore, they discussed the importance of having
a manager who supported them throughout the pandemic. Participants discussed how they used
their mental strength to cope with burnout, which did not impact their effectiveness at work.
Black Female Managers ’ Perceived Effectiveness in the Workplace
Being a Black female manager in the workplace did not impact most participants’
perceived effectiveness at work. Whether burnout increased or decreased, the participants’
perceived effectiveness at work generally remained the same or increased during the COVID-19
pandemic. Seven of eight participants said their work effectiveness either did not change or
increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, five of the seven participants mentioned
said they were more effective at work than pre-COVID. In contrast, two participants, Jessica and
Liz, said they were equally effective. Although participants said some microaggressions
decreased, other issues, such as the death of George Floyd, led many Black women leaders to
report being singled out at work. Chloe discussed the impact the death of Mr. George Floyd had
at work:
I think starting July with George Floyd and a host of other African Americans being
brutalized and victimized by systemic racism, I do feel as an African American female
particularly, I was always on watch with people looking at me and calling me saying
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Chloe, I did not realize that as an African American you dealt with this violence. Being
Black and a woman, that extra burden was sometimes overwhelming and frustrating. I
had to be the Black person for everybody and hold a high standard, which was
exhausting.
In addition, being a small population in the financial services industry, Black women said they
became the center of attention and had to answer numerous questions regarding social injustice.
When asked if Jamie thought her occupational stressors were greater or less than colleagues, she
answered “greater” for the following reasons:
Although my teammates experience burnout, I would say yes for now because under
these circumstances related to COVID and the past two years, we have had social unrest
and justice that really have come to the forefront. I am the only Black woman on my
team, and because I am the only Black woman, I have to carry the burden of being the
face. I am representing how to move forward under the situations that have emerged. I
don’t want to speak for everybody, but I have been forced into the environment.
The participants took on more roles related to educating colleagues on issues regarding diversity,
which added to their burnout. However, taking on these roles generally did not impact their
perceived level of effectiveness at work.
Research Question 2: What Specific Strategies Have Organizations and Leaders
Implemented That Support the Well-Being of Their Employees During the COVID-19
Pandemic?
The second research question focused on specific strategies that organizations and leaders
implemented to support the well-being of their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Overall, these strategies had similarities. In addition, similar resources available to employees
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included extra pay and paid time off, childcare reimbursement, confidential sessions with
therapists, and working from home. Some strategies were unique and not implemented by all
organizations. These strategies included stock rewards for all employees, career growth
blueprints, fireside chats, financial commitments to Black communities, investing in Black
talent, and letters from CEOs. The letters from CEOs addressed their stance on racial injustices
happening nationwide. The themes that emerged from the analysis included (a) relationships
with immediate managers, (b) resources to support well-being, and (c) resources to address
mental health.
Relationships With Immediate Managers
One major finding from the data was the participants’ relationship, or lack thereof, with
their immediate managers. Immediate managers played a significant role in contributing to the
burnout experiences of participants. The participants described a wide range of relationships they
shared with their managers. When participants did not perceive enough empathy or support from
their managers, they experienced burnout. Shawna offered interesting insight because she had
three roles during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, she experienced a wide range of support
or lack thereof from her manager in each role. Shawna’s insight was interesting because she
experienced both good and bad managers in different roles during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shawna mentioned her severe burnout when working with the two other managers who she
perceived did not support her. In contrast, she mentioned several times during the interview that
she probably could not have “made it through” without the support of her second manager. All
participants who discussed having a negative or nonexistent relationship with their managers
reported experiencing burnout.
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Seven participants discussed the importance of having supportive managers during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Participants described a broad set of experiences regarding their
immediate managers. However, perceptions of having a good relationship with immediate
managers helped their well-being. Good relationships with managers are an essential external
component of mitigating burnout (Gallup, 2019; Maslach et al., 2001). Jessica was the only
participant who did not explicitly state that she had a supportive manager. Although she did not
explicitly mention having a supportive manager, she mentioned being content with her current
manager several times. Jessica also mentioned how she and her manager worked through the
pandemic because of their work on the frontline.
According to the participants, supportive managers were committed to their career
growth, being an ally, and being available. Seven participants, including Ester, Jennie, Shawna,
Liz, Chloe, Zoe, and Jamie, mentioned supervisors as an essential factor in their workplace
experiences. The other interviewee, Jessica, mentioned that she was content with what her
supervisor did for her. Evidence suggests that managers played a part in decreasing employee
burnout. For example, Ester, who mentioned that her burnout decreased during the pandemic,
made a comment revealing this correlation:
I had this really cool manager, though I never had a manager whose employee
satisfaction scores were all 10. So, I heard about him and had a chance to work with him
during the pandemic, and I just cannot imagine getting through the experience without
him. Even though he is in a different state, he checks in to make sure everything is OK,
making sure we have everything we need. You don’t know how much stress you are
going through until you are not under it.
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In addition, Jennie, who also mentioned that she did not necessarily feel burnout, discussed
having a manager present during the pandemic:
I think I just always appreciated the conversations, knowing that there was someone to
talk to if I needed to talk, and always welcomed the opportunity. We know that these
days are tough days right now, and there are a lot of uncertainties happening right now.
To know that your manager supported you if you needed a day or two for yourself, there
are resources available for you.
Shawna described experiences of having a compassionate leader and one who did not care.
Because she held multiple roles during the pandemic, she described her experiences with
multiple managers. Shawna described a high level of burnout during the pandemic. In addition,
she discussed her experiences with managers and how they impacted her overall well-being:
My leader in my second role was very sympathetic and understanding, but I cannot say
that for the others. The sympathetic leader would reach out to us individually. We
consistently had one-on-one meetings with him, and he would reach out just to see how
we were doing. He took away routines that jeopardized the safety, health reasons, and
effectiveness and were unnecessary during the pandemic. In light of all this, he was
concerned about everyone’s health and well-being. … I do not know if any of the other
leaders would have cared or would have been compassionate. I do not think they
understood what I was going through with the caregiving and working simultaneously. I
am thankful for the compassionate leader, but the other senior leaders I worked for would
not have cared. They just expected you to perform no matter what.
Participants who did not feel supported by their managers reported higher levels of burnout and
cynicism. For example, Shawna stated that with “new things coming at your all the time” and
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“having to live it in real life,” her burnout was very high. Furthermore, when asked whether a
direct supervisor supported her well-being, including addressing burnout during COVID-19, she
quickly answered, “No.” In addition, she discussed the lack of support from a manager during
the pandemic:
I think my boss, you know, he would check in with our team from time to time, but he
never had any personal conversations with me. He only has five or six direct reports. We
run different parts of the business. I do not think he would have even thought about doing
something to address my well-being and burnout. There was never any personal one-on-
one focus with me.
The participants who described a lack of support from their direct supervisors reported high
levels of burnout and cynicism during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shawna also discussed the
concern during her interview:
There is all this talk from managers where everyone keeps saying that they want to try to
help everyone advance and become more balanced and diverse. We are still struggling.
Like the work I applied for took months to get an answer. I interviewed several times and
got placed. Well, I was upset because after a few months we realigned, and I was one of
the few people that was put right out of the role and transferred to a role I did not want in
the first place. It was really disheartening emotionally when others had a choice or even
had a chance to promote up.
The three participants who experienced the same or less burnout described having a positive
relationship with their manager. Two participants also discussed their managers’ availability to
talk with them when they faced pressure. In addition, the third participant discussed her manager
consistently being on the frontline with her.
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Having Allies at Work
When participants believed they had allies at work through actions by their direct
supervisor or organizations, they felt supported for their well-being. A strategy that participants
said assisted their well-being was their managers’ making time for participants, particularly
during times of social injustice. In addition, a fixed, scheduled time on calendars was not
necessary. When participants felt supported by their managers through conversations, checkups,
and meetings, their perceived well-being increased because they felt like they had allies. Chloe
discussed the importance of having allies at work and also talked about how it helped her well-
being:
I had a female VP [vice president], and I never forgot how she and I used to have
conversations. During our one-on-one conversations and even beyond the one-on-one
conversations, she would just say, “Chloe, help me understand. Just help me understand
how I can be more supportive. How can I be an advocate for you? What are some things I
can learn so I can help support?” Silence is the same thing as violence, and it is important
to be genuinely inquisitive. To this day, that leader and I are very close, and I will never
forget those conversations that I had with her. She became extremely vulnerable and truly
wanted to learn about all the problems African Americans faced and made sure that she
became an advocate and a voice for others.
Chloe also addressed the importance of authenticity. Finally, Chloe mentioned that although
people say that they are allies, many of them have conversations but do not act:
I can only explain and teach so much at the end of the day. After a while, it becomes
overwhelming because it becomes burdensome. That is something that the organization
needs to commit to in becoming allies to diversity and inclusion. An action that my
