Study on the relationship between employee perception of overqualification, job burnout, and impulsive buying behavior

Due to the popularization of higher education and the downturn of the global economy, competition in the labor market has become increasingly fierce, and the perception of overqualification has become a common phenomenon. However, previous research has mainly focused on the outcomes of the perception of overqualification in the workplace, lacking attention to individuals’ consumption behaviors, especially impulsive buying behavior. Based on this, this study, according to the conservation of resources theory, examines the influence mechanism of the perception of overqualification on employees’ impulsive buying behavior and explores the mediating role of job burnout. This study conducted statistical analysis using a sample of 547 employees. The results show that when individuals perceive themselves as overqualified and their professional skills are not fully utilized, they tend to seek psychological compensation through consumption behavior, thereby increasing the tendency of impulsive buying behavior. In addition, job burnout plays a mediating role in this process, linking the perception of overqualification with impulsive buying behavior. This finding suggests that enterprises should pay attention to employees’ career development and emotional management to reduce impulsive buying behavior and enhance employee well-being. At the same time, it also emphasizes the importance of the match between education and the job market, providing guidance for policymakers in alleviating the negative effects of the perception of overqualification.