From burnout to quiet quitting: the mediating role of turnover intention among seafarers

This study focuses on two potential consequences of burnout in seafaring: turnover intention, an important issue given the concerns about the shortage of seafarers, and quiet quitting, where employees reduce engagement without formally resigning. Quiet quitting has not yet been studied among seafarers but given the increasing attention to employee disengagement in contemporary workplaces, it represents a significant potential risk, particularly for safety-critical operations. The aim of the study was to test whether turnover intention mediates the relationship between burnout and its four dimensions (exhaustion, mental distance, cognitive impairment, and emotional impairment) and quiet quitting among seafarers. Data were collected from an international sample of seafarers (N = 508) via an online survey using the Burnout Assessment Tool, Quiet Quitting Scale, and Turnover Intention Scale. Results indicate that turnover intention significantly mediates the relationship between all four burnout dimensions and quiet quitting, with the strongest mediation observed for exhaustion. All direct and indirect effects were statistically significant, supporting the hypothesized partial mediation model. These findings underscore the significance of turnover intention as a mechanism linking burnout to quiet quitting, highlighting the need for preventive measures to mitigate negative outcomes.