The role of psychosocial safety climate on flexible work from home digital job demands and work-life conflict

Abstract

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of employees in flexible work from home has increased markedly along with a reliance on information communication technologies. This study investigated the role of an organisational factor, psychosocial safety climate (PSC; the climate for worker psychological health and safety), as an antecedent of these new kinds of demands (specifically work from home digital job demands) and their effect on work-life conflict. Data were gathered via an online survey of 2,191 employees from 37 Australian universities. Multilevel modelling showed that university level PSC to demands, y=−0.09, SE=0.03, p<0.01, and demands to work-life conflict, y=0.51, SE=0.19, p<0.05, relationships were significant. Supporting the antecedent theory, university level PSC was significantly indirectly related to work-life conflict via demands (LL −0.10 UL −0.01). Against expectations PSC did not moderate the demand to work-life conflict relationship. The results imply that targeting PSC could help prevent work from home digital job demands, and therefore, work-life conflict. Further research is needed on PSC AND WORKING FROM HOME DIGITAL JOB DEMANDS the role of digital job resources as flexible and hybrid work takes hold post COVID.

Exploring context-related challenges and adaptive responses while working from home during COVID-19

“…Good WLI is related to family outcomes as well. Research has documented positive associations between integration and various indicators of well-being, including family satisfaction (Yadav et al, 2022), marital and children's emotional security (Halrynjo, 2009;Parkin et al, 2022) and children's healthy development (Halrynjo, 2009).…”

Influence of psychosocial safety climate on occupational health and safety: a scoping review

“…Evidence is strongly established in the literature that PSC is negatively and significantly associated with job demands [ 12 , 14 – 19 ]. PSC has a significant and negative association with cognitive demands [ 20 ], psychological demands [ 15 , 21 – 23 ], emotional demands [ 22 , 24 – 26 ], quantitative demands [ 27 ], work intensification [ 28 ], work pressure [ 25 , 29 ], conflicting pressure [ 30 ], workload [ 25 ], long-working hours [ 31 ], hindrance demands [ 32 – 36 ], challenge demands [ 32 ] and compulsive working [ 37 ]. However, a reviewed study found no significant association between PSC and challenge hindrance [ 36 ].…”

“…Moreover, mental health issues such as psychological distress [ 23 , 26 , 42 , 49 , 54 , 64 , 67 ], stress [ 27 , 72 ], depression [ 31 , 41 , 65 , 73 ] and PTSD [ 56 ] might be a result of low workplace PSC. Meanwhile, reviewed studies found that workers that perceived high levels of PSC at work were more likely to experience improved general health, safety and well-being [ 12 , 16 , 17 , 55 , 57 , 62 , 74 ], psychological well-being [ 15 , 58 ], personal resilience [ 75 ], psychological safety [ 54 , 76 ], and self-worth [ 77 ].…”

Happiness Is ‘Being Yourself’: Psychological Safety and Fun in Hybrid Work

“…Early work looked specifically at 'psychological climates', which referred to the shared perceptions and attitudes of employees about organizational values, norms, and the overall work atmosphere (Brown and Leigh 1996). The concept of a 'Psychological Safety climate' (PSC) refers to the extent to which employees perceive their work environment as psychologically and socially supportive and safe (Bond et al 2010), and this extends to flexible work arrangements, such as hybrid work and virtual teams (Barton 2021;Dzandu et al 2023;Juutinen et al 2023;Lee 2021;Parkin et al 2022;Radu et al 2023;Sjöblom et al 2022). A positive PSC indicates that the organization prioritizes employees' well-being, fosters a healthy work environment, and is associated with positive work cultures (Dollard et al 2017) and ethical cultures of trust (Ferrère et al 2022).…”