The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers’ psychological and mental health: The moderating role of felt obligation

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The ravages of COVID-19 have created a worldwide emergency in healthcare units. Under these circumstances, the perception of an infection threat is primarily affecting the employees’ performance in reducing contagion effects. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to develop substantial measures of support for healthcare employees to maintain adequacy in job performance. METHODS: Data were collected from state-owned hospitals in Pakistan to test the current study’s proposed model. We applied structural equation modeling through a partial least square regression in addition to the blindfolding approach in Smart-PLS. Confirmatory factor analysis was also employed to measure the study’s validity. RESULTS: The current study’s findings show that the perception of a threat from COVID-19 and the inadequate protective measures have influenced frontline healthcare workers’ performance levels. The mediating path of depression symptoms indicated the threat of COVID-19 and the absence of protective measures as potential determinants of poor performance. However, an employee’s ability to feel obligated toward their job duties reduces the effect of depression on employee performance. CONCLUSION: The current model highlights an individual’s feelings of obligation to maintain their performance level by minimizing the effect of depression and professional anxiety. The present study extensively described the psychological constraints healthcare workers are facing during the current pandemic. Current research addressing healthcare employees’ mental health is vital for better prevention and control during pandemic circumstances. The current study’s findings extend the emerging understanding of employee psychology in such circumstances.