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Burnout in the digital age: the hidden cost of 24/7 business connectivity

Abid Hussain et al.

Evidence-based HRM (EBHRM): A Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship2026https://doi.org/10.1108/ebhrm-09-2025-0408article
AJG 1ABDC B
Weight
0.50

Abstract

Purpose This study examines the impact of after-hours communication and connectivity expectations on burnout among full-time employees in China, with work–life balance as a mediating factor, aiming to provide insights for improving employee well-being in digitally intensive workplaces. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative correlational design was employed, collecting data from 300 full-time employees in China via a survey distributed through WeChat, QQ, Weibo and Douyin. Validated instruments included the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey, the Work–Life Balance Scale, a custom scale for after-hours communication and an adapted scale for connectivity expectations. Findings Frequent after-hours communication and expectations of constant availability significantly increase burnout, both directly and indirectly by diminishing work–life balance. BMC Public Health study noting connectivity-driven stress in China’s telecommunications sector. Originality/value Rather than treating digital connectivity as a single construct, this study distinguishes enacted connectivity (after-hours communication) from normative connectivity (connectivity expectations) and tests work–life balance as the mechanism through which both demands translate into burnout. By doing so in China, where always-on platform communication is common and cultural norms may intensify responsiveness expectations, the study extends existing burnout and digital work research into a context that remains underrepresented in the literature and provides clearer targets for organizational policy.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/ebhrm-09-2025-0408

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@article{abid2026,
  title        = {{Burnout in the digital age: the hidden cost of 24/7 business connectivity}},
  author       = {Abid Hussain et al.},
  journal      = {Evidence-based HRM (EBHRM): A Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/ebhrm-09-2025-0408},
}

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Burnout in the digital age: the hidden cost of 24/7 business connectivity

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.