Work-life balance and burnout levels of Turkish white-collar employees in Ireland: The mediati·ng role of cultural adjustment

This study explored the interrelationships between work-life balance (WLB), sociocultural adjustment (CA), and emotional exhaustion (EE) among Turkish white-collar professionals living and working in Ireland — a growing yet under-researched migrant group. The primary focus was to test whether CA mediates the relationship between WLB and EE, situating the findings within the frameworks of Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, and acculturation theory. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 130 participants through standardized measures. Statistical analyses included Pearson correlations, ANOVA/Welch's tests, and bootstrapped mediation models. Results revealed that WLB was strongly and negatively associated with EE, and positively associated with CA. CA also correlated negatively with EE. Participants working on-site and those with lower perceived economic comfort reported significantly higher levels of EE. Longer duration of stay in Ireland predicted better CA. However, the mediation effect of CA in the WLB–EE link was not statistically supported, and no significant EE differences emerged across housing situations. The findings underscore WLB as the strongest predictor of EE and suggest that cultural and economic contexts significantly shape emotional well-being. The study contributes to the literature on occupational health and cross-cultural adjustment among skilled migrants in contemporary European labor markets.

This study explored the interrelationships between work-life balance (WLB), sociocultural adjustment (CA), and emotional exhaustion (EE) among Turkish white-collar professionals living and working in Ireland — a growing yet under-researched migrant group. The primary focus was to test whether CA mediates the relationship between WLB and EE, situating the findings within the frameworks of Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, and acculturation theory. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 130 participants through standardized measures. Statistical analyses included Pearson correlations, ANOVA/Welch's tests, and bootstrapped mediation models. Results revealed that WLB was strongly and negatively associated with EE, and positively associated with CA. CA also correlated negatively with EE. Participants working on-site and those with lower perceived economic comfort reported significantly higher levels of EE. Longer duration of stay in Ireland predicted better CA. However, the mediation effect of CA in the WLB–EE link was not statistically supported, and no significant EE differences emerged across housing situations. The findings underscore WLB as the strongest predictor of EE and suggest that cultural and economic contexts significantly shape emotional well-being. The study contributes to the literature on occupational health and cross-cultural adjustment among skilled migrants in contemporary European labor markets.