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organization took was creating resources like books, videos, and short movies, and they
created a collection of resources. So, after an initial question was asked, I would point
and encourage them and challenge them to read the resource collection.
Ester talked about how her direct manager supported her in providing exposure to senior
leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Being an ally consisted of being there not only for
issues regarding social injustices but also career growth. Ester talked about her exposure to
senior leadership by her manager:
My leader was working out the battles for us in the field. However, what really surprised
me was the exposure to the senior leaders in the company. I just never had anything like
that. I led calls where I was interviewing senior leaders in our company, and you just do
not get that type of exposure. It was terrific to get that kind of time with senior leaders in
our company.
The participants valued having allies in the workplace. To the participants, having allies
provided an environment where they could bring their authentic selves to work. In addition, the
participants mentioned the concept of having a safe space at work numerous times. However, it
was clear from the interviews that participants who experienced burnout had concerns about their
managers being allies.
Resources That Supported Well-Being
The participants discussed various benefits that supported their well-being during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Resources available to employees included extra pay and paid time off,
childcare reimbursement, confidential sessions with therapists, and working from home. Some
strategies and resources were unique and not implemented by all organizations. These strategies
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included stock rewards for all employees, career growth blueprints, fireside chats, financial
commitments to Black communities, investing in Black talent, and letters from CEOs.
Monetary Benefits
Monetary benefits included temporary increased pay, extra paid time off, and childcare
reimbursement. During the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations provided increased pay,
particularly for associates working on the frontlines. Ester detailed the increased pay during her
interview:
The financial center associates received additional pay during the pandemic. They also
received free lunch for a while, so they do not have to use their own money to buy lunch
or prepare lunch at home to concentrate more time with their families and loved ones.
The second topic that emerged was the importance of organizations providing extra paid time off
during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although not all participants took advantage of their
organizations’ extra paid time off, seven participants, namely Ester, Jennie, Jessica, Shawna, Liz,
Chloe, and Jamie, discussed the importance of this extra time. The participants were grateful to
have the extra time off. Overall, the participants described their appreciation for the extra time by
talking about friends and relatives who struggled through the pandemic because their
organizations did not provide this benefit. Jennie discussed how much she appreciated her
organization for stepping up during the pandemic and providing time resources to associates:
We have an employee assistance program that is fantastic. So, I appreciated that even
though some of those things may be taking care of family members or directly impacted
by COVID, my organization offered that additional time off. The time off was very
supportive and collaborative. I felt the actions were honorable, and not all organizations
have that in place. I have many friends where organizations ordered them to return to the
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office. Whether or not you are exposed, that is your problem. It felt like their
organizations did not care whether they had childcare issues. They stated it was a family
issue. I am humbled, grateful, and fortunate that the firm I work for does not share that
thought process and cares about its associates.
Jamie, who was experiencing high levels of burnout during the pandemic, appreciated the extra
time she received in the form of childcare for her baby. Having childcare gave her the time to get
her work done without worrying about her baby:
One of the really big ones that were super helpful right at the onset of the pandemic was
childcare and childcare reimbursement. That was really stellar on behalf of my
organization, and I think it was excellent. Also, you received monetary support if you
needed backup care. That has been excellent, and I wish that was something that kept
going.
One participant, Shawna, mentioned that her organization did not do enough to provide extra
time. In addition, Shawna took care of her elderly grandmother until her passing during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Although Shawna could work from home temporarily, she mentioned that
her working hours did not decrease, and many of her office routines were implemented at home.
She mentioned that she would have appreciated the time off. However, it was not easy because
her work was at home with her constantly.
Not all participants had young children. However, the ones that did found the childcare
reimbursement to be helpful. Jamie mentioned the childcare reimbursement several times
because she had a newborn during the pandemic:
One of the big ones that were super helpful and the onset of the pandemic was childcare
reimbursement. That was really stellar on behalf of my organization. I think that was
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excellent and the best one. The monetary support you received if you needed care for
your children was excellent.
The participants who knew that the monetary benefits were available to them valued the actions
taken by their respective organizations and believed that they improved their overall well-being.
Other Resources
Other resources include resources that were unusual or unique to organizations. These
resources and strategies included stock rewards for all employees, career growth blueprints,
fireside chats, financial commitments to Black communities, investing in Black talent, and letters
from CEOs. Stock awards were unique to Ester, Jennie, Shawna, and Jamie’s organization.
It was cool to know that everyone in the organization received stock awards. Stock
options were only awarded if you were at a certain level in our company. There were
some concerns because some teammates received fewer stock options than before. Mine
was less as well, but I did not mind. I just thought it was cool that our entry-level
associates received the stock. I think the company recognized the sacrifice the frontline
teammates were making. The junior associates felt like they were part of the company by
letting them receive stock awards.
Ester also discussed the importance of career growth by increasing skillsets during the pandemic:
My company allowed me to participate in different licensing programs during the
pandemic. Associates had the opportunity to come out with some degree or license when
we came out of COVID, which was pretty cool. I took my investment exams during
COVID, which will allow me to become a licensed supervisor for investment bankers
should I choose that career path.
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Resources for Black communities were important to participants. Jennie discussed the strategy
her organization put in place to help Black communities and career advancement for Black
employees within her organization:
The firm I am a part of, I feel, has unashamedly stepped up. Not only did my company
make significant financial contributions to the Black community, but it also took steps
forward by investing in our associates, particularly in Black talent programs specific to
developing and enhancing opportunities.
Finally, several participants mentioned that having perceived allies from top officers in the firm
was a strategy that helped their well-being. Chloe discussed some of the actions taken by her
CEO in light of the death of Mr. George Floyd:
I think our CEO did a great job amplifying the voices of Blacks and saying that we will
deal with systemic racism and we will not sustain it. In my company, it was heightened,
and we had all types of training and diversity and inclusion sessions. Our CEO sent out a
letter to tens of thousands of employees across the organization saying that we will never
stand by this; we will not. To then have the letter read by our CEO, a White CEO, in an
organization of this magnitude and make sure that we responded was the first time I have
seen anything like it.
Resources for Mental Health
The final topic that emerged from the research was resources for mental health. The
participants used the term mental health in various ways. In addition to the WHO and CDC
definitions, participants also used the term to address self-efficacy, mental toughness, and
burnout. Overall, the participants discussed their respective organizations’ mental health
resources. For example, the organizations provided their employees with confidential and virtual
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counseling services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Liz sounded upbeat and proud when she
talked about this benefit available to employees at her organization:
My company did a lot. We invested a ton of money in promoting healthy minds. We also
invested a ton of money in ensuring that colleagues had resources around mental health
and overall health. We have a chief medical officer who decides how to operate
internally. The other benefit is a hotline where people can call and ask about their health.
We offered therapy and therapy sessions to our colleagues through the hotline if they
needed to talk to a therapist. Unfortunately, many people lost family members, and many
deaths were happening all around us. We had grief counseling for family members
impacted or frankly, mental counseling to deal with all family members at home. We also
had many guest speakers who discussed how to balance the new work–life balance since
many employees started to work from home.
Liz mentioned that she did not utilize the resources, which likely added to her burnout. An
interview question asked participants to identify organizational strategies that particularly
impacted their well-being. Liz took a deep breath before answering this question. She sounded a
bit irritated that she did not take advantage of the resources:
I was so focused on my team that I did not take advantage of or leverage any of the
benefits. I just leaned on to make sure that my team was aware of the benefits. I think this
was a big miss on my behalf. I should have taken advantage of some of the therapy
sessions because I am sure they could have helped me navigate some of the things I was
going through.
Liz used the term mental health in different ways. First, she discussed how she remained self-
efficacious with mental toughness. “I just tried to internalize the stress and lead through it.” Then
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Liz talked about being an “only” in her department. “Being a woman of color and a leader of
color, I am always focused on ensuring that I show up and never drop below my peers.” Finally,
she talked about how being an “only” contributed to her burnout.
I always feel like I have something to prove because no one who had my role looked like
me. So, I never took advantage of any of the benefits to address my mental health. As I
reflect on it, though, I definitely should have taken advantage of them.
Summary
In summary, six of the eight participants felt a high level of burnout during the COVID-
19 pandemic. However, their burnout experiences did not hinder their perceived effectiveness at
work. One common way participants said they combat burnout is by being self-efficacious with
self-regulation. Participants trained themselves to treat burnout as the norm or think positively
throughout the pandemic to remain effective at work. In addition, the participants noticed their
respective organizations provided extra resources, whether they utilized them or not.
Furthermore, they also noticed an increase in allies. Some participants did not believe the
support was genuine. Managers played an essential role in mitigating burnout for their team.
Participants generally found that organizational actions that contributed to their well-being relied
heavily on their managers.

