UNLOCKING MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK: WHEN BURNOUT TRANSFORMS THE VALUE OF FLEXIBILITY, BALANCE, AND CRAFTED JOBS

Abstract

Flexible work strategies are increasingly promoted to enhance employee well-being, yet the mechanisms through which they influence mental health remain underexplored. Drawing on the conservation of resources and job demands resources theories, this study investigates how flexible working arrangement (FWA), work-life balance (WLB), and job crafting (JC) influence employee mental health, both directly and indirectly through the mediating role of burnout. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 400 employees across diverse sectors in Kuningan Regency, Indonesia, through validated self-report measures. Structural equation modeling via SmartPLS revealed that FWA, WLB, and JC each had significant positive effects on mental health and negative effects on burnout. Burnout, in turn, showed a significant negative association with mental health and partially mediated the relationship between the three predictors and mental health. Further, visual analysis confirmed that the positive effects of FWA, WLB, and JC on mental health were substantially stronger among employees with lower burnout levels. These findings underscore the importance of integrating burnout prevention into organizational strategies aiming to improve psychological well-being. By demonstrating the dual role of resource enhancement and emotional regulation, this study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of how adaptive work designs foster employee mental health. Practical implications include the need for co-owned interventions that promote flexibility, balance, and proactive job redesign, while actively managing emotional strain in the workplace