1 Introduction

In today's rapidly changing global economic environment, shoe-making enterprises, as representatives of labor-intensive industries, are facing increasingly fierce market competition and rising labor costs [10]. In this context, the issue of occupational fatigue among workers has gradually become prominent, becoming an important factor affecting the stable development and production efficiency of enterprises. Occupational fatigue usually refers to the state of emotional exhaustion, physical exhaustion, and decreased work enthusiasm that individuals experience when facing high-intensity and repetitive work for a long time. It not only affects the physical and mental health of workers, but may also lead to a decrease in work efficiency and an increase in turnover intention [2].

For shoe-making enterprises, the departure of workers not only means the loss of human resources, but may also lead to a series of negative consequences such as production interruption, cost increase, and decreased customer satisfaction. Therefore, in-depth exploration of the impact of occupational fatigue on the turnover intention of workers in shoe companies, and revealing its mechanism and path of action, is of great significance for formulating effective management measures, reducing turnover rates, and enhancing corporate competitiveness.

This article aims to analyze the impact of occupational fatigue on the turnover intention of workers in Jiangxi shoe companies through empirical research, with a focus on the mediating role of psychological capital and the moderating role of emotional exhaustion. By constructing a comprehensive theoretical framework and empirical model, this article aims to provide targeted management recommendations for enterprises to effectively address occupational fatigue issues, reduce turnover rates, and maintain stable productivity and competitiveness. At the same time, this study also contributes to enriching the theoretical achievements in the field of occupational fatigue and turnover intention, providing useful references and inspirations for future related research.

2 Theoretical Analysis and Research Hypotheses

2.1 Occupational Fatigue and Turnover Intention of Shoe Enterprise Workers

Previous studies have found that occupational fatigue can seriously affect the turnover intention of industrial workers [11]. Facing high-intensity and repetitive work for a long time, workers in shoe companies are prone to emotional exhaustion, which can directly lead to a loss of interest and enthusiasm for their work. When workers feel that their emotional resources are being excessively depleted and they can no longer derive satisfaction and happiness from their work, they may begin to consider resigning in search of a work environment that can provide a better emotional experience. In a state of exhaustion, workers' reaction speed, attention, and judgment may be affected, leading to a decrease in work efficiency. Meanwhile, when faced with a lack of challenging work in the long term, workers may feel that their work is meaningless and their sense of achievement is greatly reduced. This negative evaluation of work will further weaken workers' motivation and make them more likely to have thoughts of leaving [7]. In addition, the lack of enterprise management and support is also an important factor leading to an increase in the tendency of shoe company workers to resign. If enterprises cannot provide a good working environment, reasonable salary and welfare benefits, and necessary labor protection measures, workers' occupational fatigue will further intensify. Meanwhile, the lack of effective incentive and support mechanisms can also make workers feel neglected and dissatisfied, thereby increasing their likelihood of resigning.

Based on the above analysis, this article proposes hypothesis 1:

H1: Occupational fatigue is positively correlated with the turnover intention of workers in shoe companies

2.2 The Mediating Role of Psychological Capital

Psychological capital refers to a positive psychological state exhibited by individuals during their growth and development process [6]. For industrial workers, psychological capital is of particular significance. Shoe factory workers are in a heavy, complex, and constantly changing work environment, and the level of psychological capital directly affects their tendency to resign [5]. In shoe manufacturing enterprises, workers need to work in enclosed, noisy, and potentially harmful environments, which can lead to physical fatigue and psychological discomfort for a long time, accelerate occupational fatigue, and weaken psychological capital. The high repetition and single skill requirements of job content make the work appear monotonous and lacking in challenge. In addition, high-intensity work and frequent overtime further consume workers' psychological resources, leading to the accumulation of occupational fatigue and increasing the desire to resign. In addition, there is a high proportion of young people in shoe companies, who have strong career mobility and high expectations. They are more sensitive to poor working environments, poor salary and benefits, and limited career development, and are more likely to have a tendency to resign. At the same time, the rural revitalization strategy and optimization of the entrepreneurial environment have provided more choices for young workers, further increasing their likelihood of resigning. Therefore, psychological capital plays an important mediating role between the above factors and turnover intention. Low levels of psychological capital can easily lead to negative emotions and reduced work engagement among workers, thereby enhancing turnover intention.

