The effect of business life on employees and analysis of fatigue society: Trabzon province-Forum Shopping Center example

Today, humanity lives in a society where change and innovation are intensely felt in every aspect. People utilize the opportunities offered by society to sustain their lives. Unlike pre-modern societies, where work was limited to only a few areas, today's society exhibits great diversity in occupational fields. This diversification has led to increased market activity and intensified competition. Working under these heightened competitive conditions has become significantly more challenging compared to previous periods. Constant change has made it difficult for employees to adapt both to their work environment and the prevailing pace, leading to not only physical but also mental exhaustion. Based on this, the present study aims to examine the fatigue experienced by Forum AVM employees in both its physical and mental dimensions and to analyze its manifestation within the capitalist system. In the examination of fatigue observed in contemporary society, the study draws upon Byung-Chul Han's analysis of burnout society. For the evaluation of workplace fatigue within the framework of the capitalist system, the study references the perspectives of Karl Marx. In this context, the research was conducted with a total of 30 employees—15 women and 15 men—selected from various sectors within Trabzon Forum AVM, which hosts hundreds of customers daily. Employing a qualitative methodology, in-depth interviews were carried out using a semi- structured interview form. The data obtained from these interviews were interpreted through descriptive analysis. The results revealed that employees experience not only physical fatigue due to workload but also mental exhaustion stemming from performance pressure.