The Moderator Role of Financial Well-Being on the Effect of Job Insecurity and the COVID-19 Anxiety on Burnout: A Research on Hotel-Sector Employees in Crisis

Health and wellbeing of staff working at higher education institutions globally during the post-COVID-19 pandemic period: evidence from a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The ongoing global crisis of Higher Education (HE) institutions during the post-COVID-19 pandemic period has increased the likelihood of enduring psychological stressors for staff. This study aimed to identify factors associated with job insecurity, burnout, psychological distress and coping amongst staff working at HE institutions globally.

METHODS

An anonymous cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 with staff at HE institutions across 16 countries. Job insecurity was measured using the Job Insecurity Scale (JIS), burnout using the Perceived Burnout measure question, psychological distress using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and coping using the Brief Resilient Coping Scale. Multivariable logistic regression with a stepwise variable selection method was used to identify associations.

RESULTS

A total of 2,353 staff participated; the mean age (± SD) was 43(± 10) years and 61% were females. Most staff (85%) did not feel job insecurity, one-third (29%) perceived burnout in their jobs, more than two-thirds (73%) experienced moderate to very high levels of psychological distress, and more than half (58%) exhibited medium to high resilient coping. Perceived job insecurity was associated with staff working part-time [Adjusted Odds Ratio 1.53 (95% Confidence Intervals 1.15-2.02)], having an academic appointment [2.45 (1.78-3.27)], having multiple co-morbidities [1.86 (1.41-2.48)], perceived burnout [1.99 (1.54-2.56)] and moderate to very high level of psychological distress [1.68 (1.18-2.39)]. Perceived burnout was associated with being female [1.35 (1.12-1.63)], having multiple co-morbidities [1.53 (1.20-1.97)], perceived job insecurity [1.99 (1.55-2.57)], and moderate to very high levels of psychological distress [3.23 (2.42-4.30)]. Staff with multiple co-morbidities [1.46 (1.11-1.92)], mental health issues [2.73 (1.79-4.15)], perceived job insecurity [1.61 (1.13-2.30)], and perceived burnout [3.22 (2.41-4.31)] were associated with moderate to very high levels of psychological distress. Staff who perceived their mental health as good to excellent [3.36 (2.69-4.19)] were more likely to have medium to high resilient coping.

CONCLUSIONS

Factors identified in this study should be considered in reviewing and updating current support strategies for staff at HE institutions across all countries to reduce stress and burnout and improve wellbeing.

The Effects of Job Stress on Burnout and Turnover Intention: The Moderating Effects of Job Security and Financial Dependency

(1) Background: The hospitality industry is known for exposing employees to work stress, which can lead to work-related burnout and high turnover rates. This study aims to examine the relationships between work stress, work-related burnout, and turnover intention. It also explores the mediating role of work-related burnout and the moderating role of job security and financial dependence. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 494 hotel employees working in five-star hotels in Belek and Manavgat, Türkiye, using a moderated mediation research model. The study found that work stress increases work-related burnout, which in turn increases turnover intention. Additionally, work-related burnout was found to mediate the relationship between work stress and turnover intention. Furthermore, it was found that perceived job security moderates the relationship between work stress levels and work-related burnout. Additionally, the variable of financial dependence was found to moderate the relationship between employees' levels of work-related burnout and their turnover intentions. Similarly, the study found that the financial dependence variable moderates the effect of work-related burnout on employees' turnover intention. Additionally, the study found that employees' perception of job security moderates the impact of work stress on work-related burnout. In conclusion, the study suggests that positive perceptions of job security can mitigate the impact of work stress on work-related burnout. Similarly, the impact of work-related burnout on turnover intention diminishes as the degree of financial dependence rises.