Based on the above analysis, this article proposes hypothesis 2:

H2: Psychological capital plays a mediating role in the relationship between occupational fatigue and employee turnover intention in shoe companies

2.3 The Regulatory Effect of Emotional Exhaustion

Previous studies have shown that emotional exhaustion is a direct consequence of occupational fatigue, and it also has a profound impact on the psychological state and work attitude of industrial workers [4]. Shoe factory workers are exposed to high-intensity, fast-paced work environments for a long time, facing repetitive and relatively single skill requirements for work tasks. This work mode is prone to physical fatigue and psychological fatigue, known as occupational fatigue. And emotional exhaustion, as a deepening manifestation of occupational fatigue, further exacerbates the psychological burden on workers. When workers' emotional resources gradually deplete due to continuous coping with work pressure, their enthusiasm and motivation for work will significantly decrease, and their perception of occupational fatigue will become more sensitive. This emotional depletion not only weakens workers' ability to cope with challenges, but also reduces their satisfaction and loyalty to their work [3]. In this situation, even minor dissatisfaction or setbacks can become triggers for workers to consider resigning.

Therefore, emotional exhaustion amplifies workers' perception of occupational fatigue, increasing their risk of resignation. In a state of emotional exhaustion, workers are more likely to have an amplifying effect on their dissatisfaction with the work environment, salary, career development, and other aspects, thereby exacerbating their tendency to resign.

Based on the above analysis, this article proposes hypothesis 3:

H3: Emotional exhaustion plays a moderating role in the relationship between occupational fatigue and employee turnover intention in shoe companies

3 Research Design

3.1 Questionnaire Design

The purpose of this questionnaire is to obtain relevant information on the impact of occupational fatigue on the turnover intention of shoe factory workers, and to analyze in depth the internal mechanisms and pathways of its effects. The questionnaire design is divided into three core parts. The first part clearly explains the purpose of this research. The second part mainly collects personal information of the respondents, including age, gender, position, length of service, etc. The third part is the core part of the survey questionnaire, mainly to obtain various data measuring variables such as occupational fatigue, psychological capital, emotional exhaustion, and turnover intention. This article draws on the mature questionnaire on occupational fatigue and turnover intention by Wu Hailong [9], Chen Lanlan et al. [1], and adjusts it according to the research content of this article to form a measurement scale. All questions are measured using the Likert five point scale method. The specific scale is shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Scale items

3.2 Data Collection

The purpose of this survey is to investigate the impact of occupational fatigue on the turnover intention of workers in shoe manufacturing enterprises, and to explore the mechanisms of psychological capital and emotional exhaustion in this regard. The survey will be conducted from May 6, 2024 to May 12, 2024. The survey will be conducted online, including WeChat, QQ, Weibo, and survey websites. The survey will mainly target production line workers from 14 shoe companies of different sizes in Jiangxi, including sewing workers, molding workers, quality inspectors, and other employees in different positions. A total of 1200 questionnaires were distributed and 1138 questionnaires were collected. After excluding invalid questionnaires such as incomplete filling, repeated responses, and filling time less than 60 seconds, 952 valid questionnaires were finally obtained. Among them, males account for 60% (a total of 571 people) and females account for 40% (a total of 381 people). From the perspective of age structure, young workers aged 18-25 account for 20% (190 people), workers aged 26-35 have the highest proportion, reaching 40% (380 people), workers aged 36-45 account for 25% (238 people), and workers aged 46 and above account for 15% (144 people). Regarding work experience, new employees with less than 1 year account for 10% (95 people), workers with 1-3 years of work experience account for 30% (286 people), workers with 3-5 years of work experience account for 25% (238 people), and workers with more than 5 years of work experience account for the highest proportion at 35% (333 people).

4 Empirical Analysis and Hypothesis Testing

4.1 Reliability Analysis

CITI (total correlation of correction items) is an indicator that measures the correlation between a certain item and its total score of the variable, and can be used to determine whether the item effectively reflects the overall content of the variable. When the CITI value is high (usually considered greater than 0.5), it indicates a strong correlation between the item and its variable total score, and the quality of the item is good. Cronbach's alpha is an indicator used to evaluate the internal consistency of a scale or test. It measures the degree of consistency between all items in a scale or test, that is, whether all items are measuring the same concept. Table 2 reports the detailed results of the reliability test, covering four variables: social fatigue, psychological capital, emotional exhaustion, and turnover intention. From CITI perspective, all measurement items are greater than 0.5, indicating a strong correlation between each item and the total score of its corresponding variable. This means that these items can better represent and reflect the content of the variables they measure. Cronbach's alpha values are all greater than 0.7, indicating that the scale has good internal consistency across all variables, and the items in the scale can accurately and consistently measure the variables they represent.

Table 2. Reliability Test Results

4.2 Validity Analysis

This article uses confirmatory factor analysis to test the validity of the scale, including construct validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity.