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Chapter Five: Recommendations
The purpose of the study was to examine organizational and leadership practices
implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic that positively impacted the well-being of
employees. The study is important because Black women are underrepresented in the financial
services industry and face higher burnout and other occupational stressors in the workplace. In
addition, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated occupational stressors in the workplace,
particularly for Black women. Therefore, understanding the perceived work experiences of
participants may help reduce burnout in the workplace. The participants generally reported that
burnout did not hinder their effectiveness at work. However, six of the eight participants said
their burnout was the same or greater during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to prepandemic
levels.
Organizational actions may help alleviate some cynicism, emotional exhaustion, and
reduced self-efficacy experienced when burning out at work (Gallup, 2019). Understanding the
perceptions of being a Black woman in the workplace may create awareness for future business
practices that help their overall well-being. This chapter includes a discussion of the findings,
recommendations for practice, limitations and delimitations, recommendations for future
research, and the study’s conclusion.
Discussion of Findings
Some of the findings from the current study support the literature review, while other
findings contradict the literature review. The findings in the research directly align with the
conceptual framework. The conceptual framework included Bandura’s social cognitive theory,
which combines human agency, self-efficacy, and individuals’ perceived beliefs that influence
behavior and the environment (Bandura, 2001).
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Level of Burnout During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The significant findings from the research study did not identify a relationship between
burnout and perceptions of effectiveness at work. The equal or high levels of burnout
experienced by the participants did not hinder their effectiveness at work. The results could be
due to Bandura’s (2001) self-efficacy beliefs that may be self-aiding (Bandura, 2001). In
addition, self-efficacy indicates an ability to utilize control of one’s emotions, environment, and
thought processes. Some of the participants talked about utilizing positive thought processes
mitigate some burnout experienced at work. In addition, the participants also discussed how they
controlled their fatigue experienced from external environments that contributed to their burnout.
Six of the eight participants perceived that their burnout experiences were equal to or
higher during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among those experiencing burnout, half of the
participants expressed their burnout experiences as uncontrollable at times which was partially
aligned with the literature. A much higher percentage of Black female managers experience
burnout than their female colleagues (Lean In, 2020). In addition, the lack of support Black
women feel from their managers increases burnout experiences, which in turn can impact
effectiveness at work (Gallup, 2019). However, effectiveness at work was mostly not impacted
by the participants in the research. Various factors could have impacted the participants’
perceived effectiveness at work, including working in hybrid work settings, flexible hours, and
time off. However, I did not ask questions regarding factors that may have improved their
effectiveness at work.
The participants expressing that their effectiveness at work was equal to or increased
during the COVID-19 pandemic was significant because it was inconsistent with the literature
review. While it was a small sample, five of the eight participants perceived their effectiveness
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increased. In addition, two of the eight of the participants perceived their work effectiveness to
be equal to prepandemic levels. Furthermore, the participants perceived their effectiveness was
equal to or higher while burning out. McKinsey & Company estimated that employees are 21%
more likely to be more effective at work if they care for their mental health (McKinsey &
Company, 2021d). High levels of effectiveness at work while experiencing burnout could
mislead senior leaders and organizations to take less action to address employee well-being.
A possible connection that emerged from the interviews, conceptual framework, and
literature review was regulating burnout utilizing self-control. High self-efficacy in managing
negative emotions and self-control equips employees to resist occupational stress (Alessandri et
al., 2018). Consistent with the literature, some of the participants in the study appeared to utilize
self-regulatory thought processes to mitigate burnout. The participants who appeared to exercise
self-control over their life events and mental health appeared to mitigate some burnout during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Based on most of the participant interviews, burnout at work generally did
not impact their perceived effectiveness at work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During data collection, the participants discussed how they processed thought patterns
that impacted their burnout experiences. Thought processes that impact occupational stressors
were consistent with the literature and conceptual framework. Exploring the participants’ thought
processes at work confirmed the constant utilization of self-regulation in human agency
(Bandura, 1989). The participants mentioned how they utilized positive thought processes
leading to cognitive processes that appeared to impact their well-being.
Factors Contributing to Burnout
Consistent with the literature, the work environment appeared to influence how
participants experienced and dealt with burnout. Some participants perceived that low
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performance would create other biases and microaggressions toward Black women among
colleagues. Liz and Zoe were impacted by the pressure to perform and felt guilty when their
performance was not above their peers. Some of the participants believed that they experienced
more microaggressions than their colleagues. Some participants believed that it was mandatory
to work throughout the pandemic and perform well at all times, regardless of whether it impacted
their well-being.
Consistent with the literature, being the only Black woman in their department or not
having multiple work colleagues with similar ethnic backgrounds appeared to impact burnout.
Some participants discussed being the only Black woman in their position or field. The interview
questions included a question on burnout experiences as a Black woman among colleagues.
However, I did not ask how they felt being the only Black woman in their department. The
interview guide also did not include the definition of an “only.” However, half of all Black
women in the workforce are an “only” in their workplace (McKinsey & Company, 2020b).
Consistent with the literature, some participants perceived that promotions for Black
women were significantly fewer than for other female bankers. Some of the participants felt that
they were passed up on promotions for being a Black woman. Occupational stressors, including a
lack of support from work environments and supervisors and a lack of fairness could have
triggered burnout experiences (Maslach et al., 2001). The interview questions included a
question that asked participants about actions taken by immediate managers that addressed their
well-being. However, the interviews questions did not include a question that asked participants
if the lack of growth opportunities impacted their burnout experiences.
When broken down by race, promotions showed a wide range of disparities. Asian
women experienced a promotion rate of more than 100 for every 100 men (Lean In, 2021,
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McKinsey & Company, 2021b). In addition, promotions for Hispanic women ranged from 50 to
75, compared to Black women, who ranged from 25 to 50 promotions for every 100 men
promoted to leadership roles. Although the participants were unaware of these data, they were
aware that they were a small group and, at times, the only Black woman in their field. In
addition, the participants generally noted a lack of advocates for their career growth. The lack of
advocates further pushed the participants to hold the “angry Black woman” mindset
continuously. The participants described the “angry Black woman” differently than the biased
term familiar to colleagues.
Black women experience a wider range of microaggressions compared to their
colleagues, particularly regarding their competence at work and discrimination (Lean In, 2020).
Consistent with the literature, microaggression and biases impacted burnout for most of the
participants. Some of the participants mentioned that colleagues always thought they were angry.
However, to some participants, the perceived “angry Black woman” was misinterpreted by
colleagues and used not for race reasons but mental toughness.
Several participants mentioned that their burnout and exhaustion came from two angles.
When participants discussed being the only Black woman in their department, it appeared to
impact occupational stressors significantly impacted their well-being. Traumatic events,
including the death of Mr. George Floyd, and other instances of social injustices caused fatigue
among the Black community (McKinsey & Company, 2020). Consistent with the literature,
constant issues of social injustice in their personal lives caused high fatigue levels, creating a
cycle of occupational stressors at work and home (Lean In, 2020; McKinsey & Company, 2020).
The participant’s beliefs about being a tough Black leader appeared to influence her behavior.
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Some participants did not take any time off during the COVID-19 pandemic. They mentioned
that they were so tired from work that it caused a strain on their physical health.
Although burnout did not hinder their perceived effectiveness at work, participants
consistently experienced symptoms of burnout. Six participants discussed their ongoing
experiences of energy depletion or exhaustion. In addition, cynicism toward the participants’
work environment aligned with the literature review (Gallup, 2019). The participants discussed
various elements contributing to their energy depletion, exhaustion, and cynicism. The comments
by participants were generally aligned when discussing the initial 12 months of the COVID-19
pandemic.
Apart from the perceived microaggressions and bias they experienced at work, the
participants mentioned experiencing burnout from unexpected events caused by the COVID-19
pandemic. Limited work flexibility and reduced staff during the COVID-19 pandemic increased
responsibilities at work for women, particularly Black women (McKinsey & Company, 2021b).
Many participants discussed learning new processes quickly, working with fewer people on their
teams, and ensuring the well-being of their direct reports.
External Factors Causing Burnout
Social injustices across the United States caused high fatigue levels at home,
exacerbating burnout at work, consistent with the literature. The participants discussed various
tragic events, including George Floyd’s death by law enforcement. There were no specific
questions regarding the death of Mr. George Floyd or other instances of social injustices.
However, most of the participants discussed the impact of violence against Blacks by law
enforcement. When asked about how the death of George Floyd impacted them, the participants
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expressed their burnout experiences. Social injustices appeared to impact the participants’ well-
being significantly.
Social injustice issues impacted most participants at work because conversations started
to happen in the workplace. The impact of social injustice was an important finding because of
the multitude of ways it could cause burnout for the participants. The three ways that social
injustice issues caused burnout for the participants were (a) the initial trauma of violence toward
the Black community by law enforcement, (b) a perceived lack of allies, and (c) the impact of
being the only Black woman in the workplace. Most participants discussed the initial trauma
experienced from various lethal events toward the Black community by law enforcement. Some
participants talked about feeling alienated. Executives in her organization would discuss violence
against Blacks in front of them but never asked about their personal experiences. Black
employees, particularly Black women, expected some sympathy after the death of George Floyd.
The participants experienced heightened levels of occupational stress from the perceived
lack of allies following these tragic events. In addition, 26% of Black women believe they have
allies in the workplace, compared to 81% of White women and 82% of White men who consider
themselves allies (Lean In, 2020). The participants received lots of attention but discussed
colleagues’ lack of genuine support. Chloe mentioned how she “can only explain and teach so
much” and that “it becomes overwhelming because it becomes burdensome after a while.”
Participants also talked about how many colleagues asked questions but did not take the time to
learn more about the topic and did not take many actions. The findings in the data shared by
participants were in parallel to the literature review. White men and women believed they were
allies to Black women, but the opposite was true from the perspective of Black women
(McKinsey & Company, 2020b).
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Support From Immediate Managers
Employees who perceive good support from their managers are 70% less likely to
experience burnout regularly (Gallup, 2019). The support from immediate managers or lack
thereof appeared to impact burnout. Evidence from the interviews showed that having supportive
managers who communicated clearly helped mitigate burnout. Furthermore, this was in line with
the literature review. Clear communication helps mitigate some burnout (Gallup, 2019).
The perceived leadership and organizational findings were significant because most
participants included their direct managers when discussing implemented well-being strategies.
Whether or not it was a structured strategy by the organization, empathetic managers appeared to
contribute to the participants’ well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. A direct supervisor
who demonstrates care and empathy and maintains good relationships with their direct reports
could improve burnout and well-being.
During the second half of the interviews, several questions addressed the immediate
actions of managers, leaders, and organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leader actions
were important because the participants discussed how their direct managers supported their
well-being. Seven participants talked about how their managers’ actions accelerated or mitigated
their well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was in line with the literature review.
Strategies and Resources That Supported Well-Being
Managers play a significant role in supporting the well-being of their direct reports (Lean
In, 2020; McKinsey & Company, 2020). In addition, Black women are less likely to report that
their managers help their well-being and work-life balance. The participants spoke about their
managers’ strategies that supported their well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. In
addition, most participants included their direct managers when discussing leadership and
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organizational strategies. The data from the interviews show that resources provided by the
participants’ organizations were generally the same, particularly monetary resources. Monetary
resources included extra pay and paid time off, childcare reimbursement, confidential sessions
with therapists, and working from home. Some strategies were unique and not implemented by
all organizations. These strategies include stock rewards for all employees, career growth
blueprints, fireside chats, financial commitments for Black communities, investing in Black
talent, and letters from CEOs.
Most of the benefits utilized by the participants involved monetary benefits and benefits
that saved time. For example, childcare was a benefit that saved time and money. Black mothers
are twice as likely to be responsible for all childcare and housework compared to White women
(McKinsey, 2020). In addition, Black mothers are more likely to be the sole bread winners in
their family. The fatigue experienced by Black women due to childcare aligned with the
literature. Participants who had young children who needed childcare could get the support they
needed financially and did not have to worry about taking care of them while working from
home. Organizations should communicate and initiate or continue to provide these resources
because 88% of companies communicated that they have childcare and schooling resources
available to their employees (McKinsey, 2020). However, 18% maintained and 46% initiated
childcare benefits. Other participants took advantage of and utilized other monetary resources:
extra paid time off. The extra paid time off generally was provided on top of the participants’
vacation times. A few of the participants took ad hoc days to recharge or rest.
Some participants took advantage of the resources available to increase their skill sets
and found new opportunities through mentorships. One career resource that particularly stood
out was licensing participants for various banker roles that involve complex financial needs. The
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literature discusses a “broken rung” effect among Black women that prevent them from working
up the corporate ladder to senior roles. The data suggest that when resources such as investment
licenses are provided for Black managers, the likelihood they stay with the firm could increase.
The participants also discussed having therapy sessions for their mental health. Most of
the participants were aware that their organizations provided them with this benefit. However,
none of them decided to take advantage of the sessions. A possible reason the participants did
not take advantage of the benefit may have been good relationships with managers. Participants
who had good relationships with managers discussed the importance of their connections and
how they helped them with their well-being. However, the research did not focus on a possible
connection between the therapy sessions and conversations with managers. Other reasons could
have been a lack of trust, a perceived weakness from colleagues, and increased biases. However,
I did not ask why the participants who mentioned therapy sessions did not take advantage of
them.
Regulating Burnout Using Self-Control
The participants in the study shared a diverse set of work experiences during the COVID-
19 pandemic. In addition, some participants shared their ability to control burnout mentally
through self-regulation. In contrast, others perceived their burnout as uncontrollable. Most
participants said they did not believe their burnout hindered their effectiveness at work. Most
participants shared similar feedback on ways to mitigate burnout: the need for a supportive
manager who communicates with their teams regularly. Manager support is significant to