Mental Health of Tourism Employees Post COVID-19 Pandemic: A Test of Antecedents and Moderators

Many people are experiencing a lack of confidence in the security of their employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly employees in the tourism sector, which has caused adverse effects on their mental health. These adverse effects involve the management of stress, anxiety and depression, that may arise from the demands of the industry. However, few studies have explored how insecurity in the workplace and financial pressure from families affects mental health and can intervene in these relationships. In this study, the aim was to investigate job insecurity as an antecedent of employees’ mental health and family financial pressures as a moderator using a sample of 475 hotel and travel industry employees. The theoretical background of the study was built upon the theories of resource conservation and effort–reward imbalance. The participants completed an online survey that measured job insecurity, family financial pressure, depression, anxiety, and stress. The collected data were subjected to PLS-SEM data analysis. The findings of this study reveal that job insecurity had a significant influence on depression, anxiety, and stress among tourism employees, and family financial pressure worsened the negative consequences of job insecurity on mental health. This research highlights the significance of addressing the mental health of employees in the tourism sector after the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the crucial role played by family financial pressures. The findings of this study highlight the importance of addressing job insecurity in the tourism industry and its impact on employees’ mental health. This could involve implementing policies and practices that enhance job security, such as providing more stable work schedules, better benefits packages, and greater opportunities for professional development. The results also underscore the need to take into account the role of family financial pressure in moderating the impact of job insecurity on mental health. Practitioners and policymakers in the tourism industry should consider ways to alleviate financial pressure on employees and their families, such as offering assistance programs, flexible work arrangements, and supportive company policies.

Hotel Employees' Burnout and Intention to Quit: The Role of Psychological Distress and Financial Well-Being in a Moderation Mediation Model

Continuous changes, such as pandemics and increasing competition, as well as high workload, affect the workplace behavior of hotel organizations today, resulting in employee burnout and intention to quit. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of burnout on intention to quit among male hotel employees, integrating the mediating effect of psychological distress and moderating effect of financial well-being. Male employees in four- and five-star hotels in the UAE completed a total of 304 questionnaires. All direct relationships were positive and statistically significant, there was a partial mediating relationship, and only one of the moderating effects was statistically significant. This study found that burnout predicts the intention to quit as well as psychological distress. Psychological distress partially mediates the relationship between burnout and the intention to quit. Financial well-being moderates the relationship between burnout and psychological distress-making this relationship stronger for employees with high-income prospects-but not the relationship between burnout and intention to quit; regardless of the financial well-being of the employee, burnout will lead to the intention to quit their job. Hotel organizations must be aware of the consequences of employee burnout and concentrate on identifying and treating its causes.

Learning burnout and its association with perceived stress, social support, and the Big Five personality traits in Chinese medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Owing to the coronavirus disease 2019, medical learning burnout has attracted increasing attention in educational research. It has a serious negative impact on medical students and their service quality. This could impair the professional development of medical students; weaken their personal and professional quality; and lead to problems such as increased medical errors and reduced patient care quality and satisfaction. This study aimed to examine the effects of perceived stress, social support, and the Big Five personality traits on learning burnout among medical students.

METHODS

In November 2021, a cross-sectional survey was conducted at three medical universities in China. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 616 third- year students. Learning burnout, perceived stress, social support, and the Big Five personality traits (neuroticism, extroversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) were anonymously measured. A total of 583 students were included in the final sample. Hierarchical linear regression was performed to explore the effects of perceived stress, social support, and Big Five personality traits on medical students' learning burnout.

RESULTS

Perceived stress was positively associated with learning burnout (emotional exhaustion: ß = 0.577, p < 0.001; cynicism: ß = 0.543, p < 0.001; low professional efficacy: ß = 0.455, p < 0.001) whereas social support was negatively related with it (low professional efficacy: ß = -0.319, p < 0.001). Neuroticism had a positive effect on emotional burnout (ß = 0.152, p = 0.009). Extraversion (ß = -0.116, p = 0.006) and conscientiousness (ß = -0.363, p < 0.001) had a negative effect on low professional efficacy. Agreeableness negatively affected emotional exhaustion (ß = -0.181, p < 0.001) and cynicism (ß = -0.245, p < 0.001) and positively affected low professional efficacy (ß = 0.098, p = 0.008). The associated factors together accounted for an additional variance of learning burnout (emotional exhaustion: 39.0%; cynicism: 36.8%; low professional efficacy: 48.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

Social support is a positive resource for fighting medical students' burnout. Perceived stress was the strongest indicator of learning burnout. In addition to reducing perceived stress, developing extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness should be included in burnout prevention and treatment strategies, particularly for medical students.

