The Psychological Capital and Emotional Exhaustion Among Government Employees in Batangas

This study examined the relationship between psychological capital and emotional exhaustion among government employees in Tanauan City Hall. Using a quantitative-descriptive correlational design, the research involved 218 job order employees selected through simple random sampling from a total population of 498. Data were collected using two instruments: the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ) by Luthans and Broad (2022) with a reliability coefficient of 0.944, and a researcher-constructed Emotional Exhaustion Scale with a reliability index of 0.977. Findings revealed that respondents exhibited very high psychological capital (WM = 3.47) and low emotional exhaustion (WM = 2.13). Statistical tests showed significant differences in psychological capital and emotional exhaustion when grouped by years in service (p = 0.034), salary grade (p = 0.027), and sex (p = 0.045), but not by age (p = 0.176) or unit/office (p = 0.229). A strong negative correlation (r = -0.684, p < 0.01) was found between psychological capital and emotional exhaustion, indicating that higher psychological capital corresponds to lower levels of emotional fatigue. These results highlight the importance of fostering positive psychological resources—hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism—to reduce exhaustion and enhance employee well-being. The study recommends implementing professional development and mental health programs to sustain psychological capital and promote a productive, motivated government workforce.