Exploring Burnout and Workplace Violence in Public Transport: Implications for Worker Wellbeing, Safety and Organisational Practices

In modern society, the welfare of public transport workers is a significant yet often overlooked concern. Burnout and workplace violence (WPV) are pivotal issues affecting public transport workers' psychological and physical wellbeing. Burnout has been found to dimmish workers' quality of work life, while WPV poses a serious occupational risk for customer-facing roles, heightening the risk of PTSD. This doctoral thesis aimed to explore burnout and WPV among public transport workers to understand sector challenges and identify interventions for a healthier, safer work environment. Chapter One presents a systematic review focusing on the prevalence and factors associated with burnout in public transport workers. Fourteen relevant studies were identified, revealing equivocal findings. While studies on airline employees yielded conflicting results, road transportation workers reported higher burnout rates. Sociodemographic and organisational factors were found to be associated to burnout, indicating that access to social and material resources can help alleviate burnout. The review underscores the need for standardised measurement tools and tailored interventions to effectively address burnout within this domain.

Chapter Two presents findings from an empirical study investigating WPV among public-facing railway workers in the United Kingdom and its associations with wellbeing, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and psychosocial safety climate (PSC). A survey of 216 public-facing railway workers revealed heightened WPV rates (99%), with non-binary individuals and those of mixed ethnic backgrounds reporting more incidents. Increased WPV was linked to reduced wellbeing and higher PTSD risk, and PSC was found to moderate the WPV-wellbeing relationship. Physical violence and property damage also heightened the risk of PTSD-related difficulties. Results underscore the necessity for preventive strategies and tailored interventions to address WPV among public-facing railway workers, emphasising the critical role of cultivating a safer work environment.