mitigating and at times preventing burnout (Gallup, 2019). In addition, employees who feel
supported by their managers are 70% less likely to experience burnout on a consistent basis.
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There were other influences apart from external influences that appeared to help
participants to mitigate some burnout. An important finding in the research was when the
participants talked about how they controlled burnout. The participants appeared to mitigate
some burnout through self-regulatory processes including self-efficacy. In addition, self-efficacy
can affect self-aiding thought patterns (Bandura, 1989, p. 1175). However, I did not ask
questions regarding the internal methods and processes participants utilized to control their
burnout. When the participants discussed talking about controlling burnout, it was consistent
with the literature.
Consistent with the literature and conceptual framework, self-efficacy appeared to
mitigate some burnout. Data from participants allowed a better understanding of their cognitive
processes, motivations, perceptions, and beliefs based on unique work experiences. Some
participants appeared to utilize thought processes and, in time, became efficacious in mitigating
some burnout which was consistent with the literature and conceptual framework. These thought
patterns became noticeable when the participants discussed how they dealt with burnout during
their interviews. In contrast, some participants also appeared to have self-hindering thought
processes. Consistent with the literature, some participants appeared to deal with burnout through
self-hindering thought processes, which in turn caused increased levels of burnout.
Recommendations for Practice
The problem of practice was that the COVID-19 pandemic created high levels of
occupational stress in the financial services industry, leading to a negative impact on employee
well-being. In particular, the study sought to understand how burnout and other stressors
impacted perceived effectiveness at work among Black female managers during COVID-19.
Financial institutions should address the key findings of the research: (a) initiate awareness
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training on burnout and (b) provide a consistent workplace experience. Furthermore, training and
resources to detect, mitigate, and control burnout may improve work experiences.
Recommendation 1: Initiate Awareness Training on Burnout
The COVID-19 pandemic presented different challenges for employees. Understanding
the work experiences of Black women in the financial services industry before and after the
COVID-19 pandemic was a key initiative for the study. In addition, understanding how to detect
and assist with the evolving work experiences of Black women in the financial services industry
was also a key driver of this study. Organizations should include training in awareness and
empathy as a part of the training curriculum for onboarding managers. Companies should
understand the barriers faced by women, particularly Black women, by sharing their experiences
through awareness training (McKinsey & Company, 2021). Frontline managers and those at all
levels above should participate in the training. Much of the perceived extra work that contributes
to diversity and inclusion in the workplace largely go unnoticed, particularly for Black women
who put in more than colleagues (McKinsey & Company, 2021). Creating an environment of
awareness for employees who struggled to grow their careers in the finance industry should
alleviate some burnout.
Awareness training is essential because leaders throughout the organization feel different
amounts of pressure and burnout. Some participants mentioned that their burnout was high and
controllable at times. The different types and amounts of burnout were clear between some
participants. However, they mentioned they were content with their empathetic manager and felt
her manager was a partner. A connection that emerged between the well-being of employees and
empathetic managers. In addition, empathetic managers increased job satisfaction and decreased
burnout. Organizations should take action and utilize resources to get training started because
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34% of employees currently receive anti-racism training and 14% receive allyship training
(McKinsey & Company, 2021).
Furthermore, most participants discussed the importance of having a consistently
available manager for communication. Even though their burnout was high at times, their
relationship with managers did not contribute further to their burnout experiences. Clear
communication regarding an inclusive work culture should be ongoing and not only limited to
certain months in the year (McKinsey & Company, 2021). Showing empathy without
distractions, such as using technology while conversing and understanding perspectives, should
alleviate some burnout (McKinsey & Company, 2021d).
In contrast, negative or no relationships with immediate managers further contributed to
burnout. This was a problem for some participants because they were also fatigued from familial
duties at home. Black women are twice as likely to be responsible for childcare and housework
and be the sole breadwinners in their household compared to White women (McKinsey &
Company, 2018). Their fatigue contributed to burnout at work, and relationships with managers
or lack thereof contributed to her burnout experiences.
Asking the right questions to become aware of the burnout experiences of team members
is important because the longer burnout persists, the longer it takes for employees to return to
normal. Managers who initiate frequent communication create deep bonds with their team
(Gallup, 2019). The participants discussed how check-in conversations to see how they felt
helped them through the pandemic. In addition, conversations with supportive managers
happened in many forms, including formal and informal conversations. One way to promote
two-way conversations is to define the type of communication considered appropriate in the
workplace. Facing systemic barriers head-on by setting career goals and targets directly for
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Black women should help alleviate some burnout. In addition, leaders should break
conversational barriers regarding what can and cannot be discussed at work. Most participants
talked about race during their interviews. However, the participants discussed that institutions
were unaware of how to discuss the topic of race at work. Most organizations address diversity
and inclusion through race and gender, meaning Black women can be overlooked (McKinsey &
Company, 2018).
Participant comments about discussions among senior leaders about trauma within the
Black community due to violence were an important finding. Some participants mentioned that
the executives spoke about violence against the Black community but talked to them like they
were not a part of the community. It was clear that this contributed to their burnout and cynicism
toward senior leadership. Leaders should document feedback and experiences if associates are
willing to share and enable anonymous feedback regarding experiences to share with broader
groups.
Recommendation 2: Provide a Consistent Workplace Experience
A consistent workplace experience is essential. Black women have a much more difficult
time bringing their whole selves to work than colleagues. In addition, 42% of Black women do
not feel comfortable discussing racial inequity in the workplace (McKinsey & Company, 2020b).
Empathetic managers should allow all employees, particularly Black women, to bring their
whole selves to work. In addition, managers should encourage action. Managers who allowed
employees to bring their whole selves to work and provided a consistent work experience
increased the employees’ sense of commitment to the company. In addition, they created an
inclusive work environment. Bringing their whole selves to work includes more than racial and
ethnic background, gender preference, and how Black women dress. It involves conversations on
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issues that generally do not belong in the workplace. The topic of race and race equity influences
all levels of government, and in light of George Floyd’s death, increased discussions involving
race now occur in the workplace (McKinsey & Company, 2021b). The streamlined coverage of
race in media and politics and the demand for race equity will only continue to grow (Ellingrud
et al., 2020). Managers have an opportunity to serve their employees regarding their perceived
needs at work.
Some of the participants discussed their organizations’ investing in their careers and
community and the actions appeared to mitigate some burnout. Professional and career
development could considerably impact Black women’s careers as they currently do not have the
equal resources to develop compared to colleagues (Lean In, 2020).
An essential aspect of the study that emerged was the significance of allies in the
workplace. Most participants in the study mentioned having allies. In addition, the participants
also felt that their allies were inauthentic. Lean In (2020) stated that 81% of White women and
82% of White men perceive themselves as allies to minorities. However, only 26% of Black
women said they had strong allies in the workplace (Lean In, 2020). Burnout experiences were
evident among the study’s participants who said they did not believe they had allies who
supported them at work. Cynicism toward work stood with some participants. In addition, the
participants in the study discussed executives communicating amongst one another. The
executives discussed violence against the Black community, but the participants were surprised
that no one asked them about the trauma they experienced after George Floyd’s death. They
