TITLE:
From Stress to Exit: Can Work-Life Balance Pull Employees Back? A JD-R Perspective
AUTHORS:
Sayma Hossain Shetu, Fahmida Akter, Mst Morshada Mostarin, Sanjida Nasrin
KEYWORDS:
Job Stress, Employee Turnover Intention, Emotional Exhaustion, Work-Life Balance, Job Demands-Resources (JD-R)
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies,
Vol.13 No.4,
December
24,
2025
ABSTRACT: This study examines the impact of job stress on employee turnover intention in Bangladesh’s garments sector, integrating the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model to explore the mediating role of emotional exhaustion and the moderating role of work-life balance. Data were collected from 400 employees, and the proposed relationships were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that job stress significantly increases turnover intention, with emotional exhaustion partially mediating this relationship. In line with the JD-R model, job stress is considered a job demand that depletes emotional resources, leading to higher employee turnover. Furthermore, the study highlights the buffering role of work-life balance, which reduces emotional exhaustion and mitigates turnover intention. The findings underscore the importance of organizational interventions that address job stress as a high-demand factor while promoting work-life balance as a resource to enhance employee well-being and retention. Overall, this study provides new insights into the psychological mechanisms linking job stress to turnover intention and offers practical strategies to improve employee retention in Bangladesh’s high-pressure garment industry.