Thesis (MBA) - Cyprus International University. Institute of Graduate Studies and Research Business Adminstration

In the contemporary era, stress has evolved into a global issue that manifests itself in diverse ways across all workplace environments. Employees work extra hours nowadays because they hold greater duties and have to work harder to satisfy performance standards. Workplace stress has been recognized as a pervasive issue affecting employees globally. People frequently use a variety of coping mechanisms to deal with the difficulties they face while under stress at work. The study aims to examine the relationship between workplace stress and employee burnout among SMEs in Nigeria and the extent to which coping strategies mediate this relationship. This study employs a quantitative research design. Primary data in the form of a questionnaire was used to obtain data from 120 participants. Multiple regression and Baron and Kenny mediation analyses were carried out via SPSS. The findings of the study showed that both work stress (β =.507, p <.05) and coping strategies significantly predicted job burnout (β =.473, p <.05). Furthermore, coping strategies partially mediate the relationship between work stress and burnout (β =.398, p<.05). Employees will be less likely to experience burnout and actively seek out other employment opportunities if these steps are taken to help them adjust to their current workplace. It is beneficial to provide employees with effective ways of addressing work-related issues in order to retain qualified workers.