EXAMINING THE LINKAGES BETWEEN WORK-ROLE STRESSORS AND TURNOVER INTENTIONS OF EMPLOYEES IN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS: A MEDIATING ROLE OF EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION

Abstract

This research examines the relationship between work-role stressors (role ambiguity, role conflict, role overload) and employees’ turnover intention, with emotional exhaustion as a mediator, drawing upon the conservation of resources and social exchange theories. Data were collected from 256 valid respondents from September to October 2025. Purposive sampling was used at the individual level in service organizations in Vietnam. The results showed that work-role stressors positively affect turnover intention, with emotional exhaustion fully mediating these relationships. In other words, work-role stressors only generate turnover intention when they cause emotional exhaustion in employees, functioning as antecedents of emotional exhaustion, while turnover intention is the consequence of this psychological strain. This study contributes significantly to theoretical advancements in both the conservation of resources and social exchange theories. The findings provide insight into an individual’s perception and experience of work stress, as well as their response to it in a non-Western context. Furthermore, the paper suggests practical implications for minimizing the impacts of work-role stressors and turnover intention by preventing employee emotional exhaustion in the service sector.