CARRYING THE BURDEN OF THE PANDEMIC: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTERNAL MARKETING, BURNOUT, AND JOB SATISFACTION IN COURIER SERVICE INDUSTRY.

Background: The main purpose of this study is to examine the effect of internal marketing practices applied in the courier services industry on the job satisfaction of employees and the moderating effect of burnout in this relationship. Methods: To test the hypothesis, an online survey was conducted on a sample of 376 respondents from the Turkish courier industry. Research data was collected by a web-based survey distributed with the assistance of TUMTIS (All Transport Workers' Union) managers. Results: The results show that internal marketing practices have a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction, and burnout has a moderating effect on this relationship. The most interesting finding is that, in the case of high level of burnout, the relationship between internal marketing and job satisfaction is significant and negative. Conclusion: This is one of the few studies that considers the courier service industry from the perspective of employees, not customers. The findings could offer an elaborate understanding of how burnout affects the relationship between internal marketing and job satisfaction in the courier service that provides a bridge between companies and customers. The results of this study have a wide array of managerial implications for the courier service industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]