The role of resilience as a key player in mitigating job burnout's impact on workplace safety

It is probable that resilience can play a significant role in mitigating the impact of job burnout on workplace safety outcomes. Identification of these relations and paths can be useful for reducing burnout effects and reinforcing safety behavior factors. This study seeks to explore the relationship between job burnout and unsafe behavior, with a specific focus on the mediating role of resilience. This cross-sectional study, conducted in 2023, involved 200 workers in the spinning and weaving industries in central Iran. The study used printed questionnaires distributed to study participants during their rest periods to collect data for further analysis. The questionnaires included demographic information, the Maslach burnout inventory, the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, and a set of safety behavior questionnaires. Subsequently, the study analyzed various dimensions of job burnout with respect to unsafety behavior by constructing a theoretical model using AMOS software. The results indicate that three burnout dimensions indirectly influence safety compliance through resilience (P < 0.001). Specifically, depersonalization and personal accomplishment directly and indirectly affect safety participation through resilience and safety compliance (P < 0.001). Resilience had the highest direct and total effect coefficients on safety compliance (0.692 and 0.692), while emotional exhaustion exhibited the highest indirect coefficients (− 0.505). Regarding safety participation, the highest direct coefficient was associated with personal accomplishment (0.406), and the greatest indirect and total coefficients with depersonalization (− 0.370 and − 0.588). By recognizing the differential impacts of various burnout dimensions, tailored interventions can be developed to address specific facets of burnout, thus optimizing safety initiatives. Moreover, the pivotal role of resilience unveils a promising avenue for mitigating the adverse effects of burnout on unsafe behaviors.