Staff happiness and work satisfaction in a tertiary psychiatric centre

Background: Mental health professionals are at a high risk of burnout. Positive psychology outcomes of staff in acute in-patient psychiatric wards are poorly researched and unclear.

Aims: To quantify the satisfaction with life and work-life satisfaction of mental health staff at a large university-affiliated tertiary psychiatric centre.

Methods: We utilized the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Work-Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (WLSQ).

Results: Two hundred and nine out of 450 staff members (46%) participated; mean age 48.2 + 9.9 years; 63% were male. On average the participants had been practising their speciality for 21.1 + 9.8 years (range: 2-48). The mean total SWLS scores differed significantly between professions (P < 0.05). The highest levels of happiness were reported by psychologists and social workers, followed by the administrative staff, the psychiatrists and finally the nursing staff. Staff scored the highest for work as a 'calling' followed by work as a 'career' and the lowest rating for work as a 'job'. The mean total WLSQ score differed between professions, (P < 0.01). The highest levels of work as a calling were reported by psychiatrists (mean 2.87 of possible 5.0), followed by psychologists and social workers, nursing staff and finally administrative staff.

Conclusions: Satisfaction with life and work orientation do not correlate among mental health professionals. Although highly motivated and perceiving psychiatry as a 'calling' psychiatrists score low on levels of satisfaction with life. Improving staff happiness may contribute to increase in moral and counter burnout.