realized that some colleagues took the position of allies to avoid backlash.
For well-being, having an advocate checking in to see how things are going may help
alleviate some burnout. A “wing buddy” is someone in the organization who acts as the first
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response to a colleague’s mental well-being (Brodnock & Lordan, 2021). Managers can play an
important role by being allies, wing buddies, or someone for Black female leaders to talk to,
particularly in times of trauma. Creating a work environment where employees feel protected
should influence the person and their behavior, as explained by Bandura’s (1989) social
cognitive theory.
Most of the participants discussed the importance of having allies. However, some of the
participants mentioned that too much allyship could harm working relationships and increase
burnout. In addition, announcing allyship should be subtle. For example, making continuous
claims of being an ally and participating in events to recognize Black women could make them
feel singled out. Furthermore, they may feel they did not deserve the award, recognition, or
promotion.
The concept of allies should be better defined in organizations. Organizations should
describe the roles of allies and how they can impact the well-being of others in the workplace.
McKinsey & Company defines and ally as “someone who uses their power to support or
advocate for others at work” (McKinsey & Company, 2020, p. 30). This includes opportunities
for promotions and a chance to increase the well-being of employees. However, there is a
significant gap in managers who perceive themselves as allies compared to Black female
employees who perceive their managers to be allies in the workplace (McKinsey, 2020).
Limitations and Delimitations
This section includes limitations when conducting this research. There is an
underrepresentation of Black female frontline managers in financial institutions. Because I knew
about the underrepresentation of Black female managers in financial institutions, my personal
biases may have influenced the research. Furthermore, I am not a Black woman but rather a
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Korean American man. My race may have hindered some participants from mentioning specific
experiences to me.
The nature of qualitative research may hinder the consistency of interviews. Because the
interview questions asked about the workplace experiences of eight individuals with different
positions across four financial institutions, rigor and consistency was difficult to maintain
(Anderson, 2010). In addition, differences in organizational culture and belief systems may have
impacted the consistency of interviews. The study focused on burnout’s impact on effectiveness
in the workplace. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all interviews took place via the
Zoom platform. The information provided in a Zoom setting rather than the natural work settings
of participants may hinder some of the data provided (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Time limits
may have created gaps in discussing the entire work experience of participants. All potential
participants received an email that provided a broad introduction to the study. The interview data
also had to be studied carefully to differentiate between burnout and fatigue. Although all
interviewees were advised that burnout only occurs in the workplace, some interviewees mixed
burnout experienced at work and at home. The interviews and data analysis from the interviews
does not intend to generalize all workplace experiences of Black female managers within
financial institutions.
The primary delimitation is the design that focused on a small sample of participants
from one gender and one racial background, namely Black women. Due to time limitations and
the complexity of reaching Black female managers in different organizations, I did not interview
all the intended participants from several organizations. Delimitation choices made included the
number of questions in the interviews. In addition, delimitations also includes the decision to
utilize a qualitative semi-structured interview approach and definitions of occupational stressors
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as defined by the WHO and CDC. The research questions were designed to focus on the
theoretical framework defined by Bandura’s social cognitive theory. The research questions
focused on the combination of the persons, environment, and behavior all influencing each other
(Bandura, 1989).
There are 783 national banks across the United States (Office of the Comptroller of the
Currency, 2022). The four financial institutions in this study represent less than 1% of all
national financial institutions across the United States. The number of financial institutions is
much more significant when accounting for regional and local banks. In addition, Black women
are underrepresented in the financial services industry (McKinsey & Company, 2020a). The
sample of eight participants is a limited sample representing a population of Black female bank
managers nationally. However, the research could provide financial institutions with potential
insight regarding burnout among Black female managers in banking. Delimitations include the
decision to approach qualitative methods, a predetermined interview guide, and a framework.
Recommendations for Future Research
Based on the findings, there are three recommendations for future research on this topic.
The first recommendation is to replicate the study with subsequent formal questions that were
not a part of the research. The initial question should include a question regarding factors that
may have improved the participants’ effectiveness at work. Various factors could have impacted
the participants’ perceived improved effectiveness at work, including working in hybrid work
settings, flexible hours, and time off. However, I did not ask questions regarding factors that may
have improved their effectiveness at work.
The following questions should include a question regarding being an “only” in the
workplace. The participants described being an “only” in the workplace. However, the term was
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not defined, and a question on how they felt being the only Black woman in their respective
department was not a part of the research questions. Next, a question regarding why participants
were aware of specific resources and appreciated having them but did not take advantage of them
should be a part of the research. One particular resource was therapy sessions for employees.
Most of the participants were aware of the therapy sessions. They appreciated free sessions being
available, but none of the leaders took part in the sessions. Finally, no specific questions
regarding the internal methods and processes participants utilized to control their burnout were
asked during interviews. Some participants talked about how they always kept a positive outlook
which controlled their burnout and other occupational stressors. It could be interesting to learn
about different methods participants utilized to mitigate burnout. Bandura states that “self-
efficacy beliefs affect thought patterns that may be self-aiding or self-hindering” (Bandura, 1989,
p. 1175). The question regarding internal processes should be asked in ways that are both self-
aiding and self-hindering.
The second recommendation is to replicate the study with other underrepresented women
in the financial services industry. It would be interesting to see if there were adopted processes
by Asian and Hispanic women that helped them achieve higher promotions than Black women. It
would also be interesting to learn about the “broken rung,” if any, for Asian and Hispanic
women. In particular, it would be interesting to learn how promotions for Asian women now
exceed promotions for men. Asian women receive 100 to 125 promotions for every 100 men
(McKinsey & Company, 2020a).
The third recommendation is to expand the study to different industries. This
recommendation involves providing a more comprehensive understanding of the workplace
experiences of Black women. It would be interesting to learn if burnout experiences among
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Black managers are similar, worse, or better in different industries. In addition, the study could
learn and adopt equitable business practices for Black women in the financial services industry.
Conclusion
This research focused on the work experiences of Black female bank managers during the
COVID-19 pandemic. The focal points included perceived effectiveness at work and
organizational actions that supported employee well-being. The findings generally were varied
regarding perceived effectiveness in the workplace. Burnout did not appear to hinder
effectiveness at work, whether or not burnout experiences were high. However, the evidence
showed the continuous systemic barriers experienced by Black women. Organizations spend
around 8 billion dollars in diversity training annually (Kirkland & Bohnet, 2017). The resources
spent to create an inclusive work environment are lost for Black women because of the broad
scope regarding diversity and inclusion. Small diversity differences often create a new minority
group, and the visibility of Black women is continuously diminishing over time.
Increasing the number of Black female employees in the financial services sector and
preventing attrition related to burnout could be a way to increase overall equity in the workplace.
Financial industries have an opportunity to increase the number of Black women in their
organizations, given the economy is currently experiencing a historic job market. Financial
institutions should act and specify a target for Black women leaders rather than promote overall
diversity.

