Emotional Exhaustion: The Cost of Seeking Support for Motivation Among Protean/Boundaryless Information Technology Professionals

This study explores an emerging yet underresearched area—managing emotional exhaustion among protean/boundaryless gig workers. It investigates how the personal resource of ambition and the professional resource of social support, within the Job Demands–Resources framework, influence emotional exhaustion. Using a sample of 669 highly skilled IT gig workers in India (the fifth-largest emerging economy), the study finds that while ambitious professionals tend to seek more support, this behavior paradoxically increases their emotional exhaustion. Furthermore, female gig professionals experience greater emotional exhaustion from seeking support than their male counterparts. This research contributes to the gig worker well-being literature by highlighting their vulnerability to emotional exhaustion when seeking support and demonstrating that not all motivational resources universally improve well-being. It advances our understanding of well-being dynamics in boundaryless careers, specifically the role of ambition and social support in managing emotional exhaustion. These findings highlight the need for structural support interventions, including tailored counseling and training, to empower ambitious women and address the stigma surrounding seeking social support.