Malang— Heavy workload has been identified as a major driver of employee burnout at PT Pesta Pora Abadi, the company behind Indonesia’s rapidly expanding Mie Gacoan brand. The finding comes from a 2026 study by Lutfi Septia Nova, Syaiful Arifin, and Moh. Nur Singgih from Universitas Merdeka Malang, published in the East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (EAJMR). The research is especially relevant as the food and beverage industry continues to grow quickly, bringing greater pressure on employees working behind the company’s expansion.
The study shows that higher workload is closely linked to rising burnout levels among employees, while job satisfaction and work engagement act as important factors that can reduce the negative effects of work pressure. These findings matter not only for businesses in the F&B sector, but also for policymakers and human resource professionals concerned with workplace well-being and sustainable productivity.
PT Pesta Pora Abadi has experienced significant growth in recent years, opening Mie Gacoan outlets across many cities in Indonesia. This rapid expansion has placed substantial demands on the Human Capital and Legal divisions, which are responsible for recruitment, workforce planning, employment contracts, legal permits, and operational compliance. As the company continues to scale, employees in these divisions face tight deadlines and increasingly complex responsibilities.
According to the researchers, prolonged exposure to high job demands can drain employees’ emotional and psychological resources. When work pressure continues without sufficient organizational support, employees are more likely to experience emotional exhaustion, lower motivation, and decreased involvement in their tasks, all of which are key signs of burnout.
The research involved 230 employees from the Human Capital and Legal divisions at PT Pesta Pora Abadi in Malang. Using a quantitative approach, the study gathered data through online questionnaires distributed to all employees within the selected divisions. Established measurement tools were used to assess workload, job satisfaction, work engagement, and burnout, allowing the researchers to examine both direct and indirect relationships among these factors.
The findings reveal a strong and statistically significant relationship between workload and burnout. Employees who reported higher workloads were more likely to experience psychological fatigue and emotional exhaustion. At the same time, increased workload was found to reduce both job satisfaction and work engagement. In practical terms, the more pressure employees felt from their responsibilities, the less satisfied and less emotionally connected they became to their work.
The study further highlights that burnout does not arise only from workload itself. Instead, excessive work demands first reduce employees’ sense of satisfaction and engagement, which then increases the likelihood of burnout. This means that employees who still feel valued, motivated, and involved in their work are better protected against chronic work stress.
Lutfi Septia Nova and colleagues from Universitas Merdeka Malang emphasize that workplace well-being should be treated as a strategic organizational issue. Their findings suggest that companies need to pay closer attention to how tasks are distributed, how deadlines are managed, and whether employees receive sufficient support from supervisors and the broader work environment.
For businesses, the implications are clear. Rapid expansion and ambitious growth targets must be balanced with sustainable work systems. Without proper workload management, companies risk declining productivity, higher absenteeism, and increased employee turnover due to burnout. In contrast, improving job satisfaction and strengthening employee engagement can serve as effective strategies to maintain performance and workforce stability.
The findings also carry wider relevance beyond the F&B sector. In an era where workplace mental health is increasingly discussed as part of corporate responsibility, this study offers timely evidence that burnout is not merely an individual issue but is strongly shaped by organizational structure and job design.
0 Komentar