The Influence of Workload and Work Flexibility on Work-Life Conflict and the Role of Emotional Exhaustion

• Published in: Behavioral Sciences
• Main Authors: Gabriele Buruck, Anna-Lisa Pfarr, Marlene Penz, Magdalena Wekenborg, Nicole Rothe, Andreas Walther
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-11-01
• Subjects: work-life-conflict; burnout; workload; work flexibility; job demands-resources model
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/10/11/174

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between contextual work-related factors in terms of job demands (workload—<b>WL</b>) and job resources (work flexibility—<b>WF</b>), work–life conflict (<b>WLC</b>) and the burnout dimension emotional exhaustion (<b>EE</b>) in a large population-based sample. Building on the job demands resources model (JDRM), we have developed the hypothesis that <b>WL</b> has an indirect effect on <b>EE</b> that is mediated by <b>WLC.</b> We conducted a secondary analysis using data from the Dresden Burnout Study (DBS, <i>N</i> = 4246, mean age (SD) = 42.7 years (10.5); 36.4% male). Results from structural equation modelling revealed that <b>EE</b> is positively associated with <b>WL</b> (β = 0.15, <i>p</i> = 0.001) and negatively associated with <b>WF</b> (β = −0.13, <i>p</i> = 0.001), also after accounting for potential confounding variables (demography, depressive symptoms, and lifetime diagnosis of burnout). Both effects are mediated by <b>WLC</b> (<i>β</i> = 0.18; <i>p</i> = 0.001 and <i>β</i> = 0.08; <i>p</i> = 0.001, respectively) highlighting the important role of <b>WLC</b> in employee health. In summary, <b>WF</b> may help to reduce burnout symptoms in employees, whereas <b>WL</b> may increase them. Study results suggest that both associations depend on <b>WLC</b> levels.