Post-Pandemic Changes to Employment and Employment Satisfaction in Early Career and Career Advancing Athletic Trainers

Nicolette A Harris; Emily K Mulkey; Sanam Rezazadeh; Matthew C Smitley; Alicia M Montalvo

doi:10.4085/1062-6050-0508.23

Post-Pandemic Changes to Employment and Employment Satisfaction in Early Career and Career Advancing Athletic Trainers

J Athl Train. 2024 Apr 18. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-0508.23. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Nicolette A Harris¹, Emily K Mulkey², Sanam Rezazadeh, Matthew C Smitley, Alicia M Montalvo

Affiliations

¹ Dr. Nicolette A. Harris is an Assistant Professor in the Arizona School of Health Sciences at A.T. Still University. Additionally, she holds the position of Director of Student Recruitment for the Athletic Training Department. Nicolette is the Inaugural Chair for the National Athletic Trainers' Association's Career Advancement Committee.
² Emily K. Mulkey is a Staff Athletic Trainer at Youngstown State University, working primarily with women's soccer and women's tennis in addition to the men's and women's diving program. Emily currently serves as the Inaugural Chair of the National Athletic Trainers Association's Early Professionals Committee.

PMID: 38632841
DOI: 10.4085/1062-6050-0508.23

Abstract

Context: The labor market suffered a mass exodus of employees, including healthcare workers, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous research highlights the vulnerability of young professional athletic trainers (YPATs) to attrition. Investigating pandemic-related employment changes and their impact is essential for developing strategies to improve the retention of YPATs.

Objective: to determine impact of COVID-19 on YPATs' employment and effect of COVID-19 and employment setting migration on outcome measures of personal and financial well-being, job and career satisfaction, and optimism about staying in the profession.

Design: Cross-sectional, descriptive study.

Setting: Web-based survey.

Participants: 1,111 participants responded to survey for an 11.5% response rate (n=1,111/12,810). Partial responses were included; thus, number of respondents varied by question.

Data collection and analysis: A web-based survey comprised of 34 closed-ended questions was disseminated to NATA members in November 2022. Descriptive statistics including counts and frequencies for each surveyed item in addition to chi-square tests were used to analyze responses.

Results: 30.2% (n=335/1,111) of YPATs changed employers and 25.7% (n=286/1,111) reported a change in employment setting. Notably, YPATs migrated from high school, collegiate, and professional athletics to clinic, industrial, or sales settings. Overall, the pandemic decreased job satisfaction, career satisfaction, and optimism about professional longevity. Changes in employment had a positive impact on personal well-being in addition to job and career satisfaction, but not optimism regarding staying in profession. Salary and work-life balance were reported as important predictors of short and long-term retention for YPATs.

Conclusions: The pandemic brought changes to employers and employment settings for many YPATs. To reduce turnover and attrition, administrators must begin to prioritize employee well-being and satisfaction. In addition to increasing salary and reducing workload, employers should recognize the importance of administrative support in promoting well-being together with satisfaction and professional optimism in early professional and career-advancing athletic trainers.

Keywords: COVID-19; emerging settings; organizational support; well-being; young professionals.