Impact of COVID-19 Risk Perception on Emotional Exhaustion among Chinese Hospitality Employees: The Mediating Effect of Job Insecurity

This study aims to investigate the levels of COVID-19 risk perception (CVRP), job insecurity (JI), and emotional exhaustion (EE) among Chinese hospitality employees to examine the mediating effect of JI on the relationship between CVRP and EE. The moderating role of employee mindfulness (MF) and perceived employability (PE) have also be examined. Data were collected from 652 hospitality employees in Shandong and Jiangsu Province, China. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the hypothesized relationship among the variables. Significant relationships were found between hospitality employees' CVRP and EE (β = 0.103, p < 0.01), CVRP and JI (β = 0.168, p < 0.001), and JI and EE (β = 0.378, p < 0.001). According to the results, the higher level of the CVRP of hospitality employees, the higher level of the EE. In addition, results showed mediating effects of JI on the relationship between CVRP and EE. This study also found that MF buffered the positive relationship between CVRP and EE. Therefore, in the era of COVID-19, an effective support system at the organizational level is necessary to reduce JI and EE of hospitality employees.

Living with Infection Risk and Job Insecurity during COVID-19: The Relationship of Organizational Support, Organizational Commitment, and Turnover Intention

The COVID-19 outbreak caused a stressful process for hospitality employees in terms of both being infected and experiencing the risk of losing their jobs. Stressful working conditions increase employees' turnover intentions (TI). This study aims to analyze the relationship among perceived organizational support (POS), organizational commitment (OC), and turnover intention (TI) within the context of employees' infection status and perceived job insecurity (JI). In this context, the study tests a moderated mediation research model. Having adopted a quantitative research method, data were acquired from 490 respondents who work at five-star accommodation companies in Alanya, Turkey. Findings show that the impact of POS on OC and IT differ according to employees' infection status during the COVID-19 outbreak and their perceived JI. The findings of the study reveal empirical results in understanding employee attitudes toward companies alongside perceived job insecurity for those who are infected as well as for those who are not. Moreover, the study presents theoretical and practical contributions to reduce the negative impact of job insecurity and risk of infection on turnover intentions, which have been considered to be main sources of stress throughout the pandemic.

How does fear of COVID-19 affect the mental well-being of waiters in Turkey

BACKGROUND

Empirical findings are needed to determine how the fear of COVID-19 might change in the context of different individuals.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to determine the moderating role of fatalism and psychological resilience on the effect of fear of COVID-19 on general mental health.

METHODS

This study makes use of qualitative research methods that involved collecting data from 355 full-time waiters via questionnaires on online platforms.

RESULT

The collected data suggests that the fear of COVID-19 has a significant negative impact on mental well-being. Morever, the data gathered for this study also indicates that the fear of COVID-19 infection differs significantly according to the fatalistic belief and psychological resilience levels of the waiters.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings of this study indicate that the psychological effects of infectious diseases on individuals are not universal, but rather depend on the personal characteristics of individuals. It is hoped that the results of this study will contribute to the reduction of negative effects associated with the general anxiety of pandemic that individuals experience.

Innovations in Management of Hotel Employees: the Relationship Between Organizational Resilience and Work Engagement

In many destinations, crises such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, and outbreaks negatively impact the tourism industry. Such crises stress out both management levels and employees, declining productivity. In an environment where the crisis is intense, tourism enterprises need to take the necessary precautions to continue their activities and ensure sustainability. This study focuses on the implications of organisational resilience on employees, which refers to the ability to continue its activities in the face of crises. This study, handled in the context of Social Exchange Theory, has two purposes. The first purpose of the study is to determine the effect of organisational resilience on organisational support and work engagement. The second purpose of this study is to determine the mediating role of organisational support in the relationship between organisational resilience and work engagement. The study is cross-sectional and employs a quantitative method. The study used convenience sampling because it was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and the relevant restrictions dictated certain precautions. Another reason behind convenience sampling is the limited cost and timeline for the study. Data were collected with questionnaires from 506 employees working at four and five-star hotels. The suitability of the measurement model was tested with confirmatory factor analysis. The mediation analysis was carried out with process macro, based on the bootstrap method. Consequent to the analyses conducted in line with the purposes of this study, organisational resilience was found to positively impact perceived organisational support and work engagement. Furthermore, perceived organisational support has a full mediation role in the relationship between organisational resilience and work engagement. The findings of this study theoretically provide a framework regarding how organisational resilience improves employees' attitudes towards their jobs. In addition, the results obtained in the study help efficiently manage crises and unexpected events and develop the right policies for employees.