Job stressors, work tension and job satisfaction of academics at a university in South Africa

Orientation: Stress in the workplace is a common phenomenon that is classified in different ways and which also impacts academics. Previous research highlighted that job stressors in the workplace have been considered an important contributor towards low levels of job satisfaction (JS) for academics. This perspective aids the study of the influence of job stress on JS. Research purpose: The aim of this research was to establish the influence of role conflict (RC), role ambiguity (RA), role overload (RO) and time pressure (TP) on work tension (WT) and the influence of WT on JS among academics at a university of technology. Motivation for the study: The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the reduction of government and associated agency funding changed the scenario of academic life from being considered idyllic, autonomous and well protected. Congruent to these constraints, changes in the diversity of students and advances in technology, blended learning and the introduction of learning platforms created further challenges in the way students learn and how modules were offered. Research approach/design and method: The researchers used a postpositivist quantitative paradigm with a convenience sample (n = 250) of academics in a university of technology in Gauteng. A structured questionnaire encompassing the study constructs was used. Main findings: Results showed positive associations between RC, RA, RO and TP on WT. Further, WT and JS showed negative yet significant predictive relationships with JS. Practical/managerial implication: It is pivotal for universities to understand the effects of job stressors on job satisfaction to improve the working conditions for academics. Contribution/value-add: This research provides findings to the present body of knowledge among academics on the influence of job stressors on WT and WT on JS at HEIs. Research on job stress and JS has been of interest in many HEIs. The research makes a valuable contribution to the university management, especially the human resource division, on the effect of levels of job stressors (RC, RA, RO and TP) on WT among academics. © 2023. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS.

Job stressors and burnout among nurses and primary-care physicians working at a dedicated outpatient respiratory center for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: High burnout is reported among health professionals providing in-patient care to patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Data are lacking on job stressors and burnout among health providers working in dedicated outpatient facilities for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. METHODS: This cross-sectional study, using a parallel mixed-methods design, was carried out in 2021-2022 among 22 nurses and 22 primary-care physicians working at a COVID Outpatient Respiratory Center (CORC) (100% participation). Work conditions were assessed via the nurse- and physician-specific Occupational Stressor Index (OSI) and occupational records. Measures of the outcome included the Copenhagen Burnout Index and current tobacco use. RESULTS: Time working in CORC displayed significant multivariate associations with personal, work- and patient-related burnout among physicians and current tobacco use among nurses. Total OSI scores showed adjusted odds ratios for work-related (1.35 (1.01 ± 1.79))(1.31 (0.99 ± 1.75)) and patient-related burnout (1.35 (1.01 ± 1.81))(1.34 (1.01 ± 1.78)) among physicians and nurses, respectively. Numerous work stressors showed significant multivariate associations with burnout and smoking. Among the stressors were: being contacted outside work hours about patients, inadequate rest breaks, many patients/shifts, difficulty taking time off, insufficient pay, frequently listening to emotionally disturbing accounts, interruptions, increased workload, time pressure, and responsibility. Heavy patient burden/time pressure was most often cited as the hardest part of work in CORC. Increased employment of staff was the most frequently suggested workplace modification. Integrative assessment reveals that increased staff could ameliorate many work stressors associated with burnout and smoking in this cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Working in CORC is an extra burden. In crisis situations such as the COVID pandemic, more staff is needed. Lowering the total job stressor load is vital.

Burnout and Mental Health and Well-Being of School Nurses After the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Cross-Sectional Survey.

The aim of this study was to examine the associations between job stressors, COVID-19-related concerns, burnout, and mental health and well-being among school nurses, and whether any of these associations are mediated by burnout. Based on stratified proportional sampling, data collection was conducted by an online questionnaire distributed to 600 school nurses in Taiwan. A total of 256 participants aged between 27 and 62 years (mean = 47.08; standard deviation = 7.28) returned questionnaires. Results showed that burnout was the main mediating variable that fully mediated the relationship between COVID-19-related concerns and mental health and well-being. The effects of job stressors on mental health and well-being included direct negative effects (ß = -.29) and indirect negative effects (ß = -.67) through mediating factors. School health managers should be more aware of burnout and mental health and well-being among school nurses under the impact of COVID-19.

The effect of job strain and worksite social support on reported adverse reactions of COVID-19 vaccine: A prospective study of employees in Japan.

OBJECTIVES: This prospective study aimed to examine the association of psychosocial working conditions with adverse reactions after receiving COVID-19 vaccination in a sample of employees in Japan. METHODS: The data were retrieved from an online panel of full-time employees (E-COCO-J). The analysis included participants who were employed and were not vaccinated at baseline (June 2021) but received vaccination at a 4-month follow-up (October 2021). An 11-item scale measured the adverse reactions. Four types of psychosocial working conditions (i.e., job demands, job control, and supervisor and coworker support) were measured using the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between the psychosocial working conditions and adverse reactions of COVID-19 vaccines, adjusting for socioeconomic variables, chronic disease, the number of vaccination, type of vaccine, anxiety for adverse reactions, fear and worry about COVID-19, and psychological distress at baseline. RESULTS: Overall, 747 employees were included in the analysis. The average number of adverse reactions was 3.8 (standard deviation = 2.2): Arm pain (81.1%), fatigues (64.1%), muscle pains (63.3%), and fever (37.5°C+) (53.5%) were reported more frequently. Coworker support score was significantly and negatively associated with the numbers of adverse reactions (standardized ß = -0.100, P = .023). Women, young age, second-time vaccination, Moderna, and high psychological distress were significantly associated with adverse reactions. CONCLUSIONS: Employees with low coworker support may be more likely to have adverse reactions after vaccinations. The findings of this study could support that increasing workplace support may reduce adverse reactions.

