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

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