Understanding presenteeism and employee withdrawal in hotels and travel agencies: Do emotional exhaustion and resilience matter?

This study examines the relationship between presenteeism and psychological withdrawal among full-time employees in five-star hotels and category-A travel agencies, focusing on the mediating role of emotional exhaustion and the moderating role of psychological resilience. Grounded in the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model and Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, data from 420 valid responses were analyzed. The findings indicate that presenteeism significantly increases both emotional exhaustion and psychological withdrawal, while emotional exhaustion also positively influences withdrawal behaviors. Moreover, emotional exhaustion partially mediates the relationship between presenteeism and psychological withdrawal, highlighting its role as a key underlying mechanism. Importantly, psychological resilience moderates the effect of presenteeism on emotional exhaustion, demonstrating its buffering role against resource depletion. These results support the JD-R and COR frameworks and underscore the importance of enhancing employee resilience to sustain well-being, organizational effectiveness, and service quality in high-pressure hospitality and tourism environments.