Burnout and Quality of Work Life: The Moderating Role of Servant Leadership

Purpose: This study aims to examine the effect of burnout syndrome on quality of work life (QWL) and analyze the moderating role of servant leadership in the relationship between burnout syndrome and QWL among Generation Z employees in the service sector in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia.
Research Methodology: This study adopts a quantitative approach using a survey method. Data were collected from 170 Generation Z employees in the service sector who had been working for at least one year. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling with convenience distribution through online platforms. Data analysis was conducted using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4.
Results: The findings reveal that burnout syndrome has a significant negative effect on quality of work life, indicating that higher burnout leads to lower employee well-being. However, servant leadership does not significantly moderate the relationship between burnout syndrome and QWL.
Conclusions: Burnout syndrome is a key determinant in reducing employees’ quality of work life, while servant leadership does not function as a moderating variable in this relationship among Generation Z employees in the service sector.
Limitations: This study is limited to a cross-sectional design and focuses only on Generation Z employees in the service sector in one geographical area, which may limit generalizability of the findings.
Contributions: This study contributes to literature by providing empirical evidence on the burnout–QWL relationship and testing servant leadership as a moderating variable in a Gen Z context, offering new insights into leadership effectiveness in high-stress service environments.