COVID-19 challenges and employees' stress: mediating role of family-life disturbance and work-life imbalance
ISSN: 0142-5455
Article publication date: 3 May 2022
Issue publication date: 23 September 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The paper focuses on examining the relationship between challenges caused by COVID-19 pandemic and employees' stress through the mediating role of family-life disturbance and work-life imbalance.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 1,556 respondents from 45 countries across all continents were included in this survey. Statistical techniques such as exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), correlations, multiple regression and bootstrapping were used to analyse the data.
Findings
The results depicted that COVID-19 challenges induced stress among employees. In combination with this, family-life disturbance and work-life imbalance mediated the relationship between COVID-19 challenges and employees' stress individually as well as serially. The paper further suggests some recommendations to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 challenges on employees' stress.
Research limitations/implications
The major limitation of the study was in the data collection process. As the data were collected during the time period of pandemic, so, limited respondents were approached. Also, the international and cross-sectional design of the study can limit the applicability of the results.
Practical implications
The study suggests organizations and HR managers to help in balancing family and work-life of employees, so that their mind can be kept stress free.
Originality/value
The study has added knowledge to the existing literature of stress created due to the COVID-19 pandemic by explaining the serial mediation of family-life disturbance and work-life imbalance between the relationship of COVID-19 challenges and employees' stress.
Keywords
Citation
Kundu, S.C., Tuteja, P. and Chahar, P. (2022), "COVID-19 challenges and employees' stress: mediating role of family-life disturbance and work-life imbalance", Employee Relations, Vol. 44 No. 6, pp. 1318-1337. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-03-2021-0090
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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