Mental Fatigue and Hydration as Primary Determinants of Workplace Engagement During Ramadan Fasting

This study examined mental fatigue and hydration status as primary determinants of workplace engagement during Ramadan fasting, addressing a gap in organizational research where physiological states are rarely treated as engagement antecedents. A quantitative, correlational design was employed with a purposive sample of 200 full-time fasting employees. Data were collected during the second and third weeks of Ramadan using the Chalder Fatigue Scale, a self-monitoring hydration checklist, and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that age and tenure explained only 3.7% of engagement variance, but adding mental fatigue and hydration status increased explained variance to 52.3%, a significant increment of 48.6% (ΔF(2, 195) = 99.26, p < .001). Both predictors were significant, yet hydration emerged as the stronger determinant (β = .523, p < .001), uniquely explaining 15.0% of variance compared to 3.0% for mental fatigue (β = .235, p = .001). Multicollinearity was absent (VIF < 2). These findings suggest that fluid balance exerts a more consequential influence on engagement than cognitive weariness during fasting, challenging the prevailing emphasis on fatigue in Ramadan workplace literature. Organizations should prioritize hydration-supportive policies, including accessible fluids during suhoor and iftar and adjusted meeting schedules, to sustain employee engagement throughout the fasting month.