Mental Fatigue and Hydration as Primary Determinants of Workplace Engagement During Ramadan Fasting
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: 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.
Institution: Baqai Medical University
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7223218869