Running Head: Business Travel and Perceived Stress Psychological Stress among Business Travelers in Malaysia

Abstract

Article history Received: 5 November 2018 Accepted: 18 February 2019 Published: 30 April 2019 Businesses and corporations today break geographical boundaries and carry out business globally . Business travel can be physically demanding and psychologically stressful, compromising the well-being of business travelers and the benefits of organizations. The present study examined how biopsychosocial factors, which are health concern, burnout, and social support, explained business travel stress among business travelers in Malaysia. We recruited 100 working adults (n = 63 men, n = 37 women) who traveled for business purposes from airports in Malaysia. Participants completed a series of questionnaires using the paper-and-pencil method. The mediation analyses showed that only burnout mediated the relationship between business travel and perceived stress. Specifically, the less intensely an individual traveled, s/he experienced a higher level of perceived stress; and this could be explained by the high level of burnout experienced. These findings have shed some light on how to deal with business travel stress at organizational and personal levels. Our findings suggested that organization-level interventions and policies should place an emphasis on employees who have to travel and in particular those who travel less intensively. Also, to provide support for business traveling employees, corporations should set up interventions and policies that aim to decrease burnout associated with business traveling.