Culture, Burnout, and Engagement: A Meta-Analysis on National Cultural Values as Moderators in JD-R Theory

Abstract

Despite prominence and increasing application of the Job Demands‐Resources (JD‐R) theory across national contexts, the role of culture has not yet been systematically explored. We conducted a meta‐analysis of 132 independent samples from 120 studies across 5 global regions (total N = 101,073) to fill this void. Our paper responds to long‐standing concerns around neglecting differences in the relationships of workplace factors with burnout and engagement across national cultures by testing for a moderating role within JD‐R theory. Results suggest strong support for the direct job demands‐burnout and job resources‐engagement pathways. Regarding the role of culture, our study reveals moderating roles for five out of six cultural dimensions using Hofstede’s framework. Interestingly, these cultural dimensions present a moderating impact towards relationships with either job demands or job resources, yet not both. Our findings offer a valuable starting point for further theoretical developments that can impact international business and global mobility. While these insights suggest a role of national cultural context in JD‐R studies, sensitivity analyses showed that the findings were only partly stable.