Mediating Emotional Exhaustion on the Effect of Workload on Quiet Quitting

Workers who have a negative attitude in the form of quiet quitting can have an impact on the work environment and the overall productivity of the organization. Quiet quitting, which reflects withdrawing from work engagements, can disrupt team dynamics, reduce collaboration, and slow project progress. High workload often influence quiet quitting, which can exhaust a person's physical and mental energy and lead to emotional exhaustion. Constant exposure to the demands of a heavy and unbalanced job can lead to feelings of fatigue and energy drain, both physically and mentally. As a result, individuals tend to experience decreased motivation, lose interest in work, and even feel emotionally burned. So, this study aims to determine the effect of workload on quiet quitting mediated by emotional exhaustion in private workers in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. This quantitative study employs accidental sampling techniques with 473 permanent and non-permanent employee respondents, as well as data analysis using SMARTPLS. The results showed that workload has a significant positive effect on quiet quitting and emotional exhaustion. Emotional exhaustion can have a significant positive effect on quiet quitting and be a mediator between workload and quiet quitting. These findings highlight organizational leaders' role in managing workload and employees' mental well-being.