Fear of COVID-19 and employee engagement: does emotional stability matter?

Abstract

Purpose

Fear of COVID-19 is a new workplace hazard that has made drastic changes at workplaces globally. Based on the conservation of resource (COR) theory, this research investigates the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and employee engagement. Furthermore, this study examines the moderating role of emotional stability in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and employee engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using self-administrated questionnaires from bank employees located in different cities of Pakistan. PROCESS macro by Hayes et al. (2017) was used to analyze 267 valid responses.

Findings

Consistent with the hypotheses of this study, fear of COVID-19 was negatively associated with employee engagement. In addition, the moderating role of emotional stability was confirmed in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and employee engagement. The findings of this study support the notion that fear of COVID-19 can be considered a workplace stressor that affects employee engagement. By contrast, emotional stability acts as a personal resource with a buffering effect.

Research limitations/implications

This study investigates only the moderating mechanism in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and work engagement. A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect the data. For future studies, other sources can be used to reflect the actual situation.

Originality/value

This study is currently relevant because of the sudden occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic that has mentally and emotionally challenged the service employees. Unlike most prior studies, which investigated the impact of fear of COVID-19 on the health sector professionals, this study investigated the impact on the bank employees. Moreover, this study is among the first to provide insights on the role of employee's personality to maintain positive work attitudes during uncertain circumstances from COVID-19.

Citation

Shaheen, S., Zulfiqar, S., Ahmad, B. and Ahmad-ur-Rehman, M. (2024), "Fear of COVID-19 and employee engagement: does emotional stability matter?", International Journal of Emerging Markets, Vol. 19 No. 1, pp. 231-248. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOEM-12-2020-1461