Back to Work, Running on Empty? How Recovery Needs and Perceived Organizational Support Shape Employees’ Vigor Upon Return to Work

Abstract

Returning to work after extended holidays poses significant challenges to employees’ psychological adjustment, yet this phenomenon remains underexplored in organizational research. Drawing on the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study develops and tests a moderated mediation model to examine how pre-holiday work-related irritation influences post-holiday workplace vigor through heightened need for recovery, and how perceived organizational support buffers this process. Data were collected through a four-wave time-lagged design surrounding the Chinese Spring Festival, with a final sample of 349 employees across diverse industries. Results show that pre-holiday emotional strain increases employees’ recovery needs, which in turn undermines their workplace vigor. Moreover, boundary strength at home and perceived organizational support buffer the indirect negative pathway, highlighting the critical roles of both personal and organizational resources in the recovery process. By shifting attention from burnout to positive energy states such as vigor, this study advances theoretical understanding of post-holiday adjustment dynamics and offers practical insights for organizations seeking to foster employee resilience and sustained engagement after structured breaks.