Feeling Drained at Work? The Effects of Workplace Incivility Among Frontline Restaurant Employees

Although previous studies have highlighted the adverse effects of job burnout on organizational outcomes, the contributing factors to employee burnout have been relatively overlooked. This study aims to investigate how workplace incivility and transformational leadership affect employee burnout and how burnout, in turn, influences employee satisfaction, affective commitment, and turnover intention. Using partial least square structural equation modeling with data from 338 participants recruited via Prolific, the findings reveal that workplace incivility—particularly from customers and supervisors—is positively associated with employee burnout. Conversely, transformational leadership is negatively associated with burnout. Furthermore, employee burnout significantly affects satisfaction, affective commitment, and turnover intention. This study offers valuable insights for academia and the restaurant industry, emphasizing the importance of addressing employee burnout and implementing effective strategies to foster employee well-being.