Abstract
Organizational culture and systemic inequities remain under-researched factors driving the mental and physical deterioration of community college employees. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe and interpret the lived experiences of job-related burnout among community college employees. This qualitative short-term ethnography was conducted at Big Rock College, a rural community college in central Arkansas. The sample consisted of six volunteer participants across administrative, faculty, and staff roles. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom®. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and triangulated with institutional document analysis. Findings indicated that 84% of participants experienced varying degrees of burnout, driven by inadequate compensation, administrative inefficiency, and inequitable power dynamics, including the weaponization of extra duties. While a profound disparity existed between the institution’s stated core values and employees’ day-to-day experiences, a shared intrinsic dedication to student success emerged as the primary anchor of employee resilience. These findings suggest that community college leaders must transition from performative, box-checking measures to authentic and equitable leadership. To effectively address staff burnout and turnover, leadership must actively protect the student-centered culture, implement structural workload balances, advocate for competitive compensation, and foster genuine transparency rather than wielding financial leverage to force compliance.
Keywords: burnout, college, culture, power, retention, short-term ethnography
Date Capstone Completed
5-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Masters of Science in Leadership Education: Organizational Leadership
Department
Leadership Education - Graduate Studies
Advisor
Joel Traver
Location
Winona, Minnesota
Recommended Citation
Blue, Jesse N., "Examining Organizational Factors Contributing to Burnout in Community College Employees: An Anthropological Perspective" (2026). Leadership Education Capstones. 103.
https://openriver.winona.edu/leadershipeducationcapstones/103
Included in
Educational Leadership Commons, Leadership Studies Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons
