The Impact of Job Stress, Role Ambiguity and Work–Life Imbalance on Turnover Intention during COVID-19: A Case Study of Frontline Health Workers in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The main objective of the present study is to examine the impact of job stress, role ambiguity, work–life imbalance and burnout on employee turnover intention. Moreover, the mediating role of burnout between job stress, role ambiguity, work–life imbalance and turnover intention is also examined. The data collection for this quantitative research was conducted through the “Questionnaire” technique. The questionnaire was developed based on previously established questions available in the literature. The data were collected using simple random sampling from the healthcare workers of KSA. From the distributed questionnaire, 73.5% of the usable questionnaires were returned. This study used SPSS and PLS for the analysis of the data to highlight the most significant variables that impact the employees’ turnover intentions among KSA health workers. The findings show that job burnout is clearly related to turnover intentions and is positively affected by both role stress and role ambiguity. Moreover, a statistically positive association is found between work–life imbalance and burnout among the healthcare workers in KSA. Furthermore, the mediating role of burnout is also confirmed in this study. The study also indicates that role ambiguity and role stress due to COVID-19 may create burnout among employees, which may lead to turnover intention among healthcare workers. There is a lack of research on the assessment of the impact of the novel COVID-19-related job stress, role ambiguity and work–life imbalance on the medical staff’s turnover intentions in hospitals. This study fills the gap of the limited studies conducted regarding the identification of the factors that can create turnover intention among healthcare workers of KSA by providing empirical evidence from a Gulf country, Saudi Arabia. This study provides managerial implications for hospital management and health policymakers to develop a strategy to retain the employees. Furthermore, healthcare administrators need to pay close attention to front line workers’ turnover intentions as these medical heroes are the vital part of our society who assist patients to receive their initial treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How does the COVID-19-related work-life balance impact stress on primary healthcare workers?

“…In contrast, the multiple extra tasks related to the COVID-19 control measures become a protective factor against stress among primary health workers. This nding is different from other studies, which reported that the increased workload due to the pandemic increased the health workers' stress levels (13,15). Considering the data collection period of our study conducted in mid-2022, in the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the primary healthcare workers may have become more resilient.…”

“…There is acceptable evidence of how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted primary health workers' work and personal lives. Work-life balance is crucial in keeping health workers satis ed with their work conditions to minimize stress and maintain harmony in their workplace (13). Work-life balance among professionals, including health professionals, is the key to better e ciency (14).…”

“…Work-life balance among professionals, including health professionals, is the key to better e ciency (14). However, most studies only investigated how the pandemic impacted health workers' work-life balance and work stress in the hospital setting (13,15,16). Unfortunately, there were limited studies investigating how the pandemic impacted primary healthcare workers in the community setting.…”

Chronic stress and turnover intention of resident physicians after experiencing COVID-19

“…This can be explained by stress. Previous researchers have found that stress related to COVID-19 can induce turnover intention among healthcare workers [ 59 ]. Moreover, stress can not only have a substantial direct impact on turnover intention but also exert its indirect effect through job satisfaction [ 60 ].…”

How Nurses’ Person-Organization Fit Influences Organizational Loyalty

“… 21 Recently, Alblihed and Alzghaibi conducted a study in Saudi Arabia that revealed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses experienced high role ambiguity, which was significantly associated with an increased intention to quit their job. 22 Nurses’ job tasks and responsibilities have risen and become more complicated, leading to an unclear and confusing situation in healthcare sectors. The lack of job roles can adversely affect the quality of service in the nursing profession.…”