Investigating the relationship between workload and vitality, and the moderating role of self-efficacy and psychological flexibility

Abstract

The relationship between workload and employee vitality is of growing interest given its implications for well-being and performance. While prior research generally supports that high job demands reduce well-being, the specific role of workload in relation to vitality, and the potential protective function of personal resources, has received little attention. This study investigated the association between workload and vitality, and tested whether the personal resources of self-efficacy and psychological flexibility moderate this relationship. A cross- sectional survey was conducted among 130 employed adults who completed validated measures of workload, vitality, self-efficacy and psychological flexibility. Contrary to expectations, workload was not significantly related to vitality, self-efficacy did not buffer the relationship in the expected direction, and psychological flexibility was found to mediate, rather than moderate, this relationship. These findings highlight the complexity of the workload–vitality link and suggest that personal resources may not always act as protective buffers. Implications for occupational health interventions and future research directions are discussed.