Abstract
Purpose – The fear of COVID-19 has been identified as a significant predictor of adverse work-related outcomes. Grounded on conservation of resource theory, this study examines the impact of fear of COVID-19 on faculty members’ job turnover intention (TI) and job insecurity, as well as the relationship between job insecurity and TI. Additionally, the authors investigate job insecurity as a potential mediating variable between the fear of COVID-19 and TI.
Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from faculty members (n 5 226) working in Pakistan’s public sector universities and analysed through PLS-SEM using SmartPLS software.
Findings – The results indicated that fear of COVID-19 was positively and significantly associated with both TI and job insecurity. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that job insecurity has a positive correlation with TI. In addition, the study’s findings endorsed the mediating role of job insecurity between fear of COVID-19 and TI.
Practical implications – The study highlights the importance of addressing the fear of COVID-19 and job insecurity among faculty members, as they are significant predictors of TI. The findings suggest employers should prioritise providing a safe work environment and reducing uncertainty to retain their workforce during the pandemic.
Fundings: The author(s) have received no funding/support from any organisation for the submitted work.
Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Statements and declarations: The author(s) declare that the manuscript in its present form is an original creation of the author(s) and has not been previously published, either as a whole or in part. Further, the authors of the article adhere to the ethical responsibilities of the journal’s Trends in Psychology.
Data availability: Data are attached as a supplementary material with the manuscript.
Ethical Approval: Ethical approval was not required as this study comes under the definition of an evaluation. In addition, participants to the survey gave their informed consent.
Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Originality/value – This study adds to the literature as it conceptualises the indirect mechanism that links fear of COVID-19 to TI and job insecurity and provides practical implications that may reduce faculty members’ TI.