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Appendix A: Interview Questions
Introduction of the interview:
I am interested in learning about the impact of occupational stress on employee well-
being, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. You will be asked about COVID-
19’s impact on your well-being and organizational actions that may have positively or
negatively impacted your well-being. Please be assured that your responses will be kept
completely confidential. Answers will be grouped to find a consistent theme, and your
identification will not be connected to any of the answers you may provide. The
interview is entirely voluntary, and you have the right to withdraw from the interview at
any point during this process.
Should you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me, Stephen Lee, the
principal investigator @ slee8628@usc.edu.
Before we begin the formal questions, I would like you to confirm some pieces of information.
• Have you been employed with the organization for 6 months or more?
• Are you at least 18 years of age?
Research Questions
1. How has burnout affected perceptions of employee effectiveness during the COVID-
19 pandemic?
a. The World Health Organization (2019) defined burnout as “a syndrome
conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been
successfully managed” (para. 4). How would you describe your level of
burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic?
124

b. How would you say your level of burnout changed over time throughout the
pandemic?
i. What about emotional exhaustion and fatigue?
c. Do you feel you experience greater or less burnout, emotional exhaustion, and
fatigue as a Black woman in the financial services industry compared to
colleagues? If so, how?
d. Describe the primary personal and professional contributors to your feelings
of burnout?
e. How effective do you think you have been as an employee during the
pandemic?
f. How did you measure your effectiveness as an employee during the
pandemic?
g. How effective do you think you have been as an employee during the
pandemic compared to before the pandemic?
h. To what extent do you feel your burnout contributed to your effectiveness
during the pandemic?
2. What specific strategies have organizations and leaders implemented that support the
well-being of their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic?
a. How did your organization address employee well-being during the COVID-
19 pandemic?
b. Were there strategies that your organization implemented that you felt
positively supported your well-being during the pandemic? If so, what were
they?
125

