Quality of Work Life and Contribution to Productivity: Assessing the Moderator Effects of Burnout Syndrome

João Leitão, Dina Pereira and Ângela Gonçalves
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Dina Pereira: Research Center in Business Sciences (NECE), University of Beira Interior, 6200-209 Covilhã, Portugal
Ângela Gonçalves: Research Center in Business Sciences (NECE), University of Beira Interior, 6200-209 Covilhã, Portugal

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 5, 1-20

Abstract: This study is focused on assessing the effects of burnout as a moderator of the relationship between employees’ quality of work life (QWL) and their perceptions of their contribution to the organization’s productivity by integrating the QWL factors into the trichotomy of (de)motivators of productivity in the workplace. The empirical findings resulting from an OLS multiple regression, with interaction terms, applied to a survey administered at 514 employees in 6 European countries, point out two important insights: (i) QWL hygiene factors (e.g., safe work environment and occupational healthcare) positively and significantly influence the contribution to productivity; and (ii) burnout de-motivator factors (that is, low effectiveness, cynicism, and emotional exhaustion) significantly moderate the relationship between QWL and the contribution to productivity. Combining burnout with other QWL components, such as occupational health, safe work, and appropriate salary, new insights are provided concerning the restricting (i.e., low effectiveness and cynicism) and catalyzing (emotional exhaustion) burnout components of contribution to productivity. These findings are particularly relevant given the increased weight of burnout, mental disorders and absenteeism in the labor market, affecting individuals’ quality of life and organizations’ performance and costs.

Keywords: burnout; emotional exhaustion; low effectiveness; cynicism; quality of work life; productivity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:5:p:2425-:d:508812

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