Psychological and organizational factors impacting job satisfaction during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A study on similar exposure groups in Indonesia

Introduction@#The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted technical workers who work more often in the field (e.g., engineering, mechanical, health safety environment (HSE), quality control, and production workers) with increasingly complex workloads and work pressures. Few studies have yet to examine the job satisfaction of such workers using a combination of psychological and organizational factors during difficult times, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. @*Objective@#This study aims to explain whether psychological and organizational factors affect employee job satisfaction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. @*Methods@#This quantitative research uses Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling. A survey with a questionnaire was used to collect data in this study. Using the non-probability sampling technique, data from 103 respondents spread throughout four Similar Exposure Groups (SEGs) in Indonesia were collected. Data analysis in this study used SmartPLS 3.0. @*Results@#Male workers in this study constituted more than 90% of the respondents, the majority with a long working period (more than five years). Worker experience was directly proportional to worker age; most workers were between 41 and 56 years old. The results, with a majority of SEGs from engineering, found that out of five hypotheses (H1–H5), four are accepted while one is rejected. Employee job satisfaction during this pandemic is influenced by the feeling of safety (H1) and work pressure (H3). Work pressure is further influenced by the feeling of safety at work (H2). Moreover, work pressure acts as a mediator on the feeling of safety and job satisfaction (H4). However, job satisfaction is not influenced by management commitment (H5). @*Conclusion@#Management commitment to work safety during pandemic situations must be adjusted, especially regarding policies to ensure the availability of additional standards on health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. In addition, the guarantee that the company is committed to ensuring that workers feel safe will be covered if exposed to COVID-19. Occupational safety and health standards are no longer fully focused on work equipment or facilities. The feeling of safety and work pressure during a pandemic require attention from companies in accordance with their existing limitations and capabilities.

Psicologia Organizacional e do Trabalho no Sul do Brasil: características dos profissionais, da atuação e dos contextos de trabalho / Industrial and Organizational Psychology in Southern Brazil: characteristics of professionals, practices, and work contexts / Psicología Organizacional y del Trabajo en el Sur de Brasil: características de los profesionales, de la actuación y de los contextos de trabajo

Este estudo descreve a atuação dos psicólogos no campo da POT no sul do Brasil. 300 participantes que atuam nos três estados da Região Sul responderam a um questionário online. Os resultados indicaram que: são mulheres (88,3%), têm até 49 anos (75,3%), são especialistas (62,7%), registrados no CRP (90%), realizam atividades de atualização (76,3%), fundamentam seu trabalho em alguma teoria psicológica (47%), realizam avaliação psicológica (63,7%) e emitem laudos (60%), não são contratados como psicólogos (72,1%) e atuam de forma predominantemente individual. Suas principais atividades são predominantemente relacionadas à gestão de pessoas (99%), destacadamente em treinamento (55%) e recrutamento e seleção (53%). Contrariamente aos relatos da literatura sobre POT, o campo de atuação profissional continua restrito às atividades tradicionais que o caracterizaram ao longo do século XX. Conclui-se que compete aos profissionais da área esforços para a ampliar o campo, já que isso não surgirá como demanda espontânea das organizações.

This study describes the scope of practice of work and organizational (I/O) psychologists in the Southern Region of Brazil. A total of 300 participants who work in the three states of the Southern Region answered a questionnaire online. Results indicated that they: are mainly women (88.3%), up to 49 years old (75.3%), specialists (62.7%), registered with the Regional Council on Psychology (CRP) (90%), engage in activities to stay up-to-date (76.3%), base their work on some psychological theory (47%), do psychological evaluations (63.7%) and issue psychological reports (60%), are not contracted as psychologists (72.1%), and mainly work individually. Their main activities are predominantly related to human resources management (99%), especially training (55%), and recruitment and selection (53%). Contrary to the literature on I/O psychology, the scope of practice remains restricted to the traditional activities developed throughout the twentieth century. We conclude that it is the responsibility of professionals working in the field to expand it, since this will not emerge as spontaneous demand from organizations.

Este estudio describe el alcance de la práctica profesional de los psicólogos organizacionales y del trabajo (POT) en la región sur de Brasil. Los 300 participantes, que trabajan en los tres estados de la Región Sur, respondieron un cuestionario en línea. Los resultados indicaron que: son mujeres (88.3%), tienen hasta 49 años (75.3%), especialistas (62.7%), registrados en CRP (90%), basan su trabajo en alguna teoría psicológica (47%), realizan evaluación psicológica (63.7%) y emiten laudos psicológicos (60%), no son contratados como psicólogos (72.1%) y trabajan individualmente. Sus actividades principales están relacionadas con la gestión de recursos humanos (99%), especialmente la capacitación, (55%) reclutamiento y selección (53%). Contrariamente a la literatura sobre POT, el alcance de la práctica sigue restricta a las actividades tradicionales desarrolladas a lo largo del siglo XX. Concluyese que es responsabilidad de los profesionales que trabajan en el campo ampliarlo, ya que esto no surgirá como una demanda espontánea de las organizaciones-