i. Who would you say was primarily responsible for implementing this
strategy?
ii. How did that particular strategy particularly impact you?
c. Were there things your immediate or other direct supervisors did that mainly
addressed your well-being, including your feelings of burnout? What were
they?
i. How did that affect your sense of well-being?
d. How could your organization or supervisor have better supported your well-
being during the pandemic?
e. Do you feel that your organization could have provided more resources to
minoritized women? If so, how?

126

Appendix B: Information Sheet for Exempt Research
STUDY TITLE: Well-Being Among Black Female Managers in Retail Banking During
COVID-19
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Stephen Lee
FACULTY ADVISOR: Bryant Adibe, MD

You are invited to participate in a research study. Your participation is voluntary. This document
explains information about this study. You should ask questions about anything that is unclear to
you.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to examine organizational and leadership practices implemented
during the COVID-19 pandemic that positively impacted the well-being of employees.
We hope to learn the work experiences of Black female managers and the level of burnout,
occupational stress, and emotional exhaustion during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition,
organizational leaders across industries stand to benefit from the findings of this work.
You are invited as a possible participant because you are an African American or Black female
manager in retail banking or considered a frontline manager in the financial services industry.
PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT
If you decide to take part, you will be asked to answer two sets of questions. The first set of
questions will include questions regarding burnout and your perceived effectiveness at work
during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second set includes questions regarding organizational
practices implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researcher will interview you for no
127

more than 45 minutes.
In addition, all interviews will be conducted through zoom without video. In addition, your
interview will be voice recorded in an attempt to identify a theme. Therefore, the researcher will
not ask for your name but will ask you about your current position and your current work
location. Your identification will remain confidential.
CONFIDENTIALITY
The members of the research team and the University of Southern California Institutional
Review Board (IRB) may access the data. The IRB reviews and monitors research studies to
protect the rights and welfare of research subjects.
No identifiable information will be used when the research results are published. However, data
from interviews will be collected through Zoom’s transcription services. In addition, the
researcher will take written notes during the interview.
After collecting all necessary information, all data will be analyzed in the researcher’s private
residence. In addition, the data will be kept with the researcher for no longer than December 31,
2022. Finally, participants have the right to review the interview transcripts and research findings
upon request.
There is no possible breach of confidentiality. All participants and the organization(s) included in
the study will be given a pseudonym. All interviews will be recorded via Zoom transcripts to
analyze the data for a theme. Audio interviews will be deleted no later than December 31, 2022.
All participants will be provided a pseudonym to shield personal identities.
INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions about this study, please contact Stephen Lee at slee8628@usc.edu or
Bryant Adibe, MD at badibe@usc.edu.
128

IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant, please contact the
University of Southern California Institutional Review Board at (323) 442-0114 or email
irb@usc.edu.

129

Appendix C: Interview Invitation
I want to thank you for participating in this study.
Attached is the information sheet, including an explanation of the interview process and
contact information should you have any questions.
Your participation is entirely voluntary, and you may withdraw at any time, should you
choose to do so
The timeslots shaded in red are either taken by other interviewees or are not available.
If none of the timeslots work for you, please let me know of two or three one-hour
timeslots, and I will do everything I can to make it work.
Please mark an “X” for your preferred timeslot for the interview. Upon receiving an
answer, the researcher will send a Zoom invite for a 1-hour interview.
Thank you again, and I look forward to hearing from you.

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4/1/2022 4/2/2022 4/3/2022 4/4/2022 4/5/2022 4/6/2022 4/7/2022 4/8/2022
Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
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11:00 AM
12:00 PM
1:00 PM
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4:00 PM
5:00 PM
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8:00 PM

Stephen Lee, MBA, Doctoral Candidate
University of Southern California
[Telephone Number]

Abstract (if available)

Abstract This study examined how burnout affected perceptions of employee effectiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic among Black female managers in the financial services industry. The study also examined the perceived organizational and leadership actions that positively impacted employee well-being. The study utilized social cognitive theory as described by Bandura. The methodology was a qualitative design that included semistructured interviews. The study findings show that Black female managers generally did not feel their effectiveness was impacted by the heightened level of burnout felt during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results also show that immediate managers had a significant impact on burnout. Based on the findings and conceptual framework, this dissertation offers three recommendations for practice. Limitations and delimitations of the study can better inform future studies, strategies, and practices that will help organizations and leaders utilize resources for an equitable workplace.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Lee, Stephen Sang-Min (author)

Core Title Well-being among Black female managers in retail banking during COVID-19

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Degree Conferral Date 2022-12

Publication Date 09/20/2022

Defense Date 09/20/2022

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Black women,burnout,COVID-19,fatigue,microaggressions,OAI-PMH Harvest,organizational leadership,well-being

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Adibe, Bryant (committee chair), Hirabayashi, Kimberly (committee member), Lucas, Bernadette (committee member)

Creator Email slee8628@usc.edu,stlee1216@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC112013943

Unique identifier UC112013943

Legacy Identifier etd-LeeStephen-11235

Document Type Dissertation

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Lee, Stephen Sang-Min

Type texts

Source 20220921-usctheses-batch-983 (batch), University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright. The original signature page accompanying the original submission of the work to the USC Libraries is retained by the USC Libraries and a copy of it may be obtained by authorized requesters contacting the repository e-mail address given.

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA

Repository Email cisadmin@lib.usc.edu