Human resources are the primary factor determining an organization's success in achieving its goals. Employee performance is a crucial indicator because it reflects an individual's ability to complete tasks according to assigned targets, standards, and responsibilities. Optimal performance is essential for a company to compete and maintain its business continuity. At PT Putra Grup Agribisnis, which operates in the oil palm nursery and other agricultural commodities sector, employees play a crucial role in supporting the company's growing operations.

However, in recent years, employee performance at PT Putra Grup Agribisnis has shown a downward trend. This is evident in the decreasing percentage of employees with excellent performance and an increase in those with fair and poor performance. Pre-survey results also indicate that some employees still experience difficulties in achieving work targets, completing work on time, and working effectively and productively. These conditions indicate that employee performance is not yet optimal and requires attention from company management.

One factor suspected of influencing employee performance is workload. Pre-survey results indicate that most employees feel they are overloaded, have to complete tasks within a limited timeframe, and face high work targets. Furthermore, company data shows an increase in employee resignations, with the primary reasons being high workloads, work pressure, and long working hours. These conditions have the potential to cause work stress, which can reduce employee effectiveness and productivity.

Besides workload, burnout is also a factor that needs to be considered. Increasing rates of absenteeism, tardiness, and sick leave indicate burnout among employees. Pre-survey results revealed that most employees frequently feel physically exhausted, bored with their work, and stressed due to work demands. Long-term burnout can reduce employee motivation, work engagement, and performance quality.

Another factor suspected of influencing performance is job satisfaction. Company data shows a decline in employee job satisfaction levels year over year, marked by a decrease in the percentage of high-satisfaction employees and an increase in low-satisfaction employees. Pre-survey results also indicate that some employees remain dissatisfied with their jobs, company rewards, and the work environment. Therefore, this study was conducted to analyze the influence of workload and burnout on employee performance through job satisfaction as an intervening variable at PT Putra Grup Agribisnis.

The job demands-resources theory was developed by Bakker and Demerouti (2007). The job demands-resources theory explains that each job has specific risk factors related to work stress, which are divided into two major factors: demands and resources. Job demands and job resources are two major factors that determine the achievement of organizational outcomes.

According to Menpan (1997), workload is a collection or number of activities that must be completed by an organizational unit or position holders within a certain period of time. Meanwhile, Komaruddin (1996) stated that workload analysis is a process to determine the number of working hours of people used or needed to complete a job within a certain time, or in other words, workload analysis aims to determine how many personnel and how much responsibility or workload is appropriate to be delegated to an officer. Meanwhile, according to Permendagri No. 12/2008, workload is the amount of work that must be borne by a position or organizational unit and is the result of the multiplication of work volume and time norms.

Burnout is described as a syndrome caused by chronic, unmanageable workplace stress, characterized by several things: energy depletion or exhaustion, negative feelings or cynicism about work, and decreased professional performance. Burnout is also defined as a condition where someone experiences emotional and mental exhaustion, often leading to physical exhaustion, resulting from prolonged stress (Psychology Today, 2019).

Job satisfaction is an employee's attitude towards work related to the work situation, cooperation between employees, rewards received in work, and matters relating to physical and psychological factors (Sutrisno, 2009). Job satisfaction is a pleasant or unpleasant emotional state for employees regarding their work (Handoko 1992 in Sutrisno, 2009).

Performance is the work results achieved by an individual or group within an organization, within their authority and responsibility, to achieve the organization's goals in a legitimate, legal, and morally or ethical manner (Pranata, 2020).

This study uses a quantitative approach with an associative method, which aims to analyze the influence of workload and burnout on employee performance through job satisfaction as an intervening variable at PT Putra Grup Agribisnis. The study population consisted of 50 employees, and the entire population was sampled using a saturated sampling technique (census).

Research data was collected through questionnaires, interviews, and documentation. The variables studied included workload and burnout as independent variables, job satisfaction as an intervening variable, and employee performance as a dependent variable. Data were measured using a Likert scale, which was then tested for validity and reliability to ensure the quality of the research instrument.

Data analysis was conducted using the Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method. The analysis stages include descriptive statistical analysis, outer model evaluation to test construct validity and reliability, inner model evaluation to measure relationships between variables, and hypothesis testing using t-statistics and p-values. This method is used to determine the direct and indirect influences between the variables studied.

The results of the first outer loading factor show that there are invalid construct indicators in several research variables. In the Burnout variable (X2), there are invalid construct items, namely in statement items BO5 and BO9. In the Job Satisfaction variable (Z), there are invalid construct items, namely in statement items KP1, KP18, KP19, KP20, and KP21. Meanwhile, in the Workload variable (X1), all construct items are declared valid, and in the Employee Performance variable (Y), all construct items are also declared valid because they have outer loading values above 0.70.

Based on the results of the convergent validity evaluation through the second outer loading factor on each construct indicator contained in each variable, it is known that each construct indicator has a value above 0.70, so it is declared valid.

The discriminant validity test results show that the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) values for all variables (Workload, Burnout, Job Satisfaction, and Employee Performance) are greater than 0.50, meaning they meet the AVE criteria.

Composite reliability test results show that the Composite Reliability values for all variables are greater than 0.70 and Cronbach's Alpha values are greater than 0.70, so all variables are declared reliable.

The inner model evaluation results indicate that the Job Satisfaction (Z) variable has an R Square value of 0.498, and the Employee Performance (Y) variable has an R Square value of 0.552, both categorized as substantial influence.

The Q-Square test shows Q2 values of 0.330 for Job Satisfaction and 0.398 for Employee Performance, indicating good predictive ability.

Hypothesis testing results indicate that of the seven hypotheses tested, only H5 regarding the effect of Burnout (X2) on Job Satisfaction (Z) is significant.

The study found that workload has a positive but insignificant effect on employee performance. This indicates that employees are still able to manage the demands of the work given. Similarly, burnout has a positive but insignificant effect on employee performance, suggesting that employee burnout has not yet reached a level that significantly impacts performance.

Job satisfaction also shows a positive but insignificant effect on employee performance. Descriptive analysis shows that while employees find their work interesting, cooperation among coworkers remains suboptimal.

Workload has a negative but insignificant effect on job satisfaction, while burnout has a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction. This indicates that burnout factors, such as self-doubt, impact the job satisfaction of the employees at PT Putra Grup Agribisnis.

Mediation testing shows that job satisfaction is not able to mediate the influence of workload or burnout on employee performance.

The study concludes that workload and burnout have insignificant effects on employee performance. Only burnout has a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction. Job satisfaction does not mediate the influence of workload or burnout on performance.

Recommendations include: (1) Evaluate the distribution of employee workloads to be more proportional. (2) Address employee burnout through workload restructuring and rest periods. (3) Manage workload effectively to prevent work pressure. (4) Improve job satisfaction through better coworker relationships and fair compensation. (5) Improve communication between leaders and employees regarding work targets. (6) Provide regular human resource development programs.

Further researchers are advised to add other variables such as work motivation, work environment, or leadership style and expand the research objects so that the results obtained are more comprehensive and can be generalized.