Four serially mediating mechanisms in the relationship between COVID-19 fear and employee performance.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, most workers were forced to work remotely, although having no prior experience, and as a result, they were exposed to new job-related stressors.

Objectives: To examine the mediating role of job stress, work-family conflict and job satisfaction between fear of COVID-19 and job performance.

Methods: An online questionnaire was conducted a survey of remote workers in Turkey. Responses were obtained from 351 subjects. Related scales were used to measure work-life balance, job stress, job satisfaction, and employee performance as well as fear of COVID-19. Because all hypothesis constructs can be analyzed simultaneously, structural equation modeling was used for data analysis.

Results: The results showed that fear of COVID-19 affects job stress (p = .001; β= .264). There was a significant relationship between job stress and job satisfaction (p = .001; β= .619). Also, work-family conflict was affected employee job stress (p = .001; β= .516). Job stress had a mediator role fear of COVID-19 on job satisfaction and work-family conflict on job satisfaction.

Conclusion: The findings of this study provide a useful measurement model that can be used to evaluate and improve job performance and job satisfaction through work stress and work-family conflict in times of crisis such as COVID-19.