Burnout and well-being of healthcare workers in the post-pandemic period of COVID-19: a perspective from the job demands-resources model.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed 1) to examine the effects of epidemic-related job stressors, perceived social support and organizational support on the burnout and well-being of Chinese healthcare workers in the period of COVID-19 regular epidemic prevention and control and 2) to investigate the moderating effects of social support and organizational support on the relationship between job stressors and burnout and well-being within the theoretical framework of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model. METHODS: A sample of healthcare workers (N = 3477) from 22 hospitals in Beijing, China participated in the cross-sectional investigation in October 2020 and reported epidemic-related job stressors, perceived social support, organizational support, burnout, anxiety and depression symptoms. RESULTS: 1) Medical doctors, females, people aged from 30 to 50, and those who worked in the second line during the pandemic reported higher scores of psychological symptoms and burnout in the period of regular epidemic prevention and control; 2) Epidemic-related job stressors positively predicted burnout, anxiety, and depression among healthcare workers; 3) Perceived social support and organizational support were negatively related to reported burnout, anxiety and depression symptoms; 4) Social support reduced the adverse effects of epidemic-related job stressors on anxiety and depression but enhanced the association between stressors and burnout; 5) Organizational support mitigated the adverse effects of epidemic-related job stressors on depression. CONCLUSION: The results shed light on preventing burnout and enhancing the psychological well-being of healthcare workers under epidemic prevention and control measures by reducing epidemic-related job stressors and strengthening personal and organizational support systems.

The social process of coping with work‐related stressors online: A machine learning and interpretive data science approach

People are increasingly turning to social media and online forums like Reddit to cope with work-related concerns. Previous research suggests that how others respond can be an important determinant of the sharer's affective and well-being outcomes. However, less is known about whether and how cues embedded in the content of what is shared can shape the type of responses that one receives from others, obscuring the joint and interactive role that both the sharer and listener may play in influencing the sharer's outcomes. In this study, we develop theory to advance our understanding of online coping with an explicitly social focus using computational grounded theorizing and machine learning (ML) techniques applied to a large corpus of work-related conversations on Reddit. Specifically, our theoretical model sheds light on the dynamics of the online social coping process related to the domain of work. We show that how sharers and listeners interact and react to one another depends on the content of stressors shared, the social coping behaviors used when sharing, and whether the sharer and listener belong to the same occupational context. We contribute to the social coping literature in three ways. First, we clarify how social actors respond to cues embedded in the social coping attempt. Second, we examine the moderating role that such responses play in shaping sharer outcomes. Finally, we extend theory on social coping with work-related stressors to the online domain. Taken together, this research highlights the importance of the dynamic interplay between sharer and listener in the context of online social coping.

Mental Health, Burnout, and Job Stressors Among Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Iran: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused increasing levels of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression among doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers in hospitals or health centers. The main objective of this study was to assess the mental health, job stressors, and burnout among healthcare workers in Iran. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in the primary healthcare centers and hospitals affiliated with six of the medical universities in Iran. The selection of participants was done using multi-center convenient sampling. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory were used for gathering data through an online platform. Data related to job stressors were obtained using a validated checklist. Data analysis was performed using Chi-square and multiple regression tests and the phi coefficient. Results: The results of our study showed that 53% of the healthcare workers of the hospitals and primary healthcare centers enrolled in our study either had generalized anxiety disorder or major depressive disorder or both disorders. Moderate and high levels of burnout were seen among 48.9% of the study participants. The prevalence of mental disorders and burnout were significantly higher among the female healthcare workers compared to the male (p = 0.0001) and a higher rate of mental disorder and burnout was also seen among healthcare workers of hospitals compared to those working in primary healthcare centers (p = 0.024). "Worry about children and old members of family," "family worries for my health condition" and "lack of specific effective treatment for COVID-19" were found to be predictive of mental disorder and burnout. The most prevalent job stressor among the total sample was "low payment or income during the COVID-19 period". Conclusion: The results of our study revealed high psychological distress and burnout among healthcare workers of the hospitals during the fourth peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran. This study highlights the need for health officials to pay attention to the job stressors of healthcare workers and obliges them to perform effective interventions to address their needs and concerns.

Examining airline employees' work-related stress and coping strategies during the global tourism crisis

Purpose This study aims to investigate the theoretical relationships between job stressors, psychological stress and coping strategies in the context of the global travel and tourism crisis faced by the airline industry. Design/methodology/approach An online cross-sectional survey was designed to obtain empirical data from airline employees in South Korea and Hong Kong. A total of 366 airline employees participated in the survey through convenience sampling method. Findings The structural equation modeling findings indicated that work schedule and demand;job insecurity and financial concerns;and role conflict played a significant role in creating psychological stress, which, in turn, determined emotion-oriented coping. The influence of the identified job stressors on psychological stress was significantly different between South Korean and Hong Kong airline employees. Practical implications The study demonstrates ways in which airline employees react to stressful work circumstances to avoid loss of resources. Furthermore, it highlights the role that psychological stress plays in influencing airline employees to direct attention to emotion-oriented coping mechanisms. Originality/value In view of the immense impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global airline industry, this study expands the role of job stressors in a peculiar and unprecedented work environment in the airline industry and accentuates the varying effects job stress may have on coping strategies from the perspective of airline employees in an Asian culture.