4.2.1 Structural Validity

Structural validity refers to the degree to which a test can measure theoretical concepts and traits, as well as the consistency between the operational definition of experimental variables during the experiment and the definition during inference. The evaluation of structural validity does not have a single indicator, but is evaluated by the accumulation of multiple test results.

Table 3 reports the results of the structural effect inspection. Among them, the value of the chi square degree of freedom ratio (CMIN/DF) is 2.458, which is lower than the discrimination criterion 5, indicating a good fit between the model and the data. The root mean square error approximation (RMSEA) is 0.033, which is lower than the discrimination criterion of 0.08, indicating a high degree of fit for the model. The goodness of fit index (GFI) is 0.922, the incremental fit index (IFI) is 0.954, the Tucker Lewis index (TLI) is 0.962, and the comparative fit index (CFI) is 0.937, all of which are values greater than the discriminant criterion of 0.9. This further confirms that the model performs well in terms of overall fit, fit considering complexity, and improvement relative to the baseline model. In summary, the scale has good structural validity.

Table 3. Results of Structural Effect Inspection

4.2.2 Convergence Validity and Discriminant Validity

Table 4 reports the test results of convergent validity and discriminant validity, covering four variables: occupational fatigue, psychological capital, emotional exhaustion, and turnover intention. Firstly, from the perspective of convergent validity, the average variance extraction (AVE) of each variable performed well. The AVE value of occupational fatigue is 0.723, psychological capital is 0.711, emotional exhaustion is 0.756, and turnover intention is 0.831, all of which far exceed the discrimination standard of 0.50. This indicates that the measurement indicators of each variable can reflect their corresponding concepts well and have high internal consistency. From the results of discriminant validity, although there is a certain correlation between these variables, the correlation coefficients are all lower than their respective AVE square roots. The correlation coefficient between occupational fatigue and psychological capital is 0.368, but it is much lower than the average variance extraction (AVE) of occupational fatigue and psychological capital. The correlation coefficients between occupational fatigue, emotional exhaustion, and turnover intention are also lower than the corresponding average variance extraction amounts. This indicates that although the variables are correlated, they each measure different constructs, and there are certain differences between these constructs. In summary, the scale has good convergent validity and discriminant validity.

Table 4. Convergence validity and discriminant validity test results

^** p<0.01

4.3 Hypothesis Testing

4.3.1 Benchmark Effect

Table 5 reports the results of the benchmark effect test. The regression coefficient of occupational fatigue in column (1) without control variables is 0.826, and it is significant at the 1% level, indicating a significant positive correlation between occupational fatigue and turnover intention. H1 has been validated. The regression coefficient of occupational fatigue after adding control variables in column (2) is 0.847, which is significant at the 1% level. This indicates that there is no significant change in the coefficient and significance of occupational fatigue after introducing control variables, and H1 is further validated. A possible explanation is that shoe companies in Jiangxi often focus on labor-intensive industries, where workers face high-intensity and long hours of work. Long standing hours, repetitive labor, and possible overtime work systems (such as 996 work schedules) make workers highly susceptible to physical fatigue. This physiological fatigue not only affects the physical health of workers, but also further increases their psychological burden, leading to psychological fatigue, namely occupational burnout. Occupational burnout manifests as emotional exhaustion, a decrease in personality alienation and sense of achievement, and a loss of enthusiasm and motivation for work among workers, leading to an increased tendency to resign. On the other hand, the working environment of shoe factories often contains occupational hazards such as noise, dust, and chemical solvents, which persist for a long time and may have adverse effects on the physical health of workers. In addition, the production process of shoe companies is complex, and workers need to face strict quality control standards and tight delivery pressure, which will increase their workload and psychological pressure. Long term exposure to such a work environment can easily lead to occupational fatigue among workers, prompting them to consider resigning in order to overcome this negative state.

Table 5. Results of Benchmark Effect Test

^*** p<0.01,^** p<0.05,^* p<0.1

4.3.2 Mediating Effect

This article draws on the achievements of Wen Zhonglin and Ye Baojuan [8] and uses a three-step test to examine the mediating effect of psychological capital. Table 6 reports the results of the mediation effect test of psychological capital. The dependent variable in column (1) is turnover intention, and the independent variable is occupational fatigue, with a regression coefficient of 0.847, which is significant at the 1% level. The dependent variable in column (2) is psychological capital, and the independent variable is occupational fatigue, with a regression coefficient of 0.346, which is significant at the 1% level. The dependent variable in column (3) is turnover intention, and the independent variables are occupational fatigue and psychological capital, with coefficients of 0.325 and 0.532, respectively, which are significant at the 1% level. These four coefficients indicate that psychological capital plays a mediating role between occupational fatigue and turnover intention.

