The mediator role of job stress on the relationship between workload and burnout

This study aims to show the mediator role of job stress on the relationship between workload and burnout in terms of person-environment fit theory. There are limited studies about the workload in Turkish literature. International and Turkish literature demonstrate that the studies about the workload, job stress and burnout mostly focus on specific occupations. This study is unique based on the fact that it takes the workload, job stress and burnout concepts together and consists service sector workers as research participants. Current research aims to contribute to the related literature. Current research model includes workload as the independent variable; burnout as the dependent variable and the job stress as the mediator variable. The participants of the study involve 408 workers from Istanbul's different service industry sectors who are reached via convenience sampling method. Surveys are used as the data collection tool. To analyze data, SPSS program is used. The study demonstrated that workload had a statistically strong and positive effect on the job stress, emotional subscale and desensitization subscale of burnout. No relationship has been found between the workload and personal success subscale of burnout. Job stress had a statistically strong and positive effect on the emotional and desensitization subscales of burnout. No relationship has been found between the job stress and the personal success subscale of burnout. The mediator role of job stress has been found on the relationship between workload and the emotional and desensitization subscales of burnout. Recommendations are provided for the researchers, managers and workers at the end of the study and the limitations of the study are mentioned.