Shedding light on healthcare workers’ labour behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on all spheres of the economy. One of the numerous consequences for the health system, in particular, was the disruption of flexible working and the need for its fundamental transformation. The article is intended to analyse and assess the relationships between flexible work perception (FWP), job satisfaction (JS), work-family balance (WFB) and task performance (TP) and examine this relational network cumulatively from the perspective of healthcare workers. The methodological framework of the research includes social exchange theory and the concept of human resources management. The study involved 353 staff members working for one of private medical clinics in the city of Gaziantep, Turkey. The research methods applied are purposeful sampling and online survey. Smart PLS3 statistical program was used to estimate the structural equation model by partial least squares method. The study showed that despite the mobilization of additional resources, TP of healthcare workers during the pandemic significantly decreased. We proved that FWP had a positive effect on task performance. At the same time, lack of flexible working negatively influenced job satisfaction and work-family balance of the employees. We found that poor WFB resulted in a decrease in the respondents’ JS and TP. Among the avenues for further research are using the data retrieved from public medical institutions and conducting the investigation in different cities and with varying working conditions.