Association between workload, compassion fatigue and presenteeism among maternal and newborn health professionals: the moderated role of self-compassion

BackgroundPresenteeism is prevalent in healthcare settings and is significantly associated with impaired physical and psychological wellbeing among healthcare professionals, as well as reduced quality of care. While workload is a known trigger, the psychological mechanisms linking it to presenteeism remain underexplored. Compassion fatigue may serve as a mediator, and self-compassion as a potential moderator, yet empirical evidence in maternal and newborn health settings is limited. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the roles of compassion fatigue and self-compassion on workload and presenteeism among maternal and newborn health professionals.MethodsA cross-sectional study was employed between October 2024 and June 2025. A total of 737 maternal and newborn health professionals from 13 hospitals in Beijing, China, completed measures of workload (NASA Task Load Index, NASA-TLX), presenteeism (Stanford Presenteeism Scale, SPS-6), compassion fatigue (Compassion Fatigue Short Scale, CF-Short Scale), and self-compassion (Self-Compassion Scale Short Form, SCS-SF). Data were analyzed using correlation, mediation, and moderated mediation analyses (PROCESS macro).ResultsThe mean presenteeism score among MNH professionals was 15.13 ± 4.21. Presenteeism was positively associated with workload and compassion fatigue, and negatively associated with self-compassion (all p < 0.01). Compassion fatigue mediated the relationship between workload and presenteeism (indirect effect B = 0.04, 95% CI [0.03, 0.06]). Self-compassion moderated both the direct effect of workload on compassion fatigue (B = −0.02, p < 0.01) and the indirect effect of workload on presenteeism via compassion fatigue (moderated mediation index = −0.002, 95% CI [−0.003, −0.001]), with higher self-compassion attenuating these relationships.ConclusionElevated workload increases presenteeism primarily through compassion fatigue. Importantly, self-compassion substantially mitigated this pathway, reducing associated fatigue risk and weakening its impact on work functioning. Interventions targeting workload management and the cultivation of self-compassion may help reduce presenteeism and support workforce wellbeing in MNH settings. However, the cross-sectional design of this study limits causal interpretation, and future longitudinal research is needed to confirm these pathways.