Unlocking the Power of HR Practices, Work Self-Efficacy, Organizational Self-Esteem, Interpersonal Harmony and Goal Congruence to Mitigate Pandemic Threat

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the factors that mitigate pandemic threat among employees during pandemic crises. The research framework outlined factors such as human resource practices, work self-efficacy and organizational self-esteem, interpersonal harmony and goal congruence to investigate pandemic threat. In addition, the moderating effect of employee well-being is tested between the relationship of pandemic threat and employee engagement in the workplace during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The research model of this study is based on empirical investigation. Data were collected from employees working in Saudi logistics organizations who had been confronted by the pandemic crisis. For data collection, a purposive sampling approach is adopted. Overall, 223 respondents participated in the research survey. The findings of this study indicate that HR practices, work-related self-efficacy, organizational self-esteem, interpersonal harmony, and goal congruence collectively explain substantial variance (R2 49%) in mitigating pandemic threat among employees. Therefore, prediction power analysis revealed a sizable predictive power Q2 of 31% to predict mitigating pandemic threat among employees. Concerning f2 analysis, it is found that interpersonal harmony has a substantial effect size on mitigating pandemic threat among employees. Theoretically, this research has established a crisis-induced integrated model that enriches the human resource literature. Practically, this research has suggested that HR practices could play an important role in mitigating pandemic threat. Similarly, this study has established that work self-efficacy motivates employees to continue work during crisis and hence needs managerial attention. Moving further, organizational self-esteem brings confidence among employees to deal with unpredictable situations. Therefore, policy makers should pay attention to developing crisis-induced HR practices and enhancing employee self-efficacy, organizational self-esteem, interpersonal harmony and goal congruence, which in turn reduce threat among employees during pandemic crises. This research is valuable because it provides a universal view to policy makers in designing and developing crisis-induced policies that are not only limited to pandemic crises but will also help during natural disasters such as floods, earthquicks and tsunamis.