The occupational fatigue caused by high-intensity, repetitive labor and work environment pressure often directly leads to a decrease in the enthusiasm and coping ability of workers in shoe companies. However, this process does not directly lead to a tendency to resign, but rather has an impact through psychological capital. On the one hand, psychological capital can buffer the negative impact of occupational fatigue on turnover intention. When workers face occupational fatigue, individuals with high psychological capital tend to maintain a positive attitude. They believe in their ability to overcome the challenges brought by fatigue with a high sense of self-efficacy. On the other hand, if workers have a lower level of psychological capital, occupational fatigue will be more likely to trigger a tendency to resign.

Table 6. Results of the Mediating Effect Test of Psychological Capital

^*** p<0.01,^** p<0.05,^* p<0.1

4.3.3 Regulating Effect

This article introduces the interaction term between emotional exhaustion and occupational fatigue based on the benchmark effect to examine the moderating effect of emotional exhaustion. Table 7 reports the results of the moderation effect test on emotional exhaustion. The regression coefficient of the interaction term between occupational fatigue and emotional exhaustion is 0.538, which is significant at the 1% level. This indicates that emotional exhaustion plays a moderating role between occupational fatigue and turnover intention, that is, emotional exhaustion can amplify the impact of occupational fatigue on turnover intention. This may be because in Jiangxi shoe companies, workers often face high-intensity, repetitive work, as well as possible overtime and tight production schedules, which together constitute the source of occupational fatigue. When occupational fatigue accumulates to a certain extent, workers' emotional resources begin to be severely depleted, and the phenomenon of emotional exhaustion gradually becomes apparent. At this time, workers' enthusiasm and initiative for work will significantly decrease, and they are more likely to develop negative emotions towards challenges and difficulties in their work. The state of emotional exhaustion further amplifies the impact of occupational fatigue on turnover intention. The thought of resigning, which may have been solely due to physical exhaustion or work pressure, has become stronger and more difficult to suppress under the influence of emotional exhaustion. Workers may choose to leave their current work environment because they can no longer bear emotional pressure and fatigue.

Table 7. Results of the moderation effect test on emotional exhaustion

^*** p<0.01,^** p<0.05,^* p<0.1

5 Conclusion and Suggestions

Occupational fatigue is an important factor leading to a tendency to resign, especially in high-intensity and repetitive work environments. Deeply revealing the intrinsic connection between the two can help develop effective management measures to reduce turnover rates. This article empirically examines the impact of occupational fatigue on the turnover intention of workers in Jiangxi shoe companies, and delves into its mechanism and pathway of action. The results indicate that occupational fatigue exacerbates the turnover tendency of workers in shoe companies. And in this process, psychological capital plays a mediating role, and occupational fatigue can affect workers' turnover intention through psychological capital. In addition, emotional exhaustion can amplify the impact of occupational fatigue on turnover intention.

Based on this, this article proposes the following management suggestions:

(1) Build a comprehensive psychological capital enhancement system and strengthen internal motivation

To effectively alleviate occupational fatigue, enterprises need to establish a comprehensive psychological capital enhancement system. This includes customized psychological training, courses designed for specific stressors of shoe company workers, covering various aspects such as self-efficacy, positive mindset, stress management, and emotional regulation. At the same time, establish a professional psychological counseling team or cooperative institution to provide convenient and private psychological counseling services for workers, and encourage psychological mutual assistance among workers to create a positive psychological support atmosphere. In addition, combining the enhancement of psychological capital with career development provides more promotion opportunities and rewards for outstanding workers, stimulating their intrinsic motivation and career development willingness.

(2) Optimize work environment and processes to reduce sources of occupational fatigue

In response to the high-intensity and repetitive working environment faced by workers in shoe companies, companies need to carry out humanized transformation of the working environment, improve physical conditions, and provide comfortable rest areas and entertainment facilities. At the same time, by introducing advanced technology and equipment, optimizing workflows, reducing repetitive labor, and encouraging workers to participate in process improvement and technological innovation. In addition, flexible scheduling and vacation systems such as shift work and flexible working hours should be established to ensure that workers have sufficient rest time to alleviate occupational fatigue.

(3) Strengthen emotional management and build a positive working atmosphere

To reduce the tendency to resign, companies also need to strengthen emotional management and build a positive working atmosphere. This includes strengthening emotional care for workers, regularly communicating face-to-face with them, and understanding their needs and difficulties. Organize a variety of team building activities and employee gatherings to enhance team cohesion and cooperation spirit. At the same time, establish an emotional exhaustion warning mechanism to timely detect and address emotional exhaustion issues through regular assessments, providing timely intervention and support for workers with severe emotional exhaustion, and helping them restore emotional balance and work motivation.