MOONLIGHTING AND BURNOUT: THE ROLE OF DUAL LOYALTY AND POLICY

Authors:

Tosham Singh, Dr. Sandeep Kumar

Keywords:

Moonlighting, Dual loyalty dilemma, Professional burnout, Institutional Policies, Healthcare

Abstract:

The healthcare industry is confronted with a severe workforce problem, with the added problem of moonlighting activities that trigger role conflicts and ethical issues. In this study, the dual loyalty dilemma problem caused by moonlighting among healthcare workers in Delhi NCR is investigated using the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model and role theory. Adopting a cross-sectional design and analysed 683 valid responses to test a moderated-mediation model using PLS-SEM. Results indicate that moonlighting does not have a direct contribution to professional burnout, but an indirect one in amplifying dual loyalty conflicts, which in turn enhance the risk of burnout. Institutional policies were shown to play a protective function, diminishing both dual loyalty conflicts as well as burnout, albeit failing a statistically significant moderating effect. The findings emphasize the organizational and moral dimensions of moonlighting, emphasizing the importance of open institutional policies, flexible working arrangements, and ethical support systems to counteract workforce stress and ensure healthcare provision.

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