Presentisms and Its Effects on Employee Burnout: Examining the Mediating Role of Burnout on Productivity Loss(A Pls Sem Model Study)

Abstract

Presentisms—employees attending work despite illness—has become an underestimated driver of inefficiency and health deterioration. This study investigates how burnout mediates the link between presentism and productivity loss in Pakistan’s service sector. Grounded in the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) and Conservation of Resources (COR) theories, the research adopts a quantitative cross-sectional design. Data were collected from 320 employees across healthcare, education, and banking organizations using validated instruments for presenteeism, burnout, and productivity. Structural Equation Modeling via SmartPLS 4 was used to evaluate both measurement and structural models. Results revealed that presenteeism positively predicted burnout (β = 0.61, p < .001) and exerted both direct and indirect effects on productivity loss through burnout. The mediation analysis confirmed partial mediation, with the direct path from presenteeism to productivity remaining significant (β = 0.27, p < .05). The model explained 58 percent of variance in burnout and 47 percent in productivity loss. These findings indicate that burnout is the psychological mechanism through which presenteeism reduces performance, underscoring the need for well-being-centered HR strategies and policies that discourage attendance under illness pressure.