The Intricate Pathways From Empowering Leadership to Burnout: A Deep Dive Into Interpersonal Conflicts, Work-Home Interactions, and Supportive Colleagues

Aim/Purpose This study builds upon existing research by investigating the elements contrib-uting to or buffering the onset of burnout symptoms. We examine the relation-ship between empowering leadership and burnout, considering the concurrent mediation effects of interpersonal workplace conflict, work-home conflict, and support from coworkers. Background Burnout is a phenomenon that has been widely considered in the scientific liter-ature due to its negative effect on individual and organizational well-being, as well as implications for leadership, coworker support, and conflict resolution. A deeper understanding of burnout prevention strategies across various profes-sional contexts is paramount for enhancing productivity and job satisfaction. Methodology Using a survey-based cross-sectional design, we employed a combination of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to investigate the direct and indirect influences of empowering leadership on four dimensions of employee burnout, mediated by coworker support, interpersonal conflict at work, and work-home conflict. Contribution This study provides initial insights into the direct and indirect influences of em-powering leadership on various dimensions of burnout, highlighting the com-plex interplay with coworker support, work-home conflict, and workplace inter-personal conflicts. Ultimately, the study provides a comprehensive approach to understanding and mitigating burnout. Findings Empowering leadership and coworker support can significantly reduce burnout symptoms, while high levels of work-home conflict and interpersonal conflict at work can exacerbate them. Our findings underscore the paramount role of in-terpersonal conflict in predicting burnout, urging organizations to prioritize re-solving such issues for burnout prevention. Recommendations for Practitioners Following our findings, organizations should (a) promote empowering leader-ship styles, (b) foster coworker support and work-life balance, and (c) address in-terpersonal conflicts to reduce the likelihood of employee burnout while ensur-ing that these strategies are tailored to the specific context and culture of the workplace. Impact on Society The findings inform policy and organizational practices aimed at fostering healthier work environments, reducing employee burnout rates, and conse-quently improving overall societal well-being and productivity. Future Research Future research should broaden the exploration of leadership styles’ effects on burnout, identify additional mediators and moderators, expand studies across sectors and cultures, examine differential impacts on burnout dimensions, lever-age advanced analytical models, and investigate the nuanced relationship be-tween